WPC >`9?ۡ g'DN071 ;Ug¬FG_]PDss:OF5R""w΢pRZi%"J(;J$9P[MLTN:fI\U_)XY {]}w$1t"&pJ_.-K:cLQ?|97;sƵ5SR-/C/XMVXՁjpod tG'VƯK9_zK[Ԁm2 X5h ys1Nf#$O>,47=(HNwDݙŀ9biV:".> Y>>>'dxd d T!   99`   7tXXdd7TR[A'Legal3'A' Legal3'T  C9r )<,(j 8` `@Ef ` 8ttxP`  r9CCCC99CCC@| | INTHECOURTOFAPPEALS@@$@@$@@$ATNASHVILLE `   STELLAL.STARKS,@*@@*)  C/ANo.01A019808CV00453  H Ct )>.*jx` `@Ev ` 8ttxPp  tߛC  Plaintiff @*)  ROBERTSONCIRCUIT p  @*)  No.8740 8   v.@*)    @*)BARTDURHAM,d/b/aINJURY&@*) 0  ACCIDENTLAWOFFICESand@*) X  THOMASJ.ELMLINGER,@*)      Defendants  @*)     AND@*) P  BARTDURHAM,d/b/aINJURY&@*) x  ACCIDENTLAWOFFICES,@*) @    ThirdPartyPlaintiff/@*)     Appellant@*) p  @*)  v.@*) ` @*)STEVEDARNELLandBATEMAN,@*)  BATEMAN&DARNELL,P.C.,@*) X   ThirdPartyDefendants/@*)   ЀAppellees@*) H @APPEALEDFROMTHECIRCUIT1COURT1OFROBERTSONCOUNTY@| | THEHONORABLEJAMESE.WALTON,JUDGERobertL.WhitakerBARTDURHAMINJURY&ACCIDENTLAWOFFICES404JamesRobertsonParkway1712ParkwayTowersNashville,TN37219   ` ForAppellantBartDurham   ` Injury&AccidentLawOfficesJames5E56M6.Doran,Jr.EllenFrancesCoughlinNashvilleCityCenter511UnionStreet,Suite2100P.O.Box198966Nashville,TN372198966   ` ForAppelleesSteveDarnell7&78and8   ` Bateman,Bateman&Darnell2,232p>c234P.C.4@ AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED   `     h   HoustonM.Goddard,PresidingJudge  08'2 CONCUR:FRANKS,J.CANTRELL,P.J.(M.S.)@$OPINION p5,8    `     h      p    XXXXGoddard,P.J. X9/=  ;z2@d Ї#XtXX X #   ` BartDurham,d/b/aInjuryandAccidentLawOffices `  (Durham),ThirdPartyPlaintiff,appealspursuanttoRule54oftheTennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure,asummaryjudgmentgrantedtoSteveDarnellandBateman,Bateman&Darnell,P.C.,ThirdPartyDefendants,insistingthattherearedisputedmaterialfactsprecludingtheentryofsummaryjudgment.   ` ThisappealhaditsgenesisinanearliertortactionfiledbyStellaL.Starks,whowasrepresentedbyMr.Durham,againstSamuelJ.Browningandhisparents,JosephF.BrowningandMaryBrowning,seekingcompensationforpersonalinjuriesreceivedbyMs.Starksinavehicularaccident.ThecomplaintallegedthattheparentsofSamuel  #  1      ׀wereliableundertheFamily   PurposeDoctrine.InMs.StarkssuitMikeFarmer,Sr.,CindyFarmerandTimFarmerwerealsomadepartiesdefendantonthetheorythattheyknowinglyservedalcoholbeveragestoSamuel,whowasaminoratthetime.   ` TheFarmerdefendantswereexoneratedbyentryofasummaryjudgmentintheirfavor.   ` AjuryreturnedaverdictinfavorofMs.StarksagainstSamuelintheamountof$281,000compensatorydamagesand$500punitivedamages.Hisparents,JosephandMary,wereacquittedbythejuryuponitsfindingthattheFamilyPurposeDoctrinewasnotapplicable.   ` Shortlyafterthejuryverdictwasreturned,Ms. Starks,attheurgingofMr.Durham,acceptedanofferof  5+8 $110,000   #  2      ׀insettlementofherclaimagainstSamuelandhis `   parents.   ` Thereafter,Ms.Starksattemptedtowithdrawheracceptanceoftheoffertosettle,buttheTrialCourt,uponmotionoftheBrownings,upheldthesettlement.   ` Whereupon,Ms.StarksfiledalegalmalpracticeactionagainstDurhamandThomasJ.Elmlinger, X  %  3      ׀allegingthattheyhad `'  misledherregardingtherightofSamuel,whowasintoxicatedatthetimeoftheaccident,tobedischargedinbankruptcy.   ` AfterMs.Starkslegalmalpracticecasewasfiled,DurhamfiledathirdpartycomplaintagainstSteveDarnellandBateman,Bateman&Darnell,P.C.,theattorneyswhoinitiallyrepresentedherin//thecasepresentlyonappeal.//Thecomplaint 4 +. allegesthatDurhamwasentitledtoreimbursementorcontributionforanyrecoveryMs.Starksmightreceiveagainstthembecause//Mr.DarnellandBateman,Bateman&Darnell,P.C.,failed//toprosecuteaviableappealastosummaryjudgmentrenderedinfavoroftheFarmerdefendants.   ` Uponthethirdpartycomplaintbeingfiled,theThirdPartyDefendantswithdrewascounselforMs.StarksandshethenemployedMaryLeechtorepresenther.   ` TherecordcontainsanaffidavitfromMs.Starks,aswellasaletter,whichisanexhibittoherresponsetointerrogatories,thepertinentpartsofwhichareasfollows:@&AFFIDAVIT3. ` IhavebeenadvisedthatthefinalOrderinmy p& personalinjurycase,whichwastriedinAugustof1997,wasenteredonDecember23,1997.4. ` Priortotherunningofthetimeperiodfor 0* # appeal,IwasalsoadvisedoftheJanuary22,1998deadlineforappealingmypersonalinjurycase.5. ` AftertheentryofthefinalOrderinmypersonal -$' injurycase,IdidnotwanttopursueanappealofmyclaimagainsttheFarmers.6. ` IretainedMaryLeechonJanuary14,1998to 1P(+ representmeinthisaction.7. ` AtoraboutthetimeIretainedMs.Leech,I 4 +. informedherthatIdidnotwanttopursueanappealinmypersonalinjuryaction.  P7-1 @LLEXHIBITTOINTERROGATORY@!January16,1998 P  TOWHOMITMAYCONCERN ` I,StellaL.Starks,herebystatethatIhavebeeninformedthatthefinalorderwasnotenteredinmypersonalinjurycasewhichwastriedinAugust,1997untilDecember23,1997.Ihavebeeninformedthat,evennow,shouldIdesiretoappealanyportionofthatcase,specificallythetrialjudgesrulingsdismissingtheFarmers,Imaystillfiletheappeal. ` Ihavenointerestinpursuinganyappealofanyportionofthatcaseoroftheverdictinthatcase.InotifiedSteveDarnellthatIdidnotwanttopursueanappealagainsttheFarmersseveralmonthsago.Ihavenownotifiedmynewattorney,MaryLeech,thatIdonotwanttopursueanyappealagainsttheFarmersoranyotherportionofthecase. `     h     /s/StellaL.Starks   `     h   StellaL.Starks   ` TheThirdPartyDefendantsraiseanumberofdefensestotheThirdPartyaction,butweconcludethattheoneassertingthatMs.StarksspecificallydirectedhercounselnottoappealthesummaryjudgmentinfavoroftheFarmersisdispositive.   ` Itseemselementarytousthatcounselcouldnotbeguiltyofanywrongdoingforfollowingthedictatesoftheirclientprovidedtheclienthadnotbeenmisledorthevictimofafraud.Inthecaseatbarthereisnothingintherecordtosuggesteitheroccurred.   ` Werecognize,asstatedinDurhamsbrief,thatitmaybeofsignificance astohowMs.Starkswasadvisedandwhat 09/3 informationwasprovidedtoheruponwhichshemadeherdecision.However,onceitisshownthatcounselwasfollowingMs.Starksdirection,itwasincumbentuponDurhamtoexplorebydiscoverydepositionsorinterrogatorieswhatMs.Starkswasadvisedandwhatinformationshewasprovided.   ` Inconclusion,wearenotunmindfulofthefollowingstatementintheaffidavitofWilliamS.Russell,attorneyandretiredmemberoftheCourtofCriminalAppeals,whichwasfiledwithDurhamsmotiontoalteroramendthesummaryjudgment:8. ` Itisalsomyopinion,baseduponareasonable  0 ` degreeoflegalcertaintythattheapplicablestandardofcarewouldrequiretheattorneywhorepresentsMs.StarkstofileanappealoftheSummaryJudgmentrenderedinfavorofMikeFarmer,CindyFarmerandTimFarmerafteraFinalJudgmentwasenteredintheStarksv.Browning,etal., #@ CaseNo.7342. ` `     ` WhileitistruethatJudgeRussellsaysinhisaffidavitthathehasreviewedthefile,itisnotclearwhenhereviewedit,orthatMs.StarksdirectionstoherpresentcounselorThirdPartyDefendantswereapartofthefile.Moreover,wecannotconceiveofJudgeRussellexaminingMs.Starksstatementswithoutcommentinguponthem.   ` FortheforegoingreasonsthejudgmentoftheTrial Courtisaffirmedandthecauseremandedforsuchfurther P7-1 proceedingsasmaybenecessaryandcollectionofcostsbelow.Costsofappealareadjudgedagainst//Mr.Durham//andhissurety.    `     h   _______________________________   `     h   HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.CONCUR:________________________________HerschelP.Franks,J.________________________________BenH.Cantrell,P.J.00(M.S.)