ÿWPC– ÞB>º1Ýíû_ìËEhœ¯‹Û1h5jÄ&V•{yvsZ‡é0cW[pís¡ŽÞÈ#ÈÕ+í~ñr¥?»j ÿ+©dhá‹{¨¶Ivî A”áãü@Ví]¨Ñáå·1§üUƒ‡%½¶ôž“ÄìÄ%R‡TÞÎþRù׈›ݶr*P‡èU+[º^e|×n®Ý“޶ý<qW}_ÉaÓñØ®®„ Œ·¨©öv~‰|ÜwM1ŸÔWâ¨ÁÍò“DK…V” $ÈÅ@/·â…ƒ´Z’_ÞN0g,1®:|׫Òû¡\fb³L´ÇNºd¢¥uwÞBÑ^z€÷Ð3Û³ÇÑ#¨µsÓ|'¢nðéÏpTfJ{îe€O*7ìp_–âdâiQûð©Ì;XëwÝNÿ4 VüF—{‰d|NXIn{%ëÁˆ¨’S>{ïš­[uàÙ°ojð á(±©Øýd?yŽÆ’Ê&_WâB8¨ar•/Á6¸1é ˜]Š0H©tE¦æï'^é† (œ¢ÙEVúÂ0Qä”ù±[@)S÷CûBs³Vo—!—@h‘ß—1rÇa¬z~¿ãgƒž¿ÈÉ€ò}á × ãá ±¥“:#v…# F UHQ %™ 0¿Ÿ ^ w@f 4¦ º É  Ï U:Ü  U:######################## B]]]]] D3zzz 0D­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ AOñÆ@@ 0D D/J By˜HP LaserJet 4HPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLdÒ<à09Z 0Courier (W1) RegularX(—;d$¡¡Ô€X|XXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑTRY(3Ø' LetterY(3Ø' Letter3Ø' Letter3Ø' LetterTÑ @ABCDEDFDGHÓ€T6S/%urier 3|xXH Ô€ Xü@XXXÔÔ€ #"X Xü@ÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€ Xü@X #"ÔÐ  ÐÌò òNovember€2,€1998Ð šš ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ô,žôX Xü@ÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular Ô€ Xü@XXXÔÔ€ #"X Xü@ÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€ Xü@X #"ÔÐ  ÐÌò òOctober€30,€1998Ð šš ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ô,žôX Xü@ÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular d%%%%'ÿÿdxd(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ;d!ÝÔ€XxQXXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑTRY3Ø' Letter3Ø' 3Ø' Letterÿ3Ø'TÑÝ  ÝñHñ›ñHñÑ4°ÑÑä °ÑÑTR[  AØ'ÿ LegalY3Ø' Letter AØ'ÿ Legal 3Ø' LetterTÑÑ  ÑÑ7€xQXXdÈdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑñTññHñßr€ *<,(j 8` `€€@EÈå ` ttx$ä ð ÕrßñHññTññTññTññTññHñ›ñHññTññTñßt€ *>.*jx¢D` `€€@Ej( ` ttx$¢ä ð  tß›ñTñ€€€à@ˆˆìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSˆÐ ä  Ðà@$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEˆÌÌÌÌÌÌBERNICE€BOWLES,€and€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àBLOUNT€CIRCUITÐ \x ÐTHOMAS€BOWLES,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€C.A.€NO.€03A01„9803„CV„0113Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àHON.€DALE€YOUNGÐ d€  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àJUDGEÐ ,H  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌBETTY€ADAMS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÐ Üø Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌÌÌÌÌCHARLES€M.€CLIFFORD,€Maryville,€for€Appellants.ÌÌÌJERRY€M.€MARTIN,€Knoxville,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÓӜРÌ)è% Лà@àà$ìàòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóˆÐ ä  ÐÌà€ˆˆ?(#àMcMurray,€J.ˆÌÌà  àThis€is€a€very€simple€case€involving€a€single€issue.€€TheÏœplaintiffs›€filed€an€action€in€the€General€Sessions€Court€for€BlountÏCounty€arising€from€the€same€cause€of€action.€€That€action€wasÏsubsequently€dismissed€for€failure€to€prosecute.€€PlaintiffsÏthereafter€filed€this€action€in€the€Circuit€Court.€€The€defendantÏanswered€and€filed€a€motion€to€dismiss€pursuant€to€Rule€12.02(6),ÏTennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure,€i.e.,€failure€to€state€a€claimÏfor€which€relief€can€be€granted.€€Defendant's€argument€was€that€theÏœplaintiffs'›€claim€was€res€judicata€because€of€the€dismissal€inÏgeneral€sessions€court€for€failure€to€prosecute.€€The€motion€wasÏsustained€and€plaintiffs'€case€was€dismissed.€€This€appealÏresulted.ÌÌà  àIt€is€patently€clear€that€the€doctrine€of€res€judicata€doesÏnot€apply€unless€a€case€was€dismissed€on€its€merits.ÌÌÓÓà8  àà ` àRes€judicata€is€a€claim€preclusion€doctrine€thatÏpromotes€finality€in€litigation.€òòœMoulton›€v.€Ford€MotorÐ ì, ) ÐCo.óó,€533€S.W.2d€295,€296€(Tenn.€1976).€It€bars€a€secondÐ ´-Ð * Ðsuit€between€the€same€parties€or€their€privies€on€theÏsame€cause€of€action€with€respect€to€all€the€issues€whichÏwere€or€could€have€been€litigated€in€the€former€suit.ÏòòRichardson€v.€Tennessee€œBd›.€of€Dentistryóó,€913€S.W.2d€446,Ð Ô0ð#. Ð459€(Tenn.€1995).€Parties€asserting€a€res€judicataÏdefense€must€demonstrate€that€(1)€a€court€of€competentÏjurisdiction€rendered€the€prior€judgment,€(2)€the€priorÏjudgment€was€final€and€on€the€merits,€(3)€that€the€sameÏparties€or€their€privies€were€involved€in€both€proceed…¼â âings,€and€(4)€both€proceedings€involved€the€same€cause€ofÐ „5 (4 ÐÔ& X Ôâ âaction.€òòWhite€v.€Whiteóó,€876€S.W.2d€837,€839€(Tenn.€1994);Ð ä  ÐòòCollins€v.€Greene€County€Bankóó,€916€S.W.2d€941,€945€(Tenn.Ð ¬ È ÐCt.€App.€1995).Ô'Xä ÔÐ Ð Ð  ÐÌòòœMilligan›€œv.€ñ/ñ›ñ/ñGeorgeóó,€1997€Tenn.€App€LEXIS€œ485ñ8ñ.ñ8ññ8ñ,€and€other€authoritiesÐ   Ðtoo€numerous€to€recite.ñ8ñ›Ð   ÐÌÓÓÌà  àThis€case€is€controlled€by€òòSea„Land€Service,€Inc.€v.€ñ/ñœñ/ñBuntrockñ/ñ›ñ/ñÐ $@ ÐIndustries,€Inc.óó,€1994€Tenn.€App.€LEXIS€772,€and€the€cases€citedÐ ´Ð  Ðtherein.€€We€quote€from€òòSea„Landóó:Ð D`  ÐÌÓÓà8  àà ` àThe€trial€court€granted€summary€judgment€to€defen…¼dant€on€the€ground€of€res€judicata€[based€on€a€dismissalÏin€General€Sessions€Court€for€failure€to€pro‚secute].€TheÏonly€issue€on€appeal€is€whether€the€trial€court€erred€inÏso€doing.€In€order€for€res€judicata€to€operate€as€a€barÏto€plaintiff's€suit€in€the€instant€case,€the€dismissal€ofÏthe€prior€general€sessions€suit€must€have€been€a€dis…¼missal€on€the€merits€of€the€case.€€òòLong€v.€œKirby›-Smithóó,Ð Üø Ð40€Tenn.€App.€446,€292€S.W.2d€216,€219€(1956).€Therefore,Ïthe€dispositive€issue€in€this€case€is€whether€theÏdismissal€of€the€general€sessions€suit€operated€as€œañ9ñnñ9ñ›Ïadjudication€on€the€merits€of€the€case.€UnderÏTenn.R.Civ.P.€41.02,€the€dismissal€for€failure€toÏprosecute€operates€as€an€adjudication€upon€the€meritsÏunless€otherwise€ordered€by€the€court.€However,€theÏTennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure€do€not€apply,€withÏcertain€exceptions€not€applicable€here,€to€generalÏsessions€court.€Tenn.R.Civ.P.€1.€Accordingly,€in€theÏabsence€of€a€statute€or€rule€to€the€contrary,€common€lawÏcontrols€the€decision€as€to€whether€the€general€sessionsÏdismissal€operates€as€an€adjudication€on€the€merits.Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ` àIn€€òòW.€R.€Grace€&€Company€v.€Tayloróó,€55€Tenn.€App.Ð ”*°& Ð227,€398€S.W.2d€81€(Tenn.€App.€1965),€this€court€wasÏfaced€with€a€similar€problem.€In€€òòGraceóó,€the€defendantÐ $,@( Ðentered€a€plea€of€res€judicata€on€the€ground€that€a€billÏon€the€same€cause€of€action€had€previously€been€filed€byÏcomplainant€in€November€of€1961,€but€had€been€dismissedÏby€decree€of€September€3,€1962,€for€failure€to€prosecute.€Ïñ<ñòòñ<ñId.ñ<ñóóñ<ñ€at€82.€On€the€date€the€first€case€was€set€for€trial,Ð  0(#- Ðcomplainant€did€not€appear,€although€defendant€was€readyÏfor€trial.€ñ;ñòòñ;ñId.ñ;ñóóñ;ñ€at€83.€The€court€then€dismissed€plain…Ð œ1¸$/ Ðtiff's€case€for€want€of€prosecution.€€ñ:ñòòñ:ñId.ñ:ñóóñ:ñ€The€plaintiffÐ d2€%0 Ðthen€refiled€the€same€suit€a€short€time€later.€In€theÏsecond€suit,€the€chancellor€overruled€defendant's€plea€ofÏres€judicata,€and€held€that€the€order€of€dismissal,€evenÏthough€it€did€not€recite€that€it€was€without€prejudice,Ïwas€not€res€judicata.€In€affirming€the€chancellor,€thisÏcourt€said:Ð70*6Ð Ð  ЀÌà8  àà ` àWhere€it€appears€on€the€face€of€a€decree€of€dis…¼missal€that€it€was€not€upon€the€merits,€as€in€this€caseÏwhere€it€appears€from€the€face€of€the€decree€the€dis…¼missal€was€based€on€want€of€prosecution,€that€a€suit€onÏthe€same€grounds€may€be€reinstated€at€any€time€within€oneÏyear,€and€that€such€a€decree€is€not€res€judicata.€Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àñ=ñòòñ=ñId.ñ=ñóóñ=ñ€at€83.€€òòSee€alsoóó€òòPatrick€v.€œDickson›óó,€526€S.W.2d€449Ð $@ Ð(Tenn.€1975);€€òòWoods€v.€Palmeróó,€496€S.W.2d€474€Tenn.Ð ì  М1973).ñ>ñÐ Ð Ð  Ðñ>ñ›œñ>ñÌñ>ñ›œñ?ñÔ% € Ôñ?ññ@ñ1994€Tenn.€App.€LEXIS€772ñ@ññAñ.ñAñ›ÌÌÓÓÌà  àThe€appellee€argues€in€his€brief€that€the€doctrine€of€resÏjudicata€applies€because€the€suit€in€general€sessions€court€was€forÏproperty€damages€only€and€that€the€present€suit€is€for€personalÏinjuries€and€loss€of€consortium.€€Thus,€the€œñBñdefendantñBññBñ›plaintiffñBñ›€concludesÏthat€the€plaintiffs€have€split€their€œcauseñCñsñCñ›€of€action€and€that€theÏsplitting€of€their€œcauseñDñsñDñ›€of€action€is€fatal€to€this€action.€ÏœFirstñEñlyñEñ,›€we€note€that€there€is€nothing€in€the€technical€record€inÏthis€case€to€demonstrate€that€a€previous€action€was€filed€in€theÏgeneral€sessions€court.€€Appellants€admit€in€their€brief,€however,Ïthat€they€had€filed€an€action€in€the€general€sessions€court€seekingÏdamages€to€their€automobile.€€œSecondñFñlyñFñ,›€there€is€nothing€in€theÏrecord€that€reflects€the€judgment€in€the€general€sessions€court.€ÏConsidering€the€parties'€briefs€together,€however,€we€do€notÏbelieve€that€there€is€any€genuine€dispute€regarding€the€action€thatÏtook€place€in€the€general€sessions€court.ÌÌà  àIt€is€true,€as€appellee€argues,€that€a€party€may€not€split€hisÏcauses€of€action,€but€must€try€all€relevant€issues€in€one€suit.€ÏòòJordan€v.€Johnsóó,€79€S.W.2d€798€(1935).€€If€a€cause€of€action€isÐ „5 (4 Ðsplit€and€a€part€thereof€is€concluded€òòon€the€meritsóó,€any€remainingÐ 70*6 Ðcauses€of€action€are€barred.€€"The€prohibition€against€splitting€anÏindivisible€cause€of€action€is€a€logical€extension€of€the€princi…¼ples€underlying€the€doctrine€of€res€judicata.€òòœPotts›€v.€œCelotex›Ð   ÐCorp.óó,€796€S.W.2d€678,€682€(Tenn.€1990).€Like€the€doctrine€of€resÐ ”° Ðjudicata,€it€shields€a€defendant€from€a€multiplicity€of€suits,ÏòòœStapp›€v.€œAndrews›óó,€172€Tenn.€610,€613,€113€S.W.2d€749,€750€(1938),Ð ´Ð  Ðand€it€applies€to€both€contractual€and€tort€causes€of€action.ÏòòHolland€v.€œForcum›-James€Cooperage€&€Lumber€Co.óó,€154€Tenn.€174,€176,Ð Ôð  Ð285€S.W.€569,€569€(1926)."€€òòœUtley›€v.€œCullum›óó,€1997€Tenn.€App.€LEXISÐ d€  Ð194.ÌÌà  àAny€argument€concerning€the€splitting€of€causes€of€action€isÏirrelevant,€however,€unless€there€has€been€a€judgment€on€the€meritsÏor€the€applicable€statute€of€limitations€has€expired.€€Neither€œñGñhasñGññGñ›haveñGñ›Ïoccurred€in€this€case.ÌÌà  àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed€and€the€case€isÏremanded€to€the€trial€court€for€such€other€and€further€action€asÏmay€be€necessary€and€in€conformity€with€this€opinion.€€Costs€areÏassessed€to€the€appellee.ÌÌÌÓÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€JudgeÌÐ 70*6 Ї_______________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÐ  D4`'* ÐÌÑ4ÑѸ ä ÑÑ  ÑÑ7€ {XXdðXXdð7Ñ€€€à@ˆˆìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSˆÐ ¨ ð Ðà@$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEˆÌÌÌÌÌÌBERNICE€BOWLES,€and€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àBLOUNT€CIRCUITÐ 8€ ÐTHOMAS€BOWLES,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€C.A.€NO.€03A01„9803„CV„0113Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ+ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ+ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àHON.€DALE€YOUNGÐ ¸ Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àJUDGEÐ ¨ð Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ*ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ*ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌBETTY€ADAMS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÐ X   Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌà@  &ìàò òòòJUDGMENTóóó óˆÐ $` ÐÌÓÓà  àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Blount€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€that€thereÏwas€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà  àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed€and€the€case€isÏremanded€to€the€trial€court€for€such€other€and€ñ/ññ&ñfutherñ&ññ/ññ/ñfurtherñ/ñ€action€asÏmay€be€necessary€and€in€conformity€with€this€opinion.€€Costs€areÏassessed€to€the€appellee.ÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àPER€CURIAMÌ