ÿWPC, …# VU>a %Ÿ 0(¥4Íáðw@ø 0L8 0J„ 0TÎ 0^" 0h€ 0rè 0|Z 0†Ö 0\ 1uì U,a 0d U,ñ U6B)SDC| 0N¿ B  AM*U*w"¡v~à D3AvÓt 0@G AO‡ÆÖ 0Dœ D/à B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 <èÀ( 9Z &Courier RegularX($¡¡DÒ x°°3|xð  Þ Dß Dà á â Dã ä Iå Dæ Ó€ð > ÿÿ$Small Circleððà0 à2 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< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd>‡¦$"Small Circleð"ðà0  à d€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌJuly€31,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`%%%%'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  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  ÝÓ ` Ü‚Xœ ’X ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€îXdÈdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑMARY€SANDERS,à à)Ìà àà à)ÌÓ#` Ü‚Xœôx‘X#Óà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà à)à à01„A„01„9601„CV„00006Ìv.à àà à)Ìà àà à)à àÌÙ€€ÙœßL€&(#;+'h|#‡` ç `€€Lß›STEVE€SANDERS€andà à)à àSumner€CircuitÌJANET€SANDERS,à à)à àNo.€14074„CÌà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellants.à à)ÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÔ€!¼ÔCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€FOR€SUMNER€COUNTYÌÌAT€GALLATIN,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€THOMAS€GOODALL,€JUDGEÌÓ ` Ü‚XœÈ“X ÓÌÌÓ  ÓÌÌÔ€!XÔJOHN€AARON€HOLTÌJacobs€&€HoltÌ311€White€Bridge€RoadÌNashville,€Tennessee€€37209Ìà àATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLEEÌÌÌÌWHITNEY€KEMPERÌKemper€&€McLemoreÌ144€Second€Avenue€NorthÌSuite€333ÌNashville,€Tennessee€€37201Ìà àATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED,ÌÌAND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÔ€!¼ÔSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÓ  ÓÓÓòòÔ€!°ÔOÔ€!¼Ô€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÓ  ÓÓ#` Ü` ä œÈ“X#ÓóóÔ€!XÔà àThis€is€an€appeal€by€defendants/appellants,€Steve€and€JanetÏSanders,€from€the€trial€court's€judgment€which€found€they€hadÏwrongfully€executed€on€a€judgment€against€plaintiff/appellee,€MaryÏSanders.€€The€court€awarded€appellee€a€judgment€against€appellantsÏfor€compensatory€damages€of€$700.87,€attorney's€fee€of€$3,750.00,Ïand€punitive€damages€of€$5,000.00.ÌÌà àAppellee€and€appellant€Steve€Sanders€divorced€in€June€1993.€ÏThey€had€two€children.€€In€February€1992,€their€seventeen€year€oldÏdaughter,€Gaylee,€was€involved€in€an€œaccident›€while€riding€as€aÏœpassenger€in€an€automobile.›€€Sumner€Regional€Hospital€treatedÏGaylee's€injuries€and€sent€a€bill€for€the€treatment.€€Pursuant€toÏthe€divorce€decree,€appellant€Steve€Sanders€was€responsible€forÏproviding€medical€insurance€to€the€parties'€daughter.ÌÌà àAppellant€Steve€Sanders€filed€the€medical€bill€with€hisÍinsurance€company,€but€the€company€refused€to€pay,€in€part,Ïbecause€the€driver€of€the€car€was€responsible€for€the€accident.€ÏWhen€Gaylee's€hospital€bill€was€not€paid,€Sumner€Regional€HospitalÏturned€the€bill€over€to€Professional€Adjustment€Services€("PAS"),Ïa€collection€agency.€€When€they€were€not€able€to€collect,€PASÏfiled€a€suit,€case€91„222„666,€on€behalf€of€Sumner€RegionalÏHospital€against€appellant€Steve€Sanders.ÌÌà àThe€driver's€insurance€company€paid€appellee€an€amountÏequal€to€the€daughter's€medical€bills.€€When€PAS€sued€appellantÏSteve€Sanders,€he€authorized€his€wife,€appellant€Janet€Sanders,€toÏfile€suit€against€appellee,€case€95„12„36.€€Appellee€testifiedÏthat€when€she€was€served€"that€is€when€[she]€knew€that€[she]€hadÏto€get€the€money€and€pay€the€bill."€€She€paid€PAS,€and€the€courtÏclerk€noted€this€payment€in€the€docket€book€under€case€91„222„666,Ïbut€did€not€note€the€payment€under€case€93„12„36.ÌÌà àAppellants€were€subsequently€awarded€a€default€judgmentÏagainst€appellee€in€April€1993€in€the€sum€of€$399.28.€€œWhen€the›Ïjudgment€became€final,€appellants€caused€executions€to€issue€onÏappellee's€bank€œaccounts.€€Because€the›€executions€wereÏœunsuccessful,€appellants›€œrequested›€that€a€levy€issue€on€appellee'sÏautomobile.€€After€the€parties€levied€on€the€automobile,€appellee€Ïredeemed€it€by€paying€$554.87,€the€judgment€amount€and€the€courtÏcosts.ÌÌà àIn€July€1994,€appellee€œfiled›€suit€against€appellants€forÏwrongful€execution€in€the€Sumner€County€General€Sessions€Court.€ÏThe€general€sessions€court€found€in€favor€of€appellee€and€awardedÏdamages.€€€Thereafter,€in€April€1995,€appellants€filed€a€notice€ofÏappeal€as€to€the€general€sessions€court's€ruling.€€After€hearingÏthe€case,€the€œCircuit›€œCourt€of€Sumner€County€awarded›€appelleeÏcompensatory€damages€of€$700.87,€attorney's€fee€of€$3,750.00,€andÏpunitive€damages€of€$5,000.00.€€œSubsequently,€appellants›€œfiled›€aÏtimely€notice€of€appeal€to€this€court.ÌÌà àAppellants'€first€issue€is€whether€"the€trial€court€erredÏin€awarding€appellee€damages€for€wrongful€execution."ÌÌà àWe€review€the€findings€of€fact€of€the€trial€court€de€novoÏupon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfindings€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€otherwise.€€Tenn.€R.ÏApp.€P.€13(d).ÌÌà àThe€term€"wrongful€execution"€encompasses€a€variety€ofÏactions€including€replevin,€conversion,€trespass,€and€abuse€ofÏprocess.€€30€Am.€Jur.€2d€òòExecutionsóó€ðð€606€(1994).€€Moreover,€anÏaction€for€wrongful€execution€may€be€brought€under€a€variety€ofÏsituations,€including€when€the€underlying€judgment€is€void€or€isÏobtained€through€fraud.€€33€C.J.S.€òòExecutionsóó€ðððð€452„53€(1972).€€ÌÓÓà8 àAn€execution€issued€on€a€void,€satisfied,€orÏextinguished€judgment€is€wrongful;€and€a€partyÏsubjects€himself€to€liability€for€abuse€of€processÍwhen€he€procures€the€issuance€of€an€execution€on€aÏjudgment€which€has€been€vacated€or€which€he€knowsÏto€have€been€obtained€by€fraud€and€perjury€or€toÏhave€been€entered€after€the€payment€of€a€debt.ÌÌÓÓò òòòId.ó óóó€ðð€452.ÌÌà àOur€supreme€court€has€recognized€two€causes€of€actionÏcalled€wrongful€levy€of€an€execution€and€wrongful€garnishment.€Ïò òòòBryson€v.€Bramlettó óóó,€204€Tenn.€347,€351,€321€S.W.2d€555,€557Ï(1958).€€In€ò òòòBrysonó óóó,€the€court€stated:€"It€is€well€settled€that€oneÏmay€maintain€an€action€for€the€wrongful€levy€of€an€execution€underÏa€void€judgment€or€for€wrongful€garnishment."€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€(citing€ò òòòLongÏv.€Alfordó óóó,€14€Tenn.€App.€1,€5€(1931)).€€The€eastern€section€ofÏthis€court,€in€a€1987€decision,€affirmed€the€decision€of€a€trialÏcourt€which€€awarded€plaintiff€damages€for€wrongful€levy€of€anÏexecution.€€ò òòòCooke€v.€Hodgeó óóó,€CA€No.€1095,€1987€WL€14836,€at€*€1Ï(Tenn.€App.€31€July€1987).€€While€recognizing€the€right€of€anÏindividual€to€bring€an€action€against€a€party€or€officer€forÏdamages,€our€supreme€court€has€noted€that€the€appropriate€remedyÏto€quash€a€levy€on€property€exempted€from€execution€is€certiorari.€Ïò òòòSellars€v.€Fite,€Anderson€&€Greenó óóó,€62€Tenn.€120,€129€(1873).ÌÌà àGenerally,€the€owner€or€a€person€having€an€interest€in€theÏproperty€seized€is€entitled€to€bring€an€action€for€wrongfulÏexecution.€€30€Am.€Jur.€2d€òòExecutionsóó€ðð€607€œ(1994);›€33€C.J.S.ÏòòExecutionsóó€ðð€456€(1942).€€The€officer€levying€the€execution€may€beÏliable€as€well€as€any€person€who€directs€or€induces€the€officer€toÍperform€the€execution.€€ò òòòCookeó óóó,€1987€WL€14836,€at€*€2;€ò òòòseeÏSellarsó óóó,€62€Tenn.€at€129;€òòò òLong€v.€Alfordó óóó,€14€Tenn.€App.€1,€5Ï(1931).€€The€western€section€of€this€court€has€stated:€ÌÓÓà8 à[T]here€can€be€no€claim€for€damages€.€.€.€againstÏparties€who€have€acted€upon€the€orders€of€a€courtÏunless€the€parties€conspired€to€perpetrate€a€fraudÏupon€the€Court€to€obtain€that€order€.€.€.€.Ï[P]arties€have€the€right€to€act€in€reliance€uponÏorders€of€a€Court€without€being€subject€to€a€laterÏclaim€for€damages€in€the€event€the€Court€or€itsÏofficers€were€in€error€as€long€as€the€parties€didÏnot€direct€or€ratify€the€wrongful€acts.€€ò òòòÌÌÓÓHawley€v.€Lavelleó óóó,€602€S.W.2d€499,€501€(Tenn.€App.€1980).€ÏFinally,€a€party€is€entitled€to€direct€pecuniary€damages€andÏpunitive€damages€"[w]here€fraud,€malice,€gross€negligence€orÏoppression€intervenes€.€.€.€."€€ò òòòBrysonó óóó,€321€S.W.2d€at€557€(quotingÏò òòòLouisville,€N.€&€G.S.R.€Co.€v.€Guinanó óóó,€79€Tenn.€98,€103Ï(1883).ÌÌà àÓ ` °§XÓThe€trial€court€made€the€following€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law:ÌÓÓà8 àà à(8)à àAs€a€matter€of€law,€when€[the€judgment€in]€91„222„666€was€paid,€the€third€party€action€93„12„36€wasÏsatisfied€and€this€was€not€made€known€to€the€GeneralÏSessions€Judge.€€Mr.€Sanders€had€paid€nothing€and€wasÏowed€nothing€and€he€knew€this€fact€and€he€did€notÏdisclose€such€information€to€the€Court.Ìà àà à.€.€.€.€Ìà8 àà à(11)à àThe€Defendants€knew€or€ought€to€have€knownÏthat€their€judgment€was€only€valid€as€a€third€party„judgment.€€The€status€of€case€91„222„666€should€haveÏbeen€determined€before€requesting€judgment€on€93„12„36Ïand€before€causing€execution€for€any€reason.€€SteveÏSanders€allowed€his€wife,€Janet€Sanders,€to€act€for€himÏas€"agent."€€In€order€to€save€her€automobile€from€theÏSheriff's€sale,€Mary€Sanders€paid€a€total€of€$620.87.€ÏShe€also€lost€œthe€use›€of€her€automobile€for€four€days.€ÏThe€value€of€lost€œuse›€was€set€at€eighty€dollars.Ìà8 àà à(12)à àIt€is€noteworthy€to€the€Court€that€Mr.ÏSanders,€a€party€to€this€lawsuit,€has€failed€to€appearÏand€offer€any€explanation€or€proof€concerning€thisÏconglomerated€state€of€affairs.€€His€prior€wife,€MaryÏSanders,€testified€that€she€had€talked€with€him€andÏadvised€him€that€the€judgment€had€been€satisfied.€€TheÏCourt€considers€that€a€reasonable,€prudent€person€underÏthe€same€or€similar€circumstances€would€appear€in€thisÏcourt€at€the€hearing€and€offer€evidence€and€serve€as€aÏwitness€if€he€believed€that€his€own€testimony€orÏevidence€would€be€favorable€to€him€.€.€.€.€€[BecauseÏplaintiffs€did€not€offer€the€testimony€of€Mr.€Sanders,]Ïthe€Court€can€only€assume€that€Mr.€Sanders'€testimonyÏwould€not€have€been€favorable€to€his€own€cause.Ìà8 àà à.€.€.€.Ìà8 àà à(15)à àIt€seems€absurd€to€the€Court€that€threeÏhundred€and€ninety„nine€dollars€would€cause€the€secondÏMrs.€Sanders€to€bring€about€the€sale€of€a€vehicle.€€TheÏCourt€is€convinced€she€knew€the€account€had€been€paidÏand€the€sale€of€the€vehicle€was€brought€about€for€spiteÏand€for€the€continuation€of€a€spleenful€and€vindictiveÏattitude.Ìà8 àà àThe€Court€finds€that€not€only€was€the€judgmentÏvoid,€but€the€conduct€of€Steve€Sanders€and€Janet€SandersÏwas€atrocious,€reprehensible,€unconscionable,Ïoppressive,€appalling,€offensive€and€not€in€keeping€withÏthe€standards€expected€of€litigants.ÌÌÓÓWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidence€fully€supports€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court€and€that€the€trial€court€did€not€errÏin€awarding€appellee€damages€for€wrongful€execution.€ÌÌà àAppellants'€second€issue€is€whether€"the€trial€court€erred€inÏawarding€attorneys€fees."ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€awarded€appellee€attorney's€fees€in€theÏamount€of€$3,750.00.€€In€this€state,€a€court€may€not€awardÏattorney's€fees€"[i]n€the€absence€of€a€statutory€provisionÏtherefor,€or€contractual€agreement€between€the€parties€.€.€.€."€Ïò òòòGoings€v.€Aetna€Casualty€&€Surety€Co.ó óóó,€491€S.W.2d€847,€847Í(Tenn.€App.€1972).€€The€Tennessee€Supreme€Court€has€specificallyÏheld€that€attorney's€fees€incurred€in€a€wrongful€attachment€lawÏsuit€are€not€elements€of€damages.€€ò òòòStringfield€v.€Hirschó óóó,€94ÏTenn.€425,€437„38€29€S.W.€609,€613€(1895).€€In€this€case,€thereÏwas€neither€a€contract€between€the€parties€nor€any€statute€whichÏallowed€an€award€of€attorney's€fees.€€Therefore,€we€are€of€theÏopinion€that€the€trial€court€must€vacate€the€award€of€attorney'sÏfees.€€On€remand,€the€trial€court€will€enter€an€order€vacating€theÏdamages€for€the€amount€of€the€attorney's€fees.ÌÌà àAppellants'€third€issue€is€whether€"the€trial€court€erred€inÏawarding€punitive€damages."ÌÌà àA€court€may€award€punitive€damages€when€a€defendant€hasÏ"acted€either€(1)€intentionally,€(2)€fraudulently,€(3)Ïmaliciously,€or€(4)€recklessly."€€ò òòòHodges€v.€S.C.€Toof€&€Co.ó óóó,Ï833€S.W.2d€896,€901€(Tenn.€1992).€€"A€person€acts€intentionallyÏwhen€it€is€the€person's€conscious€objective€or€desire€to€engage€inÏconduct€or€cause€the€result."€€òòò òId.óóó ó€€"A€person€acts€maliciouslyÏwhen€the€person€is€motivated€by€ill€will,€hatred,€or€personalÏspite."€€òòò òId.óóó ó€€The€preponderance€of€the€evidence€supports€a€findingÏthat€the€defendants€acted€intentionally€and/or€maliciously.€ÏSpecifically,€there€is€evidence€that€appellants€knew€appellee€hadÏpaid€PAS€when€they€sought€to€have€the€Sheriff€execute€the€levy.€ÏThus,€the€trial€court€did€not€err€when€it€awarded€punitiveÏdamages.€€This€issue€is€without€merit.ÌÌà àTherefore,€it€results€that€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€isÏaffirmed€as€modified.€€On€remand,€the€trial€court€shall€enter€anÏorder€vacating€the€award€of€attorney's€fees€and€address€anyÏfurther€necessary€proceedings.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€one„halfÏto€plaintiff/appellee,€Mary€Sanders,€and€one„half€to€defendants/Ïappellants,€Steve€and€Janet€Sanders.€Ìà àÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€J.ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€J.ÌÌÌÌ