ÿWPCã 2# ÌUN× %% 0c+U<Žw@Ê4  AQ-~ 0§† 0J- 0Tw 0^Ë 0h) 0r‘ 0| 0† 0 1u• 0d 0@n D3® U>á 0D B)c DCŒ AMÏ U* _F B¥ Æ 0Dˆ 0DÌ D/ B?U6\v~’vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(;1˜$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XcXXXÔ-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman 1E23U4U5U6î7Ó€8Ó€DG§aö"xÈ <3|xG*+ ,-Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ(W(3•$¤¤Ý ƒ1˜!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XÔZXXXÔÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò))))'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó% Line 7 d$$$$7Border 1dd* %Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial UÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌò òAugustÏ1,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€'ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd< Œ 9p`(Courier NewPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{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 ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€"ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€܈XXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌà àà à€€€€______________________________________________ÌÌò òÙ€*ÙßR€&(%A1-j|„¶` à. `€€@ÿRßRAY€DARRIS€THOMPSON,€ó óÌÌà àPlaintiff„Appellant,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àShelby€Circuit€No.€56881ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€02A01„9702„CV„00034ÌÌò òSTANLEY€DICKERSON,€ET€AL,€ó óÌÌà àDefendants„Appellees.Ì____________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àFROM€THE€SHELBY€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€KAREN€R.€WILLIAMS,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌà@ àRay€Darris€Thompson,€Pro€SeÌÌà@ àJohn€Knox€Walkup,€Attorney€General€and€ReporterÌà@ àArthur€Crownover€II,€Assistant€Attorney€GeneralÌà@ àFor€AppelleesÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌó óóóà@ àOpinion€filed:€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óÌÌÓÓ›à àœPlaintiff,›€Ray€Darris€Thompson,€appeals€the€order€of€the€trial€courtÏdismissing€his€complaint€against€the€defendants,€Stanley€Dickerson,€BettyÏHammond,€Vernon€Brown,€June€Wesson,€Bruce€MacDonald,€and€ChristineÏBradley,€for€failure€to€prosecute.Ìà àOn€October€4,€1993,€Thompson,€acting€òòpro€seóó,€filed€a€complaint€againstÏthe€defendants,€both€in€their€individual€œand›€official€œcapacities,›€asserting€aÏnegligence€action€for€the€denial€of€his€rights€in€a€prison€disciplinary€hearing.€ÏThompson€is€an€inmate€in€the€custody€of€the€Tennessee€Department€ofÏCorrection€(TDOC),€and€each€of€the€defendants€is€an€employee€of€TDOC.€€InÏhis€complaint,€Thompson€alleges€that€the€defendants€negligently€caused€him€toÍbe€charged€with€ð ðProviding€Unauthorized€Services€to€Employeesðð€and€that€theÏdefendants€negligently€violated€TDOC€Administrative€Policy€and€ProcedureÏIndex€No.€502.05.€€The€complaint€alleges€that€the€defendants€negligentlyÏcommenced€disciplinary€proceedings€against€Thompson€for€an€action€that€wasÏnot€a€punishable€disciplinary€offense.€€The€complaint€œfurther€alleges›€that€theÏdefendants€found€Thompson€guilty€against€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏand€acted€negligently€in€violation€of€TDOC€Policy€No.€502.01€and€œNo.€502.05.›€ÏœIn€addition,€the›€complaint€œalleges›€that€the€defendants€denied€ThompsonððsÏappeal.€€Finally,€Thompson€alleges€that€he€suffered€severe€mental€anguish,€loss€ofÏjob€pay,€œand›€other€financial€and€incidental€losses.€€The€complaint€requests€aÏdeclaratory€judgment,€an€injunction,€and€$10,000.00€in€damages.Ìà àEach€of€the€defendants€separately€filed€a€motion€requesting€a€œforty„five„day›€extension€of€time€in€which€to€reply€to€the€complaint.€€On€or€aboutÏDecember€20,€1993,€the€defendants€together€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€for€lackÏof€jurisdiction€over€the€subject€matter€and€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€uponÏwhich€relief€can€be€granted.€€On€or€about€January€3,€1994,€Thompson€filed€aÏmotion€for€extension€of€time€in€which€to€file€his€response€to€the€œdefendantsðð›Ïmotion€to€dismiss,€and€on€January€31,€1994,€Thompson€filed€a€motionÏrequesting€an€additional€ten€days.€€On€or€about€February€6,€1994,€ThompsonÍfiled€a€reply€to€the€defendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss.€€Also€on€February€6,€1994,ÏThompson€filed€a€motion€to€voluntarily€dismiss€his€claims€against€theÏdefendants€in€their€official€capacity€and€to€dismiss€his€claims€for€declaratoryÏand€injunctive€relief.Ìà àThe€defendants€continued€the€exchange€of€motions€on€February€22,€1994Ïwhen€they€filed€a€reply€to€Thompsonððs€response€to€their€motion€to€dismiss.€ÏShortly€thereafter,€Thompson€filed€a€response€to€the€defendantsðð€latest€reply.Ìà àOn€May€20,€1994,€Thompson€mailed€a€letter€to€the€clerk€of€the€courtÏrequesting€that€the€clerkððs€office€notify€him€of€the€status€of€the€case€and€sendÏhim€copies€of€any€order€entered€in€the€case.€€On€June€20,€1994,€ThompsonÏagain€wrote€the€clerk€of€the€court€requesting€an€update€on€the€status€of€theÏcase.€€œApparently,€the€clerk›€œhandwrote€a€response€on€Thompsonððs€second€letter›Ïœstating,›€ð ðDear€Sir,€On€or€about€May€20,€1994,€I€responded€to€your€letter.€€TheÏcase€is€still€pending€and€again€no€orders€have€been€entered€in€this€case.ððÌà àOn€April€6,€1994,€Thompson€attempted€to€continue€discovery€by€filing€aÏrequest€for€production€of€documents.€€The€defendants€failed€to€respond,€œand›€onÏApril€16,€1994,€Thompson€filed€a€motion€to€compel€production€of€documents.€ÏOn€April€30,€1994,€the€defendants€replied€to€Thompsonððs€motion€to€compelÏclaiming€that€they€never€received€the€request€for€production€of€documents.€ÍThe€defendantsðð€response€pointed€out€to€the€trial€court€that€the€defendants€stillÏhad€a€motion€to€dismiss€pending.Ì€à àIn€his€brief,€Thompson€stated€that€he€was€notified€by€the€clerkððs€office€onÏJune€28,€1996€that€the€case€was€set€for€dismissal€on€July€9,€1996€for€failure€toÏprosecute.€€Thompson€filed€a€motion€in€opposition€to€the€dismissal€on€July€5,Ï1996.€€œOn›€July€9,€1996,€œhowever,€the›€trial€court€entered€an€œorder›€dismissingÏThompsonððs€œcomplaint,€òòsua€sponteóó€and€without€comment,€for›€want€ofÏprosecution.Ìà àThompson€appeals€the€order€of€the€trial€court€and€presents€one€issue€forÏreview:€€whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€dismissing€his€complaint€for€failure€toÏprosecute.€€The€defendants€present€an€alternative€issue:€€whether€ThompsonððsÏcomplaint€should€be€dismissed€for€lack€of€subject€matter€jurisdiction€and€forÏfailure€to€state€a€claim€upon€which€relief€can€be€granted.Ìà àThe€trial€court€is€expressly€authorized€to€impose€the€sanction€ofÏdismissal.€€òòò òHolt€v.€Websteró óóó,€638€S.W.2d€391,€394€(Tenn.€App.1982).€€TheòòÏTennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedureóó€authorize€a€trial€court€to€dismiss€a€plaintiffððsÏcomplaint:€€ð ðFor€failure€of€the€plaintiff€to€prosecute€or€to€comply€with€theseÏrules€or€any€order€of€court,€a€defendant€may€move€for€dismissal€of€an€action€orÏof€any€claim€against€the€defendant.ðð€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€41.02€(1).€€A€dismissal€forÍfailure€to€prosecute€operates€as€an€adjudication€upon€the€merits.€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.ÏP.€41.02€(3).Ìà àIn€òòò òHarris€v.€Baptist€Memorial€Hospitaló óóó,€574€S.W.2d€œ730›€(Tenn.€1978),Ïthe€Tennessee€Supreme€Court€discussed€Rule€41.02:€ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àAlthough€Rule€41.02€does€not€expressly€so€provide,€weÏare€of€the€opinion€that€a€trial€court€may€under€certainÏcircumstances€and€upon€adequate€grounds€therefor,Ïòòsua€sponteóó€order€the€involuntary€dismissal€of€an€action.€ÏHowever,€this€power€must€be€exercised€most€sparinglyÏand€with€great€care€that€the€right€of€the€respectiveÏparties€to€a€hearing€shall€not€be€denied€or€impaired.€ÏIt€must€be€remembered€that€Rule€41.02(3),€òòTennesseeÏRules€of€Civil€Procedureóó,€provides€that€all€dismissals,Ïexcept€those€for€lack€of€jurisdiction,€improper€venueÏor€lack€of€an€indispensable€party,€shall€operate€as€anÏadjudication€upon€the€merits€unless€the€court€in€itsÏorder€of€dismissal€otherwise€provides.€€In€short,€theÏoccasions€for€the€proper€exercise€of€this€power€areÏconsidered€by€this€Court€to€be€few€indeed.ÓÓà àÌò òòòIdóóó ó.€at€œ731.€€Dismissal€is€a€harsh€sanction.€€ò òòòHoltóóó ó,€638€S.W.2d€at€394.€ÏAccordingly,€lawsuits›€should€not€be€dismissed€absent€a€hearing€on€the€meritsÏexcept€in€most€urgent€circumstances.€€òòò ò€Barish€v.€Metropolitan€œGovððt›€ofÏNashville€and€Davidson€Countyó óóó,€627€S.W.2d€953,€954€(Tenn.€App.€1981)Ï(citing€òòò òHolt€v.€Pittsó óóó,€619€F.2d€558€(6th€Cir.€1980)).€Ìà àWhen€the€trial€court€exercises€its€discretion€in€imposing€the€sanction€ofÏdismissal,€œthis›€exercise€of€its€discretion€will€not€be€disturbed€by€this€Court€inÍthe€absence€of€an€affirmative€showing€that€the€trial€œcourt›€abused€œits›€discretion.€Ïòòò òIdóóó ó.€Ìà àThompson€argues€that€the€trial€court€abused€its€discretion€by€dismissingÏhis€complaint€for€failure€to€prosecute.€€œHe€points€out›€that€three€motions€wereÏstill€pending€before€the€trial€court:€€the€defendantsðð€motion€to€dismiss,€hisÏmotion€to€dismiss€the€official€capacity€claims€and€the€claims€for€declaratory€andÏinjunctive€relief,€and€his€motion€to€compel€production€of€documents.€€He€alsoÏœargues›€that€the€action€was€delayed€because€of€the€œdeath€or€resignation›€of€theÏoriginal€trial€judge.€€Thompson€asserts€that€the€case€was€stalled€during€the€waitÏfor€the€appointment€of€the€new€trial€judge.€€Finally,€Thompson€œasserts›€that€theÏdefendants€delayed€the€case€by€not€setting€their€motion€to€dismiss€for€aÏhearing.Ìà àWe€agree€with€Thompson€that€the€trial€court€œerred€in€dismissing›€hisÏcomplaint.€€It€is€clear€from€the€record€that€three€motions€were€still€pendingÏbefore€the€trial€œcourt,€two€of€which€were€filed€by€Thompson,›€and€that€the€caseÏwas€still€ongoing.€€Thompson€œtwice€wrote›€the€clerk€of€the€court€œto›€request€anÏupdate.€€Although€œhe€did€not€pursue€the›€case€œwith›€the€œutmost›€diligence,€œhe›Ïcertainly€œdid›€not€œabandon€his€cause.›€€We€note€that€òòpro€seóó€inmate€litigants€are€atÏa€disadvantage€and€that€œit›€was€probably€difficult€for€Thompson€to€check€theÍstatus€of€his€case€or€the€status€of€the€new€judgeððs€œappointment.€€During€theÏpendency€of€this€case,€Judge€Tharpe,€to€whom€the€case€was€originally€assigned,Ïbecame€ill€and€passed€away.€€Judge€Williams€was€appointed€to€the€bench€andÏwas€assigned€this€case.€€It€appears€that€Thompson€was€a€victim€of€unfortunateÏcircumstances€and€that€his€case€was€lost€in€the€shuffle.€€We€believe€that€thisÏcase€does€not€present€such€urgent€circumstances€to€warrant€the€harsh€sanctionÏof€a€dismissal.›€€Ìà àThe€defendants€have€also€presented€an€issue€for€our€review:€€whetherÏThompsonððs€complaint€should€be€dismissed€for€lack€of€subject€matterÏjurisdiction€€or€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€upon€which€relief€can€be€granted.€ÏThe€defendants€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€for€lack€of€subject€matter€jurisdictionÏand€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€upon€which€relief€can€be€granted,€but€the€trialÏcourt€never€ruled€on€this€motion.€€We€œwill€not€entertain›€the€defendantsððÏœargument›€because€the€trial€court€has€not€entered€a€final€œjudgment€on€this€issue.›€ÏT.R.A.P.€3.Ìà àAccordingly,€the€order€of€the€trial€court€dismissing€ThompsonððsÏcomplaint€is€€reversed,€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€œsuchÏfurther€proceedings›€œas€may›€be€necessary.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€assessedÏagainst€the€appellees.ÌœÓÓà 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 óÌÌò ò____________________________________ÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEó óÌÌ____________________________________Ìò òDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó ó›œÔ€/ÔÔ€/Ô