WPC T#`|ڿɿ詪-&^y %r#A|N[.D"F QI׶D;&<%f0 Y3\_:UrʥGaq}Ψ˕Lfמ r ,<t0`G3#sv,%Y]t֑,S5Ks  (֬^3!{P1[qPmNq( :i*Cpe)ā7:MGTHvu,s/cn&K.<PQ4ȥg 4͑xaʻ0PA2jٷ/y~a PRL(/Zj uokuw{?>U{@{Dit'f @TYF!h4P:a%1h|N;>ߝD*{R:4=ZwZL !*bb %\UNb 0UN8 0Da z1  ^ } N w 4  o 5NE m#b 0 B 0 D5P D- 0K ASP 0 0D A(@ Z6Times New Roman Regular(`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular(#$  0    RW$      1    _ԀTheComplaintallegesnegligenceonthepartofLeslieGravesarisingfromanautomobileaccidentthat  occurredinShelbyCountyonMarch18,1998.TerryGraveswassuedastheownerofthevehiclethatLeslieGraves q wasdriving. RW$      2    _ԀThisletterwasattachedasExhibit1totheAffidavitofTerryGraves. C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptq1 6h0:i+00Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5  RW$      3    _ԀTenn.R.Civ.P.Statesthat [_w]hen_Ԁamotionisbasedonfactsnotappearingofrecord,thecourtmayhear  thematteronaffidavitspresentedbytherespectiveparties,butthecourtmaydirectthatthematterbeheardwhollyor q partlyonoraltestimonyordepositions.3|xU\\IB01S02\CLERKJAC,,,,0- -(|G2W$ !.8dd8         0   d(|37-$ !.8dd8     VVVV)!dxdx)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|37-$ !.8dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8dd8     _  8XXdd8  @ !INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @%ATJACKSON#! #Ԉ #   September22,2004Session V XX #XX#LEEANNBRASWELLv.LESLIEGRAVES,etal.XX   O @@ ADirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforShelbyCounty  I @@No.007128015TheHonorableKayS.Robilio,Judge  3 @@*AV) ` dE<` A   @@TTNo.W200400204COAR3CV񀄀FiledNovember17,2004   AV) ` dE<m` A n     X#XXX  Plaintiff/AppellantappealsfromthetrialcourtsgrantofDefendants/AppelleesTenn.R. f Civ.P.12MotiontoDismissforfailuretosecureserviceofprocess.Findingthat O Defendant/Appelleesevidenceclearlyandconvincinglyrebutstheprocessserverstestimony,we 8 affirm. !q #XXXX###XXq#XX Tenn.R.App.P.3;AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtAffirmed  ,   #X#XX.W.FrankCrawford,P.J.,W.S.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichDavidR.Farmer,  J.andHollyM.Kirby,J.,joined.  JohnE.DunlapofMemphisforAppellant,LeeAnnBraswell j MarkA.LambertofMemphisforAppellees,LeslieGravesandTerryGraves <  OPINION #XX/#XX !^  #XX#XX  8#XdXXd8  OnFebruary4,1999,LeeAnnBraswell( Plaintiff,or Appellant)filedsuitagainstLeslie "1" GravesandherfatherTerryGraves(togetherwithLeslieGraves, Defendants,or Appellees)in ## theShelbyCountyGeneralSessionsCourt.ThematterwasnonsuitedonDecember4,2000.At $ $ thattime,LeslieandTerryGraveslivedat3564CentralAvenueinMemphis.BothDefendants % % wereproperlyservedintheGeneralSessionscasepriortoMs.Braswelltakinganonsuit. &!&   Accordingtohistestimony,onAugust1,2001,TerryGravesmovedfromthehouseat3564 W(#( CentralAvenuebecauseheandhiswifewerecontemplatingadivorce.LeslieGraveshadmoved @)$)  fromtheCentralAvenueresidencesometimeinJanuaryof2001.OnNovember28,2001,thecase )*y%*Y wasrefiledintheCircuitCourtofShelbyCounty. #  1      ׀Ms.BraswellemployedEtAlLegalServices,   Inc.,aprivateprocessservingcompany,toservethesummonsesontheDefendants.OnDecember  15,2001,RichardButler,anindependentprocessservercontractedbyEtAlLegalService,  attemptedserviceatthelastknownaddressoftheDefendants,whichwas3564CentralAvenue. k OnlyKathyGraveslivedatthehomeonCentralAvenueatthattime.Mr.Butlertestifiedthathe T madepersonalserviceonbothTerryandLeslieGravesonDecember15,2001.Mr.Butleralso =  testifiedthathefiledaffidavitsofserviceofprocesswiththeCircuitCourt.Theseaffidavitswere & v notmadepartoftherecordonappeal.TheAffidavitofKathyGraves,whichwasfiledinsupport  _ ofTerryandLeslieGravesTenn.R.Civ.P.12MotiontoDismiss(seeinfra)reads,inpertinent  H part,asfollows:  1  8  8`   3.OnAugust6,2001,IfiledaComplaintfordivorceagainstTerry   Graves.TheFinalDecreeofDivorcewasenteredinmydivorcecase   onJuly8,2002.DuringthependencyofthedivorceIlivedinthe   3564CentralAvenuehomeandneitherTerryGravesnorLeslie n  GraveslivedwithmeintheCentralAvenuehome,includingbutnot W  limitedto,December15,2001.@` x` x 8  8`   4.IdidreceiveacopyoftheSummonsandComplaintfiledinthis b matter,styledBraswellv.Graves,DocketNo.CT00712801Div.5, K fromaprocessserveronoraboutDecember15,2001.4` x` x 8  8`   5.BecauseIwasinvolvedinadivorceIcalledmylawyerandthen  calledSamBlairregardingtheSummonsandComplaint.Atalater  dateSamBlairpersonallypickeduptheSummonsandComplaintfor  me.q` x` x 8  8`   6.NeitherLeslieGravesnorTerryGravesauthorizedmetoaccept C serviceofprocessontheirbehalf.,|` x` x OnJanuary22,2002,attorneySamBlairwroteacourtesylettertoMs.Braswellsattorney.The N letterreads,inpertinentpart,asfollows:  7 8  8`   DearMr.Waggoner[attorneyforMs.Braswell]:" !` x` x 8  8`    Irepresent[sic]TerryGravesinitiallyintheabovereferenced $#  matter.TerryGraveswasnotservedwithprocess.Heisinadivorce t% $ andtheComplaintwasleftathispriorhomeandthewifeforwarded  theComplainttome.Youneedtoreserveyourcase. #  2      ` x` x  Fromtherecord,itappearsthatnoadditionalservicewasattemptedoneitherTerryGravesorLeslie k Gravesinresponsetothisletter. T   TerryandLeslieGravesdidnotrespondtotheComplaintand,onMarch21,2003,Ms. & v Braswellfileda MotionforDefaultJudgment.OnApril25,2003,bothTerryandLeslieGraves  _ filedseparateAffidavits,byspecialappearance,inwhichtheydeniedreceivingserviceofthe  H SummonsandComplaintinthismatter.OnAugust27,2003,TerryandLeslieGravesfiledaTenn.  1  R.Civ.P.12 MotiontoDismissBySpecialAppearance.TheMotion,whichwassupportedby    theAffidavitofKathyGraves(seesupra)statedthatneitherofthesummonseswerephysically   servedonLeslieorTerryGraves.     AhearingwasheldonNovember5,2003.OnNovember12,2003,thetrialcourtentered n  its OrderofDismissalwithPrejudice.Ms.Braswellappealsandraisesoneissueforreviewas W  statedinherbrief:WhetherthetrialcourterredindismissingtheAppellantsComplaintforpersonal @ injuriesforfailuretoobtainpersonalservicewhentheCircuitCourtClerksrecordcontained )y returnedsummonsesandexecutionofprocessoneachoftheAppellees. b   Sincethismatterwasheardbythetrialcourtsittingwithoutajury,wereviewthecase de 4 novo upontherecordwithapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffactbythetrialcourt.  Unlesstheevidencepreponderatesagainstthefindings,wemustaffirmabsenterroroflaw. See   Tenn.R.App.P.13(d).    Itiswellsettledthatanofficersreturnisprimafacieevidenceofproperserviceofprocess t andtheoathofaninterestedpartyislegallyinsufficienttoovercomethereturn. See Tenn.R.Civ. ] P.5.02; RoyalClothingCo.v.Holloway ,208Tenn.572,574-75,347S.W.2d491,492(1961); G  Brakev.Kelly ,189Tenn.612,620,226S.W.2d1008,1011(1950); Cullum&MaxeyCamping 1 Ctr.,Inc.v.Adams ,640S.W.2d22,24(Tenn.Ct.App.1982).However, thereturnofanofficer k thathehasexecutedprocessisofnohighergradeofevidencethantheotherpapersofthecase  U whichcamebefore[thecourt]aspartsthereof;andifotherpartsofthe...recordeithercontradictthe  > returnofthe[processserver]orrenderitdoubtfulwhetherthereturnistrue,wearenotboundto !'  concedetoitabsoluteverity. Wilsonv.Moss ,54Tenn.417,41920(Feb.8,1872).When "! disputingserviceofprocess,theburdenisuponthepartycomplainingoftheservicetoshowby #" clearandconvincingproofthatheorshewasnotservedwithprocess. SeeO.H.MayCo.v. $# GutmansInc. ,2Tenn.App.43(July25,1925).The clearandconvincingevidencestandard }% $ defiesprecisedefinition. Majorsv.Smith ,776S.W.2d538,540(Tenn.Ct.App.1989).Whileitis g&!% moreexactingthanthepreponderanceoftheevidencestandard, RentenbachEng'gCo.v.General Q'"& RealtyLtd. ,707S.W.2d524,527(Tenn.Ct.App.1985),itdoesnotrequiresuchcertaintyasthe ;(#' beyondareasonabledoubtstandard. Brandonv.Wright ,838S.W.2d532,536(Tenn.Ct. %)u$( App.1992).Clearandconvincingevidenceeliminatesanyseriousorsubstantialdoubtconcerning  thecorrectnessoftheconclusionstobedrawnfromtheevidence. SeeHodgesv.S.C.Toof&Co. ,  833S.W.2d896,901n.3(Tenn.1992).Itshouldproduceinthefact-findersmindafirmbeliefor  convictionwithregardtothetruthoftheallegationssoughttobeestablished. InreEstateof l Armstrong ,859S.W.2d323,328(Tenn.Ct.App.1993); Wiltcherv.Bradley ,708S.W.2d407,411 V (Tenn.Ct.App.1985). @    Turningtotherecordinthiscase,wehaveonlythetestimonyofMr.Butlerthatservicewas  b properlymadeonbothTerryGravesandLeslieGraves.Asnotedabove,neitherthesummonsesnor  K thereturnsweremadepartoftherecordonappeal.BothTerryGravesandLeslieGravesassertthat  4  theywerenotserved.Inadditiontothetestimonyadducedatthehearing,TerryandLeslieGraves    filedtheirownAffidavits,theAffidavitofKathyGravesandthelettersentfromSamBlairtoGerald   Waggoner,seesupra,torebutMr.Butlerstestimony. #  3      ׀     Anyconflictintestimonyrequiringadeterminationofthecredibilityofawitnessor q  witnessesisforthetrialcourtandisbindingonthisCourtunlessfromotherrealevidenceweare Z  compelledtoconcludetothecontrary. Stateexrel.Balsingerv.TownofMadisonville ,435 C S.W.2d803,807(Tenn.1968)(emphasisadded).Asnotedabove,neitherthesummonsesnorthe -} affidavitsofserviceofprocessweremadepartofthisrecordonappeal.Consequently,the f followingfindingsbythetrialcourtastothecredibilityofMr.Butleraregivengreatweightbythis O Court: 8 8  8`   THECOURT:Allright.Mr.Butlerisaverypleasant,genteel   individualofextremelysenioryears,78yearsold.Hewashaltingof  speech,andhisbodylanguageandpresentationleadtheCourtto  believethatitispossiblethatperhapshisperceptionswere u incorrect....^` x` x 8  8`    ` x` x 8  8`   ***0` x` x 8  8`   ...Coupledwiththefactthattheservicethatformerlyemployedhim  R [Mr.Butler]nowdoesnotdoso,coupledwiththefactthatMr.  ; Gravestestimonyaswellastheletterfromtheattorney,thebulkof !$  theweightoftheevidenceissuchthatIbelieveitsappropriateto " ! grantyourpetition.#"` x` x   WhenMr.BlairsletterisviewedintheaggregatewiththetestimonyofTerryGraves,the x% $ affidavitsofKathyGraves,LeslieGraves,andTerryGraves,andthetrialcourtsspecificfindings a&!%  concerningthecredibilityofMr.Butler,wefindthatthereisclearandconvincingevidenceto J'"& supportthetrialcourtsfindingthatneitherTerryGravesnorLeslieGraveswereservedwith  processinthiscase.     Fortheforegoingreasons,weaffirmtheOrderofthetrialcourt.Costsofthisappealare k assessedagainsttheAppellant,LeeAnnBraswell,andhersurety. T #XXQ #XX   `     h   __________________________________________  1     `     h   W.FRANKCRAWFORD,PRESIDINGJUDGE,W.S.