ÿWPCO …# VUNa %¯ 0(µU<Ýw@ 4Y m 0§| 0D# g 0Jo 0T¹ 0^ 0hk 0rÓ 0|E 0†Á 0G 1u× U,L 0dxU,Ü BU>%B)cDCŒ AMÏU*"FYh D3Á%ôv~ 0@—vÓ× AOªÆù 0D¿ D/ B2˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman /0E12E34D5U6î7Ó€ADÒ X lT ô3|xA(W(2r$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XTfXXXÔà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d$$$$7Border 1dd€-%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌJuly€10,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó OÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€Ôà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€trial€court€dismissed€Ms.€Monroeððs€individual€claims,€findingÏthat€Ms.€Monroe,€who€was€not€a€passenger€or€a€witness€to€the€accident,Ïdid€not€have€standing€to€sue,€on€her€own€behalf,€under€Tennessee€law.€ÏMs.€Monroe€does€not€appeal€the€courtððs€decision€as€to€her€personalÏclaims.€€We€will€consider€this€suit€as€that€of€the€two€minors€brought€byÏplaintiff€as€next€friend.Ì""""'ÿÿdxd Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€Ôà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝIn€her€complaint,€plaintiff€Monroe€states€that€her€mother,€Ms.ÏWilliams,€is€the€guardian€of€the€minor€plaintiffs€and€has€power€ofÏattorney€in€that€regard;€however,€Monroe€€later€claims€that€she€is€theÏminorsðð€legal€guardian,€thus€creating€uncertainty€as€to€the€who€is€theÏlegal€guardian€of€the€minors.Ô€#Ô€€ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€!!X„d&ÓÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÑ7€ÅXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ „ Òà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌà àà à€€Ï________________________________________________ÌÌò òSUE€MONROE,€ó óÌÌà àPlaintiff„Appellant,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àDavidson€Circuit€#94C„1874ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€01A01„9511„CV00526ÌÌÙ€€Ùò òßL€&(%;+'h|` ç `€€LßCHRISTOPHER€G.€CUMMINGS,€ÌDAVID€P.€HANNESWORTH,ÌÌà àó óDefendants,ÌÌò òEDDIE€QUEENS,€CNA€INSURANCEÌCOMPANY,€ó óÌÌà àDefendants„Appellees.Ì___________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àFROM€THE€SIXTH€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€THOMAS€W.€BROTHERS,€JUDGEò òÌÌÌÌà@ àó óSue€Monroe,€Pro€SeÌÌà@ àTracy€Shaw€and€Alice€Margaret€Essary€of€NashvilleÌà@ àFor€AppelleesÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòAFFIRMED€IN€PART,€REVERSED€IN€PART€AND€REMANDEDÌÌà@ àó óóóOpinion€filed:€€ÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€ÅXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ  Ñà àPlaintiff,€Sue€Monroe,€also€known€as€Carolyn€Hayes,€appeals€fromÏthe€trial€courtððs€order€dismissing€her€complaint€for€failure€to€submit€aÏmore€definite€statement€of€her€claims€against€defendants€Eddie€QueensÏand€CNA€Insurance€Co.€Ìà àPlaintiff€is€proceeding€pro€se€in€this€appeal.€€She€also€acted€proÏse€in€the€trial€court.€€The€record€in€the€case€consists€of€only€what€wasÏformally€called€the€technical€record.€€The€complaint,€with€exhibits,Ïalthough€inartfully€drawn,€appears€to€name€four€defendants:ÏChristopher€Cummings,€Eddie€Queens€(owner€of€Queens€Tree€Surgery),ÏDavid€Hannesworth,€and€CNA€Insurance€Company.€€The€complaint,€asÍsupplemented€by€the€exhibits,€appears€to€allege€that€on€December€18,Ï1992,€plaintiffððs€minor€sons,€Mark€Hayes€and€Michael€Hayes,€wereÏpassengers€in€an€automobile€driven€by€Ednelia€Williams,€plaintiffððsÏmother€and€the€custodian€of€the€minor€children€while€plaintiff€isÏincarcerated€in€a€federal€medical€facility.€€The€complaint€alleges€thatÏMs.€Williamsðð€car€was€on€the€Clarksville€highway€in€Nashville,ÏTennessee,€when€the€Hannesworth€vehicle€collided€with€the€WilliamsÏvehicle€that€was€stopped€at€a€traffic€light.€€The€Hannesworth€vehicleÏwas€apparently€knocked€or€forced€into€the€Williams€vehicle€when€itÏwas€struck€from€the€rear€by€the€vehicle€driven€by€Cummings€and€ownedÏby€Queens.€€The€complaint€alleges€that€the€Queens€vehicle€had€faultyÏbrakes€and€was€unable€to€stop€before€striking€the€Hannesworth€vehicle.€ÏPlaintiff€was€not€in€the€car€at€the€time€of€the€accident,€and€Ms.ÏWilliams,€who€was€represented€by€counsel,€settled€her€claim€againstÏQueens€for€an€undisclosed€amount.€€The€complaint€purports€to€be€byÏplaintiff€as€the€mother€and€next€friend€of€the€children€for€their€injuriesÏand€also€by€the€mother€individually€for€her€pain,€suffering,€and€anguishÍresulting€from€their€injuries.× ƒ) ××  ×Ìà àThe€record€reflects€that€defendants,€Cummings€and€Hannesworth,Ïwere€not€served€with€process.€€Queens€and€CNA€filed€a€motion€toÏdismiss€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€upon€which€relief€can€be€granted.€ÏThe€trial€court€denied€the€motion,€but€ordered€plaintiff€to€make€a€moreÏdefinite€statement.€€Subsequently,€upon€failure€of€plaintiff€to€make€theÏmore€definite€statement€ordered€by€the€court,€the€case€was€dismissed.€ÏPlaintiff€has€appealed€and€apparently€presents€the€following€issues€forÏreview:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à1.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€toÏgrant€a€default€judgment€against€defendantsÏChristopher€Cummings€and€David€Hannesworth.ÌÌà8 àà8 à2.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€toÏgrant€plaintiffsðð€motion€for€an€extension€of€timeÏin€which€to€find€an€attorney€based€on€plaintiffððsÏposition€as€an€incarcerated€person.ÌÌà8 àà8 à3.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€not€grantingÏplaintiffððs€motion€to€meet€and€confer€withÍdefense€counsel.ÌÌà8 àà8 à4.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€not€findingÏthat€plaintiff€properly€and€timely€responded€toÏdefendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss€by€providing€aÏmore€definite€statement€of€the€claimsÏpresented.ÌÌÓÓà àWe€first€consider€plaintiffððs€claim€that€the€trial€court€shouldÏhave€granted€plaintiffððs€motion€for€a€default€judgment€as€to€defendantsÏChristopher€Cummings€and€David€Hannesworth.€€Pursuant€toÏTenn.R.Civ.P.€12.01,€a€defendant€is€required€to€file€an€answer€withinÏthirty€days€of€service€of€the€summons€and€complaint.€€Although€serviceÏwas€attempted,€it€is€clear€that€neither€Cummings€nor€Hannesworth€wasÏserved.€€Accordingly,€there€could€be€no€default€judgment€againstÏCummings€and€Hannesworth.€€Ìà àPlaintiffððs€second€issue€on€appeal€concerns€the€trial€courtððsÏrefusal€to€grant€Ìplaintiffððs€motion€for€an€extension€of€time€in€which€to€find€an€attorney,Ïbased€on€the€fact€that€plaintiff€Monroe€is€incarcerated.€€On€October€14,Ï1994,€plaintiff€filed€a€motion€seeking€a€continuance€for€90€days,€orÏuntil€January€30,€1995,€for€the€purpose€of€giving€plaintiff€sufficientÏtime€to€secure€counsel.€€Plaintiffððs€motion€states€that,€should€plaintiffÍMonroe€fail€to€retain€counsel€by€that€date,€she€will€continue€the€suitÏòòpro€seóó.€€In€fact,€plaintiff€did€not€secure€counsel,€but€continued€toÏlitigate€the€instant€ÌÌsuit€until€the€trial€court€dismissed€it€on€June€22,€1995.€€The€recordÏreveals€that€the€trial€court€did€not€respond€to€plaintiffððs€motion€for€anÏextension€of€time€in€which€to€find€an€attorney;€however,€the€court€didÏnot€enter€another€order€in€this€case€until€January€19,€1995.€ÏSignificantly,€the€court€at€that€time€did€not€grant€defendantsðð€secondÏmotion€to€dismiss,€but€instead€allowed€plaintiff€an€additional€45€daysÏin€which€to€submit€a€more€definite€statement.€€Based€upon€this€record,Ïwe€find€that€the€court€accorded€plaintiff€ample€time€in€which€to€secureÏlegal€assistance.€€€€Ìà àThe€next€issue€plaintiff€presents€is€whether€the€trial€court€erredÏin€not€granting€plaintiffððs€motion€to€meet€and€confer€with€defenseÏcounsel.€€The€trial€court€found€that€plaintiffððs€request€was€ð ðunknown€atÏlaw€and€accordingly€must€be€denied.ðð€€We€agree.€€€Plaintiff€Monroe,€likeÏany€other€litigant,€has€open€to€her€established€modes€of€communication,Ïwhich€do€not€include€a€motion€to€meet€and€confer.€€Ìà àPlaintiffððs€fourth€issue€on€appeal€is€whether€the€trial€court€erredÏin€not€finding€that€plaintiff€properly€and€timely€responded€toÏdefendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss€by€providing€a€more€definite€statementÏof€the€claims€presented.€€On€July€26,€1994,€defendants€filed€a€motion€toÏdismiss€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€pursuant€to€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€12.02€(6),Ïand€in€the€alternative€for€a€more€definite€statement€pursuant€to€RuleÏ12.05.€€In€an€order€entered€August€25,€1994,€the€trial€court€found€thatÏdefendants€were€entitled€to€a€more€definite€statement€and€orderedÏplaintiff€to:€ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à[F]ile€and€serve€upon€opposing€counsel€a€moreÏdefinite€statement€as€to€the€parties€to€theÏaction€(particularly€the€legal€status€of€theÏrelationship€between€the€minor€Plaintiffs€andÏthe€Plaintiff€Sue€Monroe),€the€facts€out€of€whichÏthis€action€arises,€the€specifics€[sic]€wrongsÏcomplained€of,€and€the€relief€sought.€€The€CourtÏcalls€to€Plaintiffsðð€attention€Rule€8.01,€8.05,Ï10.01,€and€10.02,€Tenn.R.Civ.P.,€and€directsÏPlaintiffs€to€comply€with€those€Rules€in€allÏsubsequent€proceedings.ÌÌÓÓBecause€of€plaintiff€Monroeððs€status€as€an€incarcerated€person,€theÏtrial€court€sent€her€a€copy€of€the€rules€with€which€the€court€urgedÏplaintiffs€to€comply.€€In€its€order€of€January€19,€1994,€the€court€againÏordered€plaintiff€to€comply€with€ð ðbasic€pleading€requirementsðð€byÍletting€defendants€know€ð ðspecifically€what€claims€are€made€againstÏthe€Defendant[s]€and€what€is€the€legal€relationship€between€the€minorÏplaintiffs€and€Sue€Monroe.ðð× ƒ+ ××  ×€Finally,€in€an€order€entered€June€22,€1995,Ïthe€court€granted€defendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss€because€plaintiff€hadÏfailed€to€file€a€more€definite€statement.€€Ìà àWhen€considering€a€motion€to€dismiss€for€failure€to€state€a€claimÏpursuant€to€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€12.02€(6),€the€court€should€construe€theÏpleadings€liberally,€in€favor€of€the€pleader.€€ò òòòCollier€v.€Slayden€Bros.ÏLtd.€Partnershipó óóó,€712€S.W.2d€106,€109€(Tenn.€App.€1985).€€InÏò òòòHumphries€v.€West€End€Terrace,€Inc.ó óóó,€795€S.W.2d€128€(Tenn.€App.Ï1990),€this€Court€said:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àSuch€a€motion€admits€the€truth€of€all€relevantÏand€material€averments€contained€in€theÏcomplaint€but€asserts€that€such€facts€do€notÏconstitute€a€cause€of€action.€€ò òòòCornpropstóóó ó,€528ÏS.W.2d€at€190.€€A€complaint€should€not€beÏdismissed€upon€such€a€motion€ð ðunless€it€appearsÏbeyond€doubt€that€the€plaintiff€can€prove€no€setÏof€facts€in€support€of€his€claim€that€wouldÍentitle€him€to€relief.ðð€€ò òòòFuerst€v.€MethodistÏHospital€Southó óóó,€566€S.W.2d€847,€848€(Tenn.Ï1978).€€ÌÓÓÌà àAs€to€defendant,€CNA,€we€find€no€allegation€except€that€CNA€isÏthe€insurance€company€for€Queens.€€There€are€no€allegations€toÏestablish€a€direct€cause€of€action€against€CNA.€€The€complaint€simplyÏstates€no€claim€upon€which€relief€can€be€granted€against€CNA.€€€Ìà àAs€to€defendant,€Queens,€we€find€that€plaintiff€Monroe€has,€inÏlarge€part,€complied€with€the€requirements€of€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€8.01;€thatÏis,€she€has€set€forth€ð ð(1)€a€short€and€plain€statement€of€the€claimÏshowing€that€the€pleader€is€entitled€to€relief,€and€(2)€a€demand€forÏjudgment€for€the€relief€which€he€deems€himself€entitled.ðð€€AlthoughÏthere€are€technical€inaccuracies€in€plaintiffððs€complaint,€we€areÏsensitive€to€the€fact€that€plaintiff€brings€this€action€òòpro€seóó.€€Moreover,Ïthe€Rules€direct€this€Court€to€construe€all€pleadings€so€as€to€doÏsubstantial€justice.€€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€8.06;€ò òòòCollieró óóó,€712€S.W.2d€at€108.€ÏPlaintiffððs€complaint€states€that€an€accident€occurred,€that€herÏchildren€were€injured,€and€the€money€damages€that€are€sought.€€We€findÏthat€plaintiffððs€complaint€was€sufficient€to€put€defendant€Queens€onÍnotice€of€the€claims€against€him€and€to€enable€him€to€file€an€answer.€ÏAdditionally,€we€find€that€Ms.€Monroeððs€relationship€to€the€minors€hadÏbeen€adequately€established€for€the€purposes€of€this€suit.€€Ms.€Monroe€isÏthe€childrenððs€mother.€€Although€a€legal€guardian€may€file€suit€on€behalfÏof€the€ward,€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€17.03,€Ms.€Williams,€if€she€is€in€fact€the€legalÏguardian,€has€not€done€so.€€Regardless,€the€existence€of€a€guardian€doesÏnot€alleviate€the€right€of€a€parent€to€bring€suit€on€behalf€of€minorÏchildren,€as€next€friend,€where€justice€requires.€€€ò òòòIdó óóó.€€Ìà àPlaintiff€asserts€that€her€constitutional€rights€have€been€violatedÏbecause€plaintiff€has€not€received€equal€access€to€the€courts€asÏrequired€under€U.S.€Const.€amend.€XIV.€€Neither€the€fact€that€PlaintiffÏMonroe€has€been€unable€to€retain€counsel€nor€the€fact€that€the€trialÏcourt€denied€Ms.€Monroeððs€ð ðmotion€to€meet€and€conferðð€constitute€aÏdenial€of€Ms.€Monroeððs€right€to€equal€access€to€the€courts.€€ò òòòSee,€e.g.€ÏSmith€v.€Peeblesó óóó,€681€S.W.2d€567€(Tenn.€App.€1984).€€In€her€responseÏto€Defendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss€filed€January€3,€1995,€Ms.€MonroeÏasserted€that€she€did€not€have€access€to€Tennessee€materials€at€theÏfederal€medical€facility€in€Texas€in€which€she€is€incarcerated.€ÏHowever,€by€order€filed€September€9,€1994,€the€trial€court€provided€Ms.ÍMonroe€with€copies€of€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure€which€areÏpertinent€to€her€case.€€Moreover,€in€her€response€to€the€courtððs€requestÏfor€a€›more€definite€statement€filed€January€12,€1995,€Ms.€Monroe€citesÏthe€court€to€numerous€Tennessee€statutes€and€cases.€€Under€the€recordÏpresented€in€this€case,€we€do€not€find€that€œplaintiff›€œhas€been›€deniedÏmeaningful€access€to€either€the€law€or€the€courts.€€Ìœà àThe€order€of€the€trial€court€dismissing€plaintiffððs€complaintÏagainst€CNA€is€affirmed.€€The€order€of€the€trial€court€dismissingÏplaintiffððs€complaint€against€Queens€is€reversed,€and€the€case€isÏremanded€for€further€proceedings€as€are€necessary.€€Costs€of€the€appealÏare€assessed€against€appellee€Queens.ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ó óÌ_________________________________Ìò òALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEó óÌÌò ò_________________________________ÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óœÔ€#ÔÔ€#Ô