ÿWPC§ …# VUNa %¯ 0(µU:Ýw@ 4W k z L‚ Î 0JÖ 0T 0^t 0hÒ 0r: 0|¬ 0†( 0® 1u> 0d³ U>U*UB)DC¨ AMë B8éUv~>vÓ¼ D3 0@ AOÆQ 0D D/[ BŠ˜HP LaserJet 4HPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÒ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡, øð AZ"Arial Regular 8P9U: ;g<g=î>U?@gAÓ€f|œ$3|xLC:\OFFICE\WPWIN\TEMPLATE\STANDARD.WPT2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d ßÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€!ÔÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€!XÔÌÌò òJuly€31,€1998ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€!ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÔ€!ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€¼ôXXdðdÈ7ќـ€ÙßR€$&#A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌJERRY€HARB€and€MAIDGA€HARB,à à)€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óPlaintiffs/Appellees,à àò ò)€€Knox€Circuit€€No.€3„759„95Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€Appeal€No.€03A01„9708„CV„0365Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌSERVICE€TRANSPORT,€INC.à àà à)Ìand€STEVEN€C.€McLEMORE,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óDefendants/Appellants.à àò ò)ó óÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€KNOX€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€WHEELER€ROSENBALM,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òJAMES€T.€SHEA,€IVÌBAKER,€McREYNOLDS,€BYRNE,ÌOððKANE,€SHEA€&€TOWNSENDó óÌKnoxville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€AppellantsÌÌÌò òALBERT€J.€HARBÌHODGES,€DOUGHTY€&€CARSONó óÌKnoxville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€AppelleesÌÌÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌó óà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ó óà àœÌÑ7€L|XXdðXXdð7ÑÓÓà àPlaintiff/Appellee,›€Jerry€Harb€(ð ðplaintiffðð),€suffered€various€injuries€in€anÏautomobile€accident€on€November€30,€1994.€€œThe›€jury€awarded€plaintiff€a€total€ofÏ$73,100€by€order€dated€June€2,€1997„„$71,000€in€compensatory€damages€and€$2,100Ïfor€plaintiffððs€property€damage€claim.€€œOn›€or€around€June€œ16€or€›17€of€that€same€year,Ïœplaintiffððs€counsel›€called€œdefense€counsel›€œand›€inquired€as€to€why€the€judgment€had€notÏbeen€œpaid.›€€œDefense€counsel›€stated€that€a€Motion€for€New€Trial€or€Remittitur€(ð ðmotionðð)Ïhad€been€filed€with€the€œtrial€court›€on€June€10,€1997.€€œHe›€did€not€prepare€a€transmittalÏletter,€nor€did€he€hand€deliver€or€mail€a€copy€of€said€motion€to€œplaintiffððs€counsel›€œas›Ïrequired€by€Rule€5€of€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€œA›€copy€of€said€motionÏwas€faxed€to€œplaintiffððs€counsel›€œon›€June€16€or€17.€€œThe›€copy,€however,€was€not€dateÏstamped€by€the€trial€court,€nor€did€it€contain€any€other€indications€that€it€had€been€filedÏwith€the€court.€€œOn›€July€9,€1997,€œplaintiffððs€counsel›€called€the€Knox€County€Circuit€CourtÏto€œdetermine€what€motions€had€been€filed.€The€court€informed€him›€that€œno€such›€motionÏhad€œbeen›€filed.€€œPlaintiffððs€counsel›€informed€œdefense€counsel›€that€the€court€had€noÏrecord€of€the€motion.€€œThereafter,›€on€July€œ17,›€1997,€œdefense€counsel›€forwarded€a€copyÍof€the€motion€to€the€court€which€was€filed€that€same€day.€Ìà àÌà àOn€July€17,€1997,€defendants€filed€a€Motion€to€Correct€the€Record€of€the€Court,Ïseeking€relief€under€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€60.01.€€œOn›€August€1€of€that€same€year,€the€trialÏcourt€conducted€a€hearing€concerning€the€filing€of€defendantsðð€Rule€60.01€motion.€ÏSeveral€witnesses€testified€at€the€hearing.€€œDefense€counsel›€testified€that€he€œdictated›Ïthe€motion€on€June€œ9€or€›10.€€œAs›€mentioned€òòsupraóó,€he€admitted€not€preparing€aÏtransmittal€letter,€nor€giving€œplaintiffððs€counsel›€œa›€hand„delivered€or€mailed€copy€of€theÏmotion.€€œHe›€also€indicated€that€he€did€not€receive€a€stamped€filed€copy€back€from€theÏcourt.€œÌÌà à›€Judy€Hamilton,€œdefense€counselððs€secretary,›€testified€that€she€had€typed€saidÏmotion€and€gave€the€motion€to€a€runner€to€file€with€the€court.€€ÌÌà àThomas€Hendrix,€a€clerk/runner€in€œdefense€counselððs›€office,€testified€that€he€didÏindeed€deliver€documents€to€the€courthouse€on€June€10,€but€could€not€be€certain€thatÏhe€filed€the€motion€in€question€on€that€day.€€œHe›€stated€that€he€did€not€have€personalÏknowledge€of€the€specific€documents€that€he€œhand€delivered.›€Ìà àÌà àTwo€clerks€from€the€Knox€County€courthouse€also€testified.€€Melony€Shaustick,€aÏfile€clerk€who€had€worked€for€the€court€for€three€years,€testified€as€to€œprocedures€in€theÏclerkððs›€œoffice.›€€œShe›€stated€that€the€process€for€filing€motions€in€the€court€consisted€ofÏmarking€an€original€and€a€file€copy€for€the€clerk€and€then€taking€all€motions€to€theÍminute€clerk,€Joanne€Nichols.€€œShe›€testified€that€pleadings€which€œare›€misfiled€orÏmisplaced€turn€up€in€a€matter€of€a€few€days.€ÌÌà àJoanne€Nichols€testified€œas€to€her€procedures€upon€receiving€motions€as€minuteÏclerk.€€She€stated€that€upon€receiving€the€motions,€she€places›€them€on€her€computer,Ïmakes€a€copy,€and€puts€it€on€her€next€motion€date.€€œAfter›€checking€her€computer€inÏorder€to€determine€when€the€œmotion€in€question›€had€been€filed,€the€first€entry€revealedÏthat€the€motion€was€filed€on€July€œ17,›€1997.€€œShe›€further€testified€that€she€had€performedÏa€search€for€the€motion€in€order€to€determine€if€the€motion€had€been€lost€or€misplacedÏsomewhere€in€the€office.€€œHer›€search€proved€fruitless€as€she€failed€to€find€the€motionÏœdefense€counsel€contends›€was€filed€on€June€10,€1997.€Ìà àÌà àAccordingly,€the€trial€court€held€that€the€defendants€had€not€carried€their€burdenÏof€establishing€that€the€motion€was€filed€on€June€10,€1997,€in€order€to€gain€Rule€60.01Ïrelief.€€This€appeal€followed.Ìà àÌà àIt€is€true€that€the€rules€do€contemplate€a€mechanism€whereby€œcertain€time›€œlimits›Ïmay€be€defeated€by€the€trial€court€under€the€exceptional€circumstances€where€it€isÏauthorized€to€grant€relief€from€its€own€judgments€or€orders€under€Rule€60€of€theÏTennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€Such€relief€is€available€from€"[c]lerical€mistakesÏin€judgments,€orders€or€other€parts€of€the€record,€and€errors€therein€arising€fromÏoversight€or€omissions...."€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€œ60.01.›€€The€court€may€also€relieve€a€partyÏfrom€a€final€judgment€for€the€reasons€œof›€"mistake,€inadvertence,€surprise€or€excusableÍneglect...."€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€œ60.02.›ÌÌà àIn€this€instance,€Mr.€Shea€filed€for€relief€under€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€60.01€for€theÏalleged€clerical€mistakes€of€the€œcircuit›€œcourt›€œclerks.›€€The€trial€court€œdid›€not€doubt€that€Mr.ÏShea€had€prepared€the€motion€in€question,€œand€that›€he,€in€fact,€gave€it€to€his€secretaryÏwith€instructions€to€have€it€filed€with€the€clerk€of€the€court.€€The€trial€court€was€œalsoÏcognizant›€of€the€fact€that€Mr.€Sheaððs€secretary€testified€that€she,€indeed,€carried€outÏthese€instructions.€€However,€the€trial€court€noted€that€the€runner€who€deliveredÏœdocuments›€to€the€courthouse€œtestified›€œthat€he€did€not€recollect€delivering€the€motion€inÏquestion€on€June€10,€1997,€and€the€court€clerks€have€no€record€of€receiving€saidÏmotion.›€€œAs›€such,€the€court€reiterated€the€strong€presumption€in€favor€of€the€court€clerksÏproperly€performing€their€duty€when€receiving€and€recording€incoming€documents.Ìœ›Ìœ›à àIn€the€end,€the€trial€œcourt›€œconcluded›€œfrom›€all€the€œevidence›€œthat€defendants›€hadÏfailed€to€carry€their€burden€of€establishing€that€the€motion€in€question€was€in€fact€filedÏon€June€10,€1997.€€After€a€careful€review€of€the€record€we€agree€with€the€judgment€ofÏthe€trial€court.ÌÌà àThere€is€a€strong€presumption€at€law€that€all€court€officials€have€performed€theirÏduty.€€òòCox€v.€City€of€Bristolóó,€191€S.W.2d€160€(Tenn.€1945);€òòBurns€v.€Duncanóó,€133ÏS.W.2d€1000€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1939).€€ð ðIn€the€absence€of€proof€to€the€contrary,€it€will€beÏpresumed€that€official€acts€or€duties€have€been€properly€performed.ðð€€òòBurns€v.€Duncanóó,Ï133€S.W.2d€at€1006.€€ÌÌà àIn€the€instant€case,€we€agree€with€the€trial€court€that€the€evidence€in€the€recordÏdoes€not€overcome€this€presumption.€€We€have€no€doubt€that€œdefense€counselÏprepared›€a€motion€for€a€new€trial€on€or€about€June€œ9€or€›10€of€œ1997,€and›€gave€thisÏmotion€to€his€secretary€with€œinstructions›€to€have€œit›€filed€with€the€Knox€County€œCircuitÏCourt.›€€However,€there€is€some€question€as€to€whether€or€not€the€runner€actually€filedÏthe€œmotion›€in€question.€€The€two€court€œclerks›€testified€as€to€their€filing€procedures€whenÏdocuments€are€left€in€their€possession.€€The€clerks€also€testified€to€the€fact€that€theirÏefforts€to€locate€œdefense€counselððs›€motion€for€new€trial€was€fruitless.€€As€a€result€of€theÏrunnerððs€testimony,€there€is€a€missing€link€in€the€defendantsðð€chain€of€custody.€€AsÏsuch,€the€presumption€that€court€officials€have€performed€the€function€of€their€jobsÏproperly€cannot€be€overcome.€€The€conclusion€œto€be€drawn›€from€such€evidence€is€thatÏalthough€the€motion€may€have€been€properly€prepared,€it€was€never€filed€œin›€the€KnoxÏCounty€œcourthouse.›€€ÌÌà àIn€light€of€evidence€set€forth€in€the€record,€we€cannot€say€that€œplaintiffððs€motionÏwas›€filed€in€the€Knox€County€œCircuit€Court›€on€June€10,€1997.€€Accordingly,€we€affirmÏthe€judgment€of€the€trial€œcourt.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà àóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌFARMER,€J.›