ÿWPCh …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í  w@ 0„V 0DÚ 0J 0Th 0^¼ 0h 0r‚ ô 0|ü 0†x 0þ 1uŽ U, 0d/ B“U,°U6ÜB) D3;DCn AM± 0@þU*>DhƬv~rvÓð AOÃÆ 0DØ D/ BK˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀäÌÀÀÌÀä0 <¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  Ó©U!¡Ó 3|x:H &'(D)*a+D,D-.D/Ó€(4(3DX$¤¤Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d&&&&'ÿÿdxd))))7Border 1dd€-+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò< Œ 9p`(Arial :Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌò òAugust€21,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€.ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ¼Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòIt€appears€that€the€plaintiff€would€have€us€infer€from€the€mereÏpresence€of€the€defendant€when€discussions€were€going€on€between€Mrs.€SwettÏand€Mr.€Gordon€that€the€defendant€acquiesced€in€and€became€obligated€to€payÏfor€all€the€plaintiff's€services.óóÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$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€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ý›Ñ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€9¶XXdÖXXdÖ7ќـ€ÙßL€,/+;+'h|` ¤ `€€Lß›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMARY€SWETT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHAMBLEN€CHANCERY€COURTÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9601„CH„00020Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€WILLIAM€L.€JENKINSÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌMARGARET€GORDON,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌÌÌÌDOUGLAS€R.€BEIER,€€Evans€&€Beier,€Morristown,€for€Appellant.ÌÌÌTHOMAS€D.€SHELBURNE,€Rogersville,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àIn€this€action,€the€plaintiff€sought€judgment€against€theÏdefendant€for€the€sum€of€$99,960.00€allegedly€due€under€the€termsÏof€an€oral€contract€for€accounting€services€she€had€provided€toÏthe€defendant.€€The€defendant€answered€and€denied€the€allegationsÏof€the€plaintiff€relating€to€the€debt.€€After€a€bench€trial€theÏtrial€court€entered€judgment€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff€in€theÏamount€of€$3,440.00€plus€interest€of€10%€per€annum€from€June€1,Ï1993.€€The€plaintiff€appeals.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trialÏcourt.ÌÌà àMary€Swett€and€her€husband€were€neighbors€and€acquaintancesÏof€Margaret€Gordon€and€her€husband,€Marvin€Gordon.€€At€some€point,ÏMr.€Gordon€expressed€to€Mr.€Swett€that€he€was€unhappy€with€theÏfinancial€dealings€at€his€law€office,€a€partnership€known€as€Noe€&ÏGordon.€€Mr.€Swett€suggested€that€Mr.€Gordon€talk€to€his€wife€toÍsee€if€she€could€be€of€any€assistance.€€Mrs.€Swett€had€significantÏtraining€toward€becoming€a€Certified€Public€Accountant,€but€at€allÏtimes€material,€she€was€not€licensed€in€any€accounting€or€relatedÏfields.€€Mr.€Gordon€spoke€with€Mrs.€Swett€about€his€concerns€andÏshe€agreed€to€help€him.€€While€she€deferred€billing€for€her€ser…vices,€he€assured€her€many€times€that€she€would€be€paid.€€ThisÏsituation€continued€for€about€three€years.ÌÌà àBoth€Mr.€Noe,€Mr.€Gordon's€partner,€and€Mr.€Gordon€diedÏbefore€€this€controversy€arose€between€Mrs.€Swett€and€Mrs.€Gordon.ÏMrs.€Gordon€qualified€as€the€personal€representative€of€the€estateÏof€Mr.€Gordon.€€Shortly€after€Mr.€Gordon's€death,€Mrs.€GordonÏasked€Mrs.€Swett€for€a€bill€for€her€services.€€Mrs.€Swett€producedÏan€invoice€for€3332€hours€of€work€covering€a€time€period€rangingÏfrom€1990€through€1993€apparently€at€a€rate€of€$30.00€per€hour€forÏa€total€of€$99,960.00.€Mrs.€Gordon€refused€to€pay€that€amount.ÌÌà àWhen€negotiations€failed,€Mrs.€Swett€instituted€this€actionÏagainst€Mrs.€Gordon€individually€for€the€alleged€and€unpaid€debt.€ÍAt€the€same€time,€she€filed€an€identical€claim€against€Mr.ÏGordonððs€estate€except€that€the€amount€claimed€was€for€$64,850€andÏbased€on€$20.00€per€hour€rather€than€$30.00€per€hour.ÌÌà àAt€the€trial,€Mrs.€Swett's€records€were€introduced€reflectingÏthe€time€allegedly€spent€on€the€œGordons›'€personal€accounts€andÏvarious€accounts€belonging€to€Mr.€Gordon's€law€firm€and€relatedÏbusinesses.€€In€addition€expert€testimony€was€elicited€regardingÏthe€amount€of€time€that€would€be€reasonable€for€the€work€performedÏby€Mrs.€Swett€and€the€reasonable€hourly€rate€chargeable€for€suchÏwork.ÌÌà àMrs.€Swett€claimed€compensation€for€eight€hundred€twenty„twoÏand€one„half€hours€for€time€she€claims€was€expended€for€personalÏservices€for€the€Gordons.€€After€hearing€all€the€evidence,€theÏtrial€court€awarded€Mrs.€Swett€a€judgment€for€only€a€portion€ofÏthe€compensation€claimed€for€the€work€performed€for€the€Gordons.€ÏThe€court€determined€that€a€total€of€one€hundred€seventy„two€hoursÏwas€a€reasonable€amount€of€time€for€the€work€performed€for€theÍGordons€individually€and€allowed€Mrs.€Swett€the€hourly€fee€ofÏ$20.00.ÌÌà àMrs.€Swett€has€appealed€raising€a€single€issue€for€our€re…view:ÌWhether€the€trial€court€erred€in€dismissing€appellant's€complaintÏin€part€and€finding€that€a€contract€existed,€but€only€for€a€por…tion€of€the€services€appellant€rendered€appellee?€€We€feel€thatÏthe€issue€can€be€more€simply€and€concisely€stated,€òòi.eóó.,€does€theÏevidence€preponderate€against€the€findings€of€the€trial€court?ÌÌà àOur€standard€of€review€is€mandated€by€Rule€13(d),€TennesseeÏRules€of€Appellate€Procedure.€€"Unless€otherwise€required€byÏstatute,€review€of€findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court€in€civilÏactions€shall€be€òòde€novoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€finding,Ïunless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise."ÌÌà àThe€appellant€has€characterized€the€actions€of€the€trialÏcourt€as€a€dismissal€of€a€portion€of€the€appellant's€claim.€€WeÏagree€that€the€court€denied€a€large€portion€of€the€appellant'sÏclaim,€in€debt,€against€Mrs.€Gordon€individually;€however,€underÏhis€ruling€he€made€no€findings€as€to€the€validity€of€the€remainderÏof€the€claims€filed€against€the€estate€of€Mr.€Gordon€by€Mrs.ÏSwett.€€The€appellant's€claim€against€the€Estate€of€Marvin€GordonÏwas€for€work€relating€to€"Noe€&€Gordon€Attorneys",€"Marvin€E.ÏGordon,€Attorney"€and€"Marvin€&€Margaret€Gordon."€€The€recordÏclearly€reflects€that€a€portion€of€the€claim€filed€against€theÏestate€and€designated€as€"Marvin€and€Margaret€Gordon"€were€claimsÏchargeable€against€the€Gordon€estate€and€not€Mrs.€Gordon€personal…ly.€In€any€event,€there€was€ample€evidence€in€the€record€to€sup…port€the€finding€of€the€trial€court€that€one€hundred€seventy„twoÏhours€was€a€reasonable€time€to€allot€to€Mrs.€Swett.€€Further€thereÏis€ample€evidence€to€establish€reasonable€compensation€at€$20.00Ïper€hour.€€Ô% € ÔÌà àWe€emphasize€that€this€action€was€instituted€against€Mrs.ÏGordon€individually€and€in€no€other€capacity.€€Therefore,€it€isÍclear€that€a€judgment€may€be€properly€awarded€against€Mrs.€GordonÏfor€her€personal€liabilities€to€the€plaintiff€and€nothing€more.ÌÌà àWe€find€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court.€The€evidence€is€insufficient€toÏdemonstrate€either€expressly€or€impliedly€and€with€the€requisiteÏdegree€of€certainty€that€Mrs.€Gordon€agreed€to€pay€for€the€servic…es€which€€Mrs.€Swett€performed€on€behalf€of€Mr.€Gordon€individual…ly,€in€his€capacity€as€an€attorney€or€for€his€law€firm€or€relatedÏbusinesses.ÌÌÑ  ÑÑ ä ÑÓÓà8 àà àIn€order€to€enforce€a€contract€in€Tennessee,€theÏcontract€must€result€from€a€meeting€of€the€minds€andÏmust€be€sufficiently€definite€to€be€enforced.€òòJohnson€v.ÏCentral€National€Insurance€Co.€of€Omahaóó,€210€Tenn.€24,Ï34„35,€356€S.W.2d€277,€281€(1962).€Indefiniteness€as€toÏany€essential€element€of€an€agreement€may€prevent€theÏcreation€of€an€enforceable€contract.€òòœJamestowne›€onÏSignal,€Inc.€v.€First€Federal€Savings€and€Loan€œAssoc'n›óó.,Ï807€S.W.2d€559€(Tenn.€App.€1990).ÌÌòòPeoples€Bank€v.€œConagra›€Poultry€Coóó.,€(Tenn.€App.€1991).ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidence€does€not€establishÏthat€there€was€any€meeting€of€the€minds€regarding€an€obligation€onÏthe€part€of€Mrs.€Gordon€to€pay€the€debts€of€her€husband€or€hisÏbusinesses.× ƒ0 ××  ×€€We€agree€with€the€chancellor€that€the€debts,€if€any,Ïowed€to€Mrs.€Swett€by€Mr.€Gordon€individually,€by€his€law€firm€orÏother€businesses€must€be€pursued€against€the€estate€of€Mr.€Gordon.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€are€as…sessed€against€the€appellant€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€theÏtrial€court€for€the€collection€thereof.Ìœ›ÌÓÓà€ à______________________________Ìœ›œ€›€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.Ìœ›ÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌœÇÑ  ÑÑ7€ 4XXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMARY€SWETT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHAMBLEN€CHANCERY€COURTÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9601„CH„00020Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€WILLIAM€L.€JENKINSÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌMARGARET€GORDON,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòORDERóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏChancery€Court€of€Hamblen€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÍUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€opinion€that€thereÏwas€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€are€as…sessed€against€the€appellant€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€theÏtrial€court€for€the€collection€thereof.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€CURIAM