WPC0 <# XUNc % 0N 0bw@4.=EN 0D m * 0D2 0Jv 0T 0^ 0hr 0r 0|L 0 AQN  0De 0@ B 0 D/ 1u B: D3W 0dU>B),DCU AMU*JY)>v~v]HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLh'"  Z 6Times New Roman Regular(&y$   (}(20~$ y!     XXX `   0  - - K L EM N O P DQ R S Ӏ] z=#3|x] covington v. acuff - opinion   5 ' IB011C20IB011C2 .   (#$  0  U ($$   1  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  !"#&C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  ("$     d2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23  ((' dxd% ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P Pd$$$$'dxdP 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X<  9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d22227Border 1dd!#3C << G<  9p`(Arial @ !  #d#11   ""  55   YYY FILED5XOctober10,1997CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerk    !#d#11   $   X 1X       _NoissuehasbeenraisedinthiscaseconcerningtherequirementinTenn.R.Civ.P.4.03thatthepersonservingprocessmustreturnthesummonsunservedifithasnotbeenservedwithinthirtydaysafterissuance.  !#d#11   $   X 1X       _Tenn.R.Civ.P.3alsocontainsrelationbackprovisionsforcasesinwhichnoprocesswasissued.TheseprovisionsdonotapplyinthiscasebecauseprocesswasissuedforeachofMs.Covingtonsthreecomplaints.Theprocessforthefirsttwocomplaintswasreturnedunserved.  !#d#11   $   X 1X       _In1977,Tenn.R.Civ.P.3provided,inpart,thatthe plaintiffmustrecommencetheactionwithinoneyearafterthereturnoftheinitialprocessnotserved.PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'`Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   ion-F Geneva  ion-F Geneva ! . 11     X _    X \RA'\  \RA'\7dd7    ћ @ 1 INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@ MIDDLESECTIONATNASHVILLE̜!R463A1-j||.`  `@Rߛ1_ GAYNELL_ԀCOVINGTON,  )      ) Plaintiff/Appellant,  )      ) MontgomeryCircuit      ) No.C8258;C8807;C9700VS.      )      ) AppealNo.      ) 01A019605CV00236WILLIAME._ACUFF_,   )      ) Defendant/Appellee.  )@ APPEALFROMTHECIRCUITCOURTFORMONTGOMERYCOUNTY@ ATCLARKSVILLE,TENNESSEE@ THEHONORABLEROBERTW._WEDEMEYER_,JUDGEForthePlaintiff/Appellant:   FortheDefendant/Appellee:StacyA.Turner     DanielMarkNolanClarksville,Tennessee    Daniel,_Harvill_,_Batson_Ԁ&Nolan       Clarksville,Tennessee@ 1 AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED 1       WILLIAMC.KOCH,JR.,JUDGE1@ OPINION 1 ThisappealinvolvestherelationbackfeaturesofTenn.R.Civ.P.3.Amotoristwhowasinjuredinanautomobilecollisionfiledtwosuccessivelawsuitsagainstthedriveroftheothervehicle.Aftertheprocessforboththesecomplaintswasreturnedunserved,theplaintiffdriverfiledathirdsuitintheCircuitCourtforMontgomeryCountyandobtainedserviceontheotherdriveroverthreeyearsafterthecollision.Uponmotionofthedefendantdriver,thetrialcourtdismissedthethirdcomplaintbecausetheplaintiffdriversclaimshadnotbeensavedfromthestatuteoflimitationsbytherelationbackfeaturesofTenn.R.Civ.P.3.Theplaintiffdriverhasperfectedthisappeal.WehavedeterminedthatthetrialcourtcorrectlydismissedtheplaintiffdriversthirdcomplaintbecauseitwasnotfiledwithinthetimerequiredbyTenn.R.Civ.P.3.@ I.  _Gaynell_ԀCovingtonandWilliamE._Acuff_ԀwereinvolvedinanautomobilecollisiononOctober9,1990,atanintersectioninClarksville.OnOctober1,1991,Ms.CovingtonfiledanegligenceactionagainstMr._Acuff_Ԁseekingdamagesforherpersonalinjuriesandpropertydamage.ThecircuitcourtclerkissuedprocessonOctober2,1991,butthesheriffreturnedtheprocessonOctober3,1991withthenotationthatMr._Acuff_ԀwasnottobefoundinMontgomeryCounty. Ms.Covingtontooknofurtherstepstopursueherinitialcomplaint.Instead,shefiledasecondcomplaintagainstMr._Acuff_ԀonOctober5,1992.ThecircuitcourtclerkissuedprocessonOctober6,1992,butthesheriffreturnedthisprocessunservedwiththenotationthatMr._Acuff_Ԁcouldnotbefoundattheaddresslistedonthesummons.Ms.CovingtonhadaliasprocessissuedonNovember12,1992andagainonNovember19,1992,butthisprocesswaslikewisereturnedunservednotingthatMr._Acuff_ԀhadgraduatedfromAustin_Peay_ԀStateUniversityandcouldnotbefoundattheaddresseslistedoneitherofthesummons.Ms.Covingtonobtained_pluries_ԀprocessonMarch1,1993andApril9,1993,butthesesummonseswerelikewisereturnedunserved. Ms.CovingtonfiledherthirdlawsuitagainstMr._Acuff_ԀonJanuary19,1994.Mr._Acuff_ԀwasservedwithprocessonMarch1,1994, 7   ׀andonMarch30,1994,hefiledananswerassertingthatMs.Covingtonsactionwastimebarred.OnFebruary8,1995,Mr._Acuff_ԀmovedtodismissMs.Covingtonscomplaintbasedonthestatuteoflimitations.Threeweekslater,thetrialcourtenteredanorderdismissingMs.CovingtonscomplaintonthegroundthatitwastimebarredbecauseshecouldnottakeadvantageoftherelationbackprovisionsinTenn.R.Civ.P.3.Ms.CovingtonarguesonthisappealthatherthirdcomplaintagainstMr._Acuff_ԀshouldbedeemedtimelyfiledunderTenn.R.Civ.P.3.@ II.  Personswhohavebeeninjuredasaresultofanothersnegligencemustfilesuitwithinoneyearofthedateoftheirinjury.SeeTenn.CodeAnn.283104(a)(1980).Ifthesepersonsfileatimelysuitbut,forwhateverreason,areunabletoobtainservice,Tenn.R.Civ.P.3permitsthemtorelyontheiroriginalcomplainttotolltherunningofthestatuteoflimitationsaslongastheyobtaintheissuanceofnewprocesswithinsixmonthsfromtheissuanceofthepreviousprocessorrecommencetheactionwithinoneyearfromtheissuanceoftheoriginalprocess.SeeTenn.R.Civ.P.3. 8     Ms.Covingtonassertsthatshehadoneyearfromthereturnoftheunservedinitialprocesswithinwhichtorecommencehersuit,eventhoughtheversionsofTenn.R.Civ.P.3ineffectwhenshefiledhersecondandthirdcomplaintsrequiredhertorecommenceheractionwithinoneyearfromthedateoftheissuanceoftheoriginalprocess.ShebasesherpositiononAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_ԀHosp.,548S.W.2d307(Tenn.1977)whichpermittedaplaintifftorecommenceanactionwithinoneyearfollowingtheendofthethirtydayperiodwithinwhichtheoriginalprocesscouldhavebeenserved.WhileMs.CovingtonhascorrectlycitedAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_ԀHosp.,shehasoverlookedtheinterveningamendmentstoTenn.R.Civ.P.3. WhenAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_ԀHosp.wasdecided,plaintiffswishingtorelyontheiroriginalcomplainttotolltherunningofthestatuteoflimitationshadtorecommencetheirsuitswithinoneyearafterthefailuretoexecutethesummonsintheoriginalaction.SeeTenn.R.Civ.P.3(1977). 9   ׀Thebeginningoftherecommencementperiodwaschangedin1979whenTenn.R.Civ.P.3wasamendedtorequirerecommencing theactionwithinoneyearfromissuanceoftheinitialprocessnotservedornotreturnedwithin30daysfromissuance.AlateramendmenttoTenn.R.Civ.P.3,effectiveonJuly1,1992,likewiserequiresthattheactionberecommencedwithinoneyearfromtheissuanceoftheoriginalprocess,ratherthanthereturnoftheunservedprocess. The1979and1992amendmentstoTenn.R.Civ.P.3havetheforceandeffectoflaw.Byalteringthebeginningdateoftherecommencementperiod,theseamendmentshadtheeffectofunderminingtheprecedentialvalueoftheAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_ԀHosp.decision.Thus,fromandafterJuly1,1979,personsdesiringtorelyontheiroriginalcomplainttotolltherunningofthestatuteoflimitationsmustrecommencetheirsuitswithinoneyearaftertheissuanceoftheoriginalprocessthatwasreturnedunserved. NotwithstandingtheplainlanguageofTenn.R.Civ.P.3,Ms.CovingtonassertsthatsheshouldbeentitledtorelyonAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_Hosp.becauseoftheAdvisoryCommissionsofficialcommentstoTenn.R.Civ.P.3andbecauseAdamsv.CarterCounty_Meml_ԀHosp.stillappearsasanannotationtoTenn.R.Civ.P.3intheversionoftherulespublishedby_Michie_LawPublishers.Wefindlittlemeritwiththeseargumentsbecausethetextoftheruletakesprecedenceovertheseothercollateralauthorities. AdvisoryCommissioncommentshaveweightandcanprovidehelpfulguidanceforconstruingruleswhentheirtextisunclear.See_Schiavone_Ԁv.Fortune,477U.S.21,31,106S.Ct.2379,2385(1986);NorthbrookExcess&SurplusIns.Co.v.MedicalMalpracticeJointUnderwriting_Assn_,900F.2d476,47778(1stCir.1990).Theycannot,however,alterthemeaningofarule,andcourtsneednotresorttothemwhenthetextoftheruleisclear.See_Whitehouse_v.UnitedStatesDistrictCourt,53F.3d1349,136465(1stCir.1995);UnitedStatesv._Downin_,884F.Supp.1474,1479(E.D.Cal.1995).Inthiscase,theplaintextofTenn.R.Civ.P.3requiringrecommencementwithinoneyearaftertheissuanceoftheinitialprocesscompletelyforeclosesMs.CovingtonsrelianceontheAdvisoryCommissionscomment. TheannotationstotheversionoftheTennesseeCodepublishedby_Michie_LawPublishersarenotpartoftheofficialstatutesandrules.SeeTenn.CodeAnn.11111(b)(1994)(statingthatthetextofthestatutes,nottheannotations,areevidenceofthestatelaws).Courtshavetheprerogativetodisagreewith_Michie_seditorsconcerningsignificanceofanannotation.See,e.g.,_Smallwood_v.State,443A.2d1003,1006n.11(Md.Ct.Spec.App.1982)(takingexceptiontoanannotation);Laughlinv.Rose,104S.E.2d782,786n.1(Va.1958)(pointingoutthata_Michie_Ԁannotationincorrectlyinterpretsacase);_Huffman_Ԁv.AppalachianPowerCo.,415S.E.2d145,155n.17(W.Va.1991)(pointingoutanerrorinanannotationofaproceduralrule).Thus,whilelawyersmayregard_Michie_sannotationsasvaluableresearchtools,theyshouldnotelevatethemtothesamelevelasthetextofthestatutesandrules. Ms.Covingtonfiledherinitialcomplaintwithintheoneyearstatuteoflimitationsforpersonalinjuries.However,therecordshowsundisputablythat,afterheroriginalprocesswasreturnedunserved,shedidnotrecommencehersuitagainstMr._Acuff_Ԁwithinoneyearaftertheissuanceoforiginalprocess.BecauseshefailedtocomplywithTenn.R.Civ.P.3bytimelyreissuingthesummonsortimelyfilinganewlawsuit,Ms.CovingtonhassubjectedherpersonalinjuryclaimtotheoneyearstatuteoflimitationsinTenn.CodeAnn.283104.See_Vanhooser_Ԁv.Ling,872S.W.2d913,916(Tenn.Ct.App.1993). ThepartieshavefocusedtheirattentionexclusivelyonMs.Covingtonspersonalinjuryclaim.However,aswepointedoutinoralargument,Ms.CovingtonalsoassertedapropertydamageclaimagainstMr.Acuff,andthestatuteoflimitationsforthisclaimisthreeyears.SeeTenn.CodeAnn.283105(Supp.1996).Ms.Covingtonfiledhersecondcomplaintbeforethethreeyearstatuteoflimitationsexpiredbutalsofailedtoobtainserviceofthiscomplaint.Ms.Covingtonsthirdcomplaintwasfiledafterthethreeyearstatuteoflimitationsforpropertydamagehadexpiredandoveroneyearaftertheissuanceoftheoriginalprocessinherfirstcomplaint.Accordingly,Ms.CovingtonhaslikewisefailedtopreserveherpropertydamageclaimfromtheoperationofthethreeyearstatuteoflimitationsinTenn.CodeAnn.283105.@ III.  WeaffirmthedismissalofMs.Covingtonspersonalinjuryandpropertydamageclaimsandremandthecasetothetrialcourtforwhateverfurtherproceedingsmayberequired.Wetaxthecostsofthisappealto_Gaynell_Covingtonandhersuretyforwhichexecution,ifnecessary,mayissue.       ____________________________       WILLIAMC.KOCH,JR.,JUDGECONCUR:________________________________HENRYF.TODD,_P.J._,M.S.________________________________SAMUELL.LEWIS,JUDGE