WPC L2ED`hbO l>ahG2j\,H&Zv ۶g/ dˠeCP>]LIX ,i$f=5 Ƙ2wy4v{(|x+'3m!H~$i8A_nDp3~Z{"wt^N, O{./ ]KϘtN hIH2-KK|ov0% QV^R"E粕n+]N43,ĭC*N 5$~mW7?e֠ORw Z`/R2$rp&ºujxx@ 9Gpӏ6&kS%4=FsoM>8ԐHOKZ[-OTJsN$f&+6ykux ˅Z:ǧXhȍ_ZgZJ|=5șpT# F U HQ % 0 { w@N4U:  U: @U:MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM B D3 0D AOjj 0D0 D/t BHP LaserJet 4HPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLd<09Z 0Courier (W1) RegularX(!}$X XXX      TRY,3' LetterY,3' Letter3' Letter3' LetterTIC IXX Y(;d$X|XXX      TRY(3' LetterY(3' Letter3' Letter3' LetterT {DDӀ6S/%urier 3|x<6X9`("Courier 10cpiH  XXXXX (X XX   Ad FILED XXX (   November2,1998  CecilCrowson,Jr. *X XXAppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular XXXXX(XXX   Ad FILEDXXX(   October30,1998  CecilCrowson,Jr.*XXXAppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular d%%%%'dxd(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !}!X/XXX      TRY3' Letter3' 3' Letter3'TI IXX/Y  T TR[A' LegalY3' LetterA' Legal 3' LetterT  7/XXdd7r *<,(j 8` `@E ` ttx$ rr*<,(j 8` `@E ` ttx$ r񀀀@INTHECOURTOFAPPEALS   @XX$ATKNOXVILLECHESLEYLEAJACKSONandWILMA)  ANDERSONCHANCERY v JEANWILSON,)C.A.NO.03A019804CH00132̀)̀PlaintiffsAppellants)   4  Ѐ)̀)̀)̀)vs.)  HON.WILLIAME.LANTRIP N  Ѐ)  CHANCELLOR   Ѐ)̀)̀)̀)BOBBYJ.DOTSONandwife,ANDREA)  REVERSEDANDREMANDED : DOTSON,andDENVERDOTSON,񛀀)̀)   ` DefendantsAppellees)J.PHILIPHARBER,Clinton,forAppellantsPHILIPR.CRYE,Clinton,forAppelleesY@!!$OPINION n(# ?(#McMurray,J.  Thiscasewasheardatabenchtrialandattheconclusionoftheplaintiffs'proof,thedefendantsmovedthecourtforaninvoluntarydismissaloftheplaintiffs'case.Ratherthanruleonthemotionatthattime,thecourtallowedtheplaintiffstoreopentheirproof.Afteradditionalproofwasintroducedandtheplaintiffrested,thedefendantsrenewedtheirmotionfordismissal. 8(-7   Aftertherenewalofthemotiontodismiss,thecourtbegantodiscusstheevidenceinthecase.Thefollowingcolloquythentookplace:Y8   ` THECOURT:Mr.Stuart,[addressingtheplaintiffs'attorney],thecourtcannotfindthatyou'vecarriedtheburdenofproof.Thetestimonyfromthiswitnessrelatestoa1976endeavor.TheCourtnotesthatthedeedfromtheDotsonpropertyisa1969deedthatwasdonepriortothatdate.AndnothingthatMr.JacksonhasofferedintherecordraisesorpresentssufficientevidencefortheCourttofindthattheplaintiffhascarriedtherequisiteburdenofproof.    8   ` MR.STUART:Well,yourhonor,I'dliketotakeanonsuit.    8   ` THECOURT:Mr.Stuart,Iwantyoutogivemesomelawthatyoucandothatafterthecourt'sruling.    8   ` MR.STUART:Well,Ican't.Iwasjusthopingthatyouwereexplainingtherulingyouwereabouttomake.    8   ` THECOURT:HaveIgrantedyourmotionornotyet?Idon'tknow"youinterruptedme"whetherornotIhadsaidit.Iprobablyhadn't.WellI"    8   ` MR.STUART:Icantellwhichwayyouwereheaded.    8   ` THECOURT:Well,IthinkyouhaveandIdon'tthinkI'vesaidthemagicwordsyet.SoI'mgoingtogiveMr.Stuartthebenefitofthedoubtandallowhimtotakeavoluntarydismissaloftheplaintiffs'case.    Y  AnorderwasenteredonNovember24,1997,allowingthevoluntarydismissal.Thereafter,onJanuary29,1998,thedefendantsfiledamotionpursuanttoRule60,TennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure,askingthecourttoamendtheorderofvoluntarydismissaltoprovidethatthedismissalwaswithprejudice.Thegroundsforthemotionwerethatthecourthadallowedanonsuitafterthemotiontodismisshadbeensustained.Thecourtgrantedthemotion.Itisfromtheordergrantingthismotionthatthisappealresulted. >7+5 Ї  WeareoftheopinionthatthetrialcourterredingrantingtheRule60motion.Clearly,thetranscriptoftheproceedingsdemonstratesthatthecourtwasseriouslyconsideringgrantingthedefendants'motionforaninvoluntarydismissal.Themotionwasnot,however,grantednorwasthecourtrequiredtograntthemotionatthattime.Rule41.02(2),TennesseeRulesofCivilϜProcedure,providesasfollows:Y8   ` (2)Aftertheplaintiff,inanactiontriedbythecourtwithoutajury,hascompletedthepresentationofϜplaintiff'sevidence,thedefendant,withoutwaivingtherighttoofferevidenceintheeventthemotionisnotgranted,maymovefordismissalonthegroundthatuponthefactsandthelawtheplaintiffhasshownnorighttorelief.Thecourtastrierofthefactsmaythendeterminethemandrenderjudgmentagainsttheplaintifformaydeclinetorenderanyjudgmentuntilthecloseof  alltheevidence;....(Emphasisadded.)g   Y  ItisclearfromthisrulethatthetrialcourtwasundernoϜobligationtograntthedefendants'motionatthestageoftheproceedingsinwhichthemotionwasmade.Therecordclearlyreflectsthatitdidnot.Further,underRule60,TennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure,wefindnoauthoritythatallowsatrialcourt,afterajudgmenthasbecomefinal,toamendthefinaljudgmentbysimplychangingitsmindaboutthegrantingofanonsuitwithoutprejudice.Iftherecordreflectedthatthemotiontodismisshadinfactbeengranted,thentheprovisionsofRule60.01regarding"clericalmistakes"orpossiblytheprovisionsofRule60.02relativeto"mistake"mightbeavailableasremediestocorrectthemistake.Suchisnotthecasehere,however.  Itissignificanttonotethattheavailabilityofvoluntarydismissalsismuchgreaternowthanbeforetheadoptionofthepresentrulesofcivilprocedure.InWillbanksv.TrousdaleCounty 7,; МBoarddofEducation,1986WL1663(Tenn.App.Feb7,1986),the   courtnotedcorrectlythat"Rule41.01followstheliberalpracticeofallowingvoluntarydismissalsthatexistedinthecircuitcourtbeforetheadoptionoftheTennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure.ThedraftersoftheRuleintendedthattheRulenotberestrictivebutthattheliberalpracticeofthecircuitcourtbeextendedtothechancerycourt."Therefore,withthispropositioninmind,wecanlooktocasesinvolving"motionsfordirectedverdict"inthecircuitcourtsforguidanceastowhenavoluntarydismissalcanbetaken.  TheappelleesrelyuponthecaseofWeedmanv.Searcy,781 -u S.W.2d855(Tenn.1989)asauthorityfortheirpositionthattheplaintiffs'motioncametoolate.Webelieve,however,thatWeedmanismoreappropriateauthorityforthepositionofthe   appellants.InWeedman,theSupremeCourtstatedthefollowing )"q proposition:Y8   ` Inanon-jurycase,untilthecasehasfinallybeensubmittedtothetrialcourtforadecision,theplaintiffhasarighttoavoluntarydismissal....Inthenon-jurycase,untilthematterhasbeenfinallysubmittedtothetrialjudgefordecision,the"trial"ofthecasehasnotbeenconcluded.Thetrialjudgemayorderfurtherprooftobetaken,mayreopentheproofforvariouspurposes,extendthetimeforfilingbriefs,andthelike.Dismissalasamatterofrightcontinuestobeavailableatleastuntilwrittenpost-trialbriefshavebeenfiledpursuanttoorderofthetrialjudgeanduntilthematterhasbeenfinallysubmittedtothecourtfordeterminationonthemerits.Thatpointhadnotbeenreachedinthepresentcasewhenthemotionofappelleewasmade.    ̜Id.At857 2&4 Y  Intheinstantcase,thetrialcourthadannouncedonlythatitcouldnotfindthattheplaintiffshadcarriedtheirburdenof 7,; proofandbegantoexplainhowtheyhadnotdoneso.YTheCourt,atthispoint,hadnotexerciseditshisdiscretiontodismissthecase,allowtheprooftobereopenedbytheplaintiffsortoheartheevidenceofthedefendants%  proofifthedefendantswishedsoughttopresentany,ororderthefilingofposttrialbriefs.  PerhapstheruleisbeststatedinBellisomiv.Kenny,206   S.W.2d787(Tenn.1947):8   ` ...Thejudgeis...leftasounddiscretiontobeexercisedaccordingtowhathethinksisrequiredofatribunalengagedprimarilyindispensingjustice.Ifhethinksthepurposecanbestbeservedbycuttingofftherighttoanonsuit,then...hecanannouncehisformaldecisionimmediatelyafterthemotionforadirectedverdictandargumentthereon,ifany,andthen,ifhechoose,givethereasonsforhisdecision.    8   ` Upontheotherhand,ifhethinksthatjusticerequires,hecanleavethatrighttemporarilyintactbyfirstdiscussingtheissuesoflawandfact,withholdingdefiniteactiononthemotionuntilhehasconcluded,.񛀜...,allintheexpectationthattheplaintiffwillanticipatethedecisionandtakeadvantageoftheopportunitythusaffordedhimifhecaretodoso.(Citationomitted.)    Y@xx!****8   ` Tosumup,thejudgecancutofftherighttoanonsuitbyadefiniteannouncementofhisdecision,either (& beforeorfafteradiscussionofhisreasons,...or, s)' followingthemakingofthemotionandthediscussionwithrespectthereto,ifany,hemaywithholdaformalannouncementofhisdecisionuntilhemakesitindirectingthejurytoreturnaverdict.Butineither o, + event,itisthedefiniteformalannouncementofthedecision...whichendstherighttoanonsuit.... -5"- (Emphasisadded.)    ̜Id.aAtBellisomi,p.789. *0r$0 Y  Inviewofthecitedaboveauthorities,andforthereasonsstated,webelievethatthetrialcourterredinamendingthefinaljudgmenttoreflectadismissalwithprejudice.We,therefore,reversethejudgmentofthetrialcourtandremandthecasefor 6,+9 suchotherandfurtheractionrequiredconsistentwiththisopinion.Costsareassessedtotheappellees.Y((+(#________________________________̀DonT.McMurray,JudgeCONCUR:___________________________________HerschelP.Franks,Judge___________________________________CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,Judge  f XXII  7XXdXXd7р@INTHECOURTOFAPPEALS   @$ATKNOXVILLECHESLEYLEAJACKSONandWILMA)  ANDERSONCHANCERY 9 JEANWILSON,)C.A.NO.03A019804CH00132̀)̀PlaintiffsAppellants)   .v  Ѐ)̀)̀)̀)vs.)  HON.WILLIAME.LANTRIP 1  Ѐ)  CHANCELLOR   Ѐ)̀)̀)̀)BOBBYJ.DOTSONandwife,ANDREA)  REVERSEDANDREMANDED c DOTSON,andDENVERDOTSON)̀)   ` DefendantsAppellees)#IIXX]0# IXII XXX I@  & JUDGMENT  % Y  ThisappealcameontobeheardupontherecordfromtheChanceryCourtofAndersonCounty,briefsandargumentofcounsel.Uponconsiderationthereof,thisCourtisoftheopinionthattherewasreversibleerrorinthetrialcourt.#XXX X4##IIXX4# &$   Wereversethejudgmentofthetrialcourtandremandthecaseforsuchotherandfurtheractionrequiredconsistentwiththisopinion.Costsareassessedtotheappellees.   `     h     PERCURIAN