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óThis€case€presents€an€appeal€from€a€declaratory€judgment€action€brought€by€Plaintiffs/Appellants,Ð d´ ÐTown€of€Linden€and€Tex€Smith,€to€request€an€interpretation€of€the€phrase€ð ðnext€regular€electionððÐ P  Ðcontained€in€the€charter€for€the€town€of€Linden.€€The€trial€court€held€that€this€phrase€included€theÐ <Œ Ðnext€county€election,€being€the€next€regularly€scheduled€election€in€the€town€of€Linden€on€AugustÐ (x Ð3,€2000,€and€also€held€that€the€town€of€Linden€had€no€standing€to€bring€a€declaratory€judgment€actionÐ d Ðon€this€issue.€€Plaintiffs€appealed€both€holdings.€€We€affirm€the€trial€court€on€both€issues.ò òÐ P ÐÌÓ  ÓTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Chancery€Court€Affirmedó óÐ Ø( ÐÌòòÔ#†¼M5»àX ™w#ÔÔ‡X ™X.¼M5ÔÓ  ÓWilliam€B.€Cain,óó€J.,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòWilliam€C.€Koch,€Jr.óó€andÐ ° ÐòòPatricia€J.€Cottrell,€JJ.óó,€joined.Ð œì ÐÌDonald€W.€Ô_ÔSchwendimannÔ_Ô,€Ô_ÔHohenwaldÔ_Ô,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellants,€Town€of€Linden,€aÐ tÄ Ðmunicipality,€by€and€through€its€board€of€Mayor€and€Aldermen,€Douglas€Ô_ÔGreenwayÔ_Ô,€Mayor;€andÐ `° ÐBilly€Ward,€Don€Ô_ÔAdkinsÔ_Ô,€Tex€Smith,€Raymond€Robert€Warren,€Sherman€Ô_ÔVaughnÔ_Ô,€and€William€ClarkÐ L œ ÐKurt,€Aldermen;€and€Tex€Smith,€individually.Ð 8!ˆ  ÐÌPaul€G.€Summers,€Attorney€General€and€Reporter€and€Russell€S.€Baldwin,€Assistant€AttorneyÐ #`" ÐGeneral,€Nashville,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellees,€Bliss€C.€Garcia,€Perry€County€Administrator€ofÐ ü#L# ÐElections;€Perry€Election€Commission;€and€the€Division€of€Elections€of€the€State€of€TennesseeÐ è$8 $ ÐDepartment€of€State.Ð Ô%$!% ÐÌò òÓ  ÓOPINIONó óÔ#†¼M5»XX ™N#ÔÔ‡X ™X»¼M5ÔÐ ¬'ü"' ÐÌòòóóÔ#†¼M5»XX ™ #ÔÔ€X ™X»¼M5ÔÔ‡ X ™XXX ™ÔÓ  Óà  àOn€January€5,€2000,€a€vacancy€was€created€in€the€position€of€city€alderman€in€the€city€ofÐ „)Ô$) ÐLinden,€Tennessee.€€€The€Board€of€Mayor€and€Alderman€of€the€City€of€Linden€appointed€Tex€SmithÐ p*À%* Ðto€fill€the€vacant€city€alderman€position€pursuant€to€the€procedure€provided€for€in€the€Charter€of€theÐ \+¬&+ ÐTown€of€Linden,€1923€Tennessee€Private€Acts€1279,€chapter€364,€section€8.€€According€to€this€Act,Ð H,˜', ÐMr.€Smith€was€to€hold€that€position€until€ð ðthe€next€regular€election.ðð€€Ð 4-„(-ý÷ Їà  àThe€question€at€issue€before€this€court€is€the€meaning€of€the€phrase€ð ðnext€regular€election.ðð€Ð ° ÐA€regular€county€election€was€scheduled€to€be€held€in€Linden,€TN€on€August€3,€2000,€and€the€nextÐ œì Ðregular€municipal€election€was€scheduled€for€December€1,€2001.€€Thus,€the€question€arose€as€toÐ ˆØ Ðwhich€of€these€elections€this€Act€refers.€€The€Coordinator€of€elections€interpreted€the€phrase€toÐ tÄ Ðinclude€the€August€3,€2000€county€election€and€instructed€the€aldermanic€election€to€be€held€at€thatÐ `° Ðtime.€€Plaintiffs,€Town€of€Linden€and€Tex€Smith,€interpreted€the€phrase€to€mean€only€a€regularÐ L œ Ðmunicipal€election€and€requested€an€injunction€and€declaratory€judgment€to€determine€the€issue.Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌà  àThis€matter€was€heard€on€May€17,€2000€in€the€Perry€County€Chancery€Court.€€The€court€heldÐ  ` Ðin€favor€of€the€Defendants€stating:Ð ü L  ÐÌà8  àà ` àThis€Court€holds€that€the€term€ð ðnext€regular€electionðð€in€1923€Tenn.€Priv.Ð Ô$  ÐActs€ch.€365,€€ðð8€in€this€case€means€the€next€regular€scheduled€election€to€be€held€inÐ À  Ðthe€City€of€Linden,€being€the€election€on€August€3,€2000.€€Accordingly,€this€CourtÐ ¬ü  Ðdenies€the€plaintiffsðð€request€for€injunctive€relief€and€dismisses€this€Complaint.Иè Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ` àThis€Court€further€holds€that€all€of€the€plaintiffs€in€this€case€with€theÐ pÀ Ðexception€of€Tex€Smith,€who€is€directly€affected,€lack€standing€to€bring€this€lawsuitÐ \¬ Ðand€the€Complaint€by€them€is€dismissed€for€lack€of€standing.€€òòSee€Oldham€v.Ð H˜ ÐAmerican€Civil€Liberties€Unionóó,€910€S.W.2d€431,€434€(Tenn.€App.€1995)€(ð ðcourtsÐ 4„ Ðwill€grant€declaratory€relief€only€when€the€case€involves€present€rights€that€haveÐ  p Ðaccrued€under€presently€existing€facts.ðð)Ð \Ð Ð  ÐÌBoth€the€issue€of€statutory€interpretation€and€standing€were€appealed€to€this€Court.€€We€agree€withÐ ä4 Ðthe€trial€court€on€both€issues€and€affirm€the€decision€in€full.Ð Ð  ÐÌÓ  Óò òI.Ð ¨ø ÐStatutory€Constructionó óÐ ”ä ÐÓ  ÓÌà  àWhen€construing€a€statute€we€look€at€the€plain€language€of€the€statute€giving€the€words€theirÐ l¼ Ðnatural,€ordinary€and€commonly€accepted€meanings.€€ð ðIn€interpreting€statutes€the€legislative€intentÐ X ¨ Ðmust€be€determined€from€the€plain€language€it€contains,€read€in€the€context€of€the€entire€statute,Ð D!” Ðwithout€any€forced€or€subtle€construction€which€would€extend€or€limit€its€meaning.ðð€€òòNational€GasÐ 0"€  ÐÔ_ÔDistribsÔ_Ô.,€Inc.€v.€Stateóó,€804€S.W.2d€66,€67€(Tenn.€1991).€€Ð #l! ÐÌà8  à[Legislative]€intent€is€gathered€from€the€natural,€ordinary,€and€commonly€acceptedÐ ô$D # Ðmeaning€of€the€language€used€in€the€statute€itself.Ðà%0!$Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ` àIn€construing€a€statute€the€Court€must€give€effect€to€every€word,€phrase,Ð ¸'#& Ðclause€and€sentence€of€the€act€to€achieve€the€legislatureððs€intent.€€ð ðEvery€word€usedÐ ¤(ô#' Ð[in€a€statute]€is€presumed€to€have€meaning€and€purpose€and€should€be€given€fullÐ )à$( Ðeffect€if€doing€so€does€not€violate€the€obvious€intention€of€the€Legislature.ððÐ|*Ì%)Ð Ð  ÐÐ h+¸&* ÐòòState€v.€Ô_ÔOdomÔ_Ôóó,€928€S.W.2d€18,€29„30€(Tenn.€1996)€(citations€omitted).Ð ° ÐÌà8  àà ` àWhen€a€statute€is€without€contradiction€or€ambiguity,€there€is€no€need€to€forceÐ ˆØ Ðits€interpretation€or€construction,€and€courts€are€not€at€liberty€to€depart€from€theÐ tÄ Ðwords€of€the€statute.€€Moreover,€if€ð ðthe€language€contained€within€the€four€cornersÐ `° Ðof€a€statute€is€plain,€clear,€and€unambiguous,€the€duty€of€the€courts€is€simple€andÐ L œ Ðobvious,€ððto€say€sic€lex€scripta,€and€obey€it.ðð€ðð€€Therefore,€ð ð[Ô_Ôi]fÔ_Ô€the€words€of€a€statuteÐ 8 ˆ Ðplainly€mean€one€thing€they€cannot€be€given€another€meaning€by€judicialÐ $ t Ðconstruction.ððÐ `Ð Ð  ÐÌòòMarsh€v.€Fleet€Mortgage€Groupóó,€12€S.W.3d€449,€452„53€(Tenn.€2000)€(citations€omitted).Ð è 8  ÐÌà  àThe€statute€in€question€reads€as€follows:Ð À  ÐÌà8  à[Ô_ÔA]ndÔ_Ô€provided,€that€in€event€of€a€vacancy€in€the€office€of€Mayor€or€Ô_ÔAldermaenÔ_Ô,€saidÐ ˜è  ÐBoard€shall€have€full€power€to€appoint€and€elect€a€successor€or€successors€thereto,Ð „Ô  Ðwho€shall€hold€office€until€the€next€regular€election€and€until€their€successors€are€dulyÐ pÀ Ðelected€and€qualified.Ð\¬Ð Ð  ÐÌ1923€Tenn.€Priv.€Acts€1279,€ch.365,€ðð8.Ð 4„ ÐÌà  àThis€Act€also€provides€for€a€city€election€to€be€held€the€first€Saturday€in€December€of€everyÐ  \ Ðodd€year.€€Ð øH ÐÌà8  àà ` àBe€it€further€enacted,€That€on€the€first€Saturday€in€December,€1923,€and€theÐ Ð  Ðsame€day€every€two€years€thereafter,€an€election€shall€be€held€in€the€Town€of€Linden,Ð ¼  ÐTennessee,€for€the€purpose€of€electing€a€Mayor,€six€Aldermen€and€a€Marshal€for€saidÐ ¨ø Ðtown,€whose€term€of€office€shall€begin€on€the€first€day€of€the€next€succeedingÐ ”ä ÐJanuary,€and€who€shall€serve€for€a€term€to€two€years,€and€until€their€successors€areÐ €Ð Ðduly€elected€and€qualified.€€Ðl¼Ð Ð  ÐÌòòId.€óóch.365,€ðð32.Ð D!” ÐÌà  àThere€is€no€definition€of€ð ðnext€regular€electionðð€in€this€Act,€and€the€city€election€is€merelyÐ #l! Ðreferred€to€as€ððan€election.ðð€€No€other€information€relevant€to€conducting€elections€is€contained€inÐ $X" Ðthis€Act.€€Thus,€we€must€rely€on€the€plain€language€of€this€Act,€which€in€no€way€limits€the€phrase€toÐ ô$D # Ðmean€ððthe€next€regular€municipal€election€for€the€town€of€Linden.ðð€€It€appears€that€the€use€of€theÐ à%0!$ Ðword€ððregularðð€here€is€for€the€purpose€of€specifying€that€such€election€should€not€be€held€during€aÐ Ì&"% Ðprimary€and€that€a€special€election€need€not€be€called.€€However,€ð ðnext€regular€electionðð€has€noÐ ¸'#& Ðqualifying€language€to€suggest€that€the€Legislature€intended€to€refer€to€only€a€town€of€Linden,Ð ¤(ô#' Ðmunicipal€election.Ð )à$( Ðâ âÐ |*Ì%) Ðà  àThe€Tennessee€Code€also€provides€further€guidance€for€conducting€elections€since€ð ð[Ô_Ôa]llÔ_ÔÐ ° Ðâ âelections€for€public€office,€for€candidacy€for€public€office,€and€on€questions€submitted€to€the€peopleÐ œì Ðshall€be€conducted€under€this€title.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð2„1„103€(1994).€€€Several€definitionsÐ ˆØ Ðcontained€therein€are€relevant€to€our€determination:€€Ð tÄ ÐÌà8  àà ` àð ðElectionðð€means€a€general€election€for€which€membership€in€a€political€partyÐ L œ Ðin€order€to€participate€therein€is€not€required;Ð8 ˆÐ Ð  Ðà8  àà ` àð ðPrimary€electionðð€means€an€election€held€for€a€political€party€for€the€purposeÐ $ t Ðof€allowing€members€of€that€party€to€select€a€nominee€or€nominees€to€appear€on€theÐ  ` Ðgeneral€election€ballotÐü L Ð Ð  Ðà8  àà ` àð ðRegular€August€electionðð€means€the€election€held€on€the€first€Thursday€inÐ è 8  ÐAugust€of€every€even„numbered€year;ÐÔ$ Ð Ð  Ðà8  àà ` àð ðRegular€November€electionðð€means€the€election€held€on€the€first€TuesdayÐ À  Ðafter€the€first€Monday€in€November€in€every€even„numbered€year.Ьü Ð Ð  ÐÌTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð2„1„104(a)(7)(19)(24)&(25)€(1994).€€The€Code€also€contains€an€entire€chapter€onÐ „Ô  Ðð ðspecial€elections,ðð€which€are€to€be€held€ð ðwhen€a€vacancy€in€any€office€is€required€to€be€filled€byÐ pÀ Ðelection€at€other€times€than€those€fixed€for€general€elections.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð2„14„101(1994);Ð \¬ Ðòòsee€generallyóó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð2„14„101€to€204.Ð H˜ ÐÌà  àTherefore,€€in€accordance€with€the€principals€of€statutory€construction€and€the€plain€languageÐ  p Ðof€the€Act,€we€find€that€ð ðnext€regular€electionðð€in€this€case€€refers€to€any€€next€regularly€scheduledÐ  \ Ðstate,€city€or€county€election€to€be€held€in€the€town€of€Linden€and€includes€the€August€3,€2000Ð øH Ðelection€at€issue.Ð ä4 Ðò òÌÓ  ÓII.Ð ¼  ÐStandingó óÐ ¨ø ÐÓ  Óà  àÌà  àIn€dealing€with€standing€to€bring€a€declaratory€judgment€action,€this€Court€has€previouslyÐ €Ð Ðstated:Ð l¼ ÐÌÓ  Óà8  àà ` àRelevant€case€law€has€held€that€the€expansive€powers€found€in€the€statute€mayÐ D!” Ðonly€be€exercised€in€those€situations€where€the€parties€can€demonstrate€the€existenceÐ 0"€  Ðof€a€justiciable€controversy,€the€elements€of€which€the€Tennessee€Supreme€CourtÐ #l! Ðdescribed€as€follows:€ð ð.€.€.€the€question€must€be€real€and€not€theoretical;€the€personÐ $X" Ðraising€it€must€have€a€real€interest,€and€there€must€be€some€one€having€a€real€interestÐ ô$D # Ðin€the€question€who€may€oppose€the€declaration€sought.ðð€€òòCummings€v.€Ô_ÔBeelerÔ_Ô,€óó189Ð à%0!$ ÐTenn.€151,€223€S.W.2d€913,€915€(1949),€quoting€òòMiller€v.€Milleróó,€149€Tenn.€463,€261Ð Ì&"% ÐÔ_ÔS.W.Ô_Ô€965,€972€(1924).€€Thus,€the€courts€will€grant€declaratory€relief€only€when€theÐ ¸'#& Ðcase€involves€present€rights€that€have€accrued€under€presently€existing€facts.Ф(ô#'Ð Ð  ÐÌòòOldham€v.€American€Civil€Liberties€Union€Found.€of€Tenn.,€Inc.óó,€910€S.W.2d€431,€433„34Ð |*Ì%) Ð(Ô_ÔTenn.Ct.AppÔ_Ô.€1995).Ð h+¸&* Їà  àPlaintiffs€in€this€case€have€not€alleged€any€facts€showing€that€the€city€of€Linden€has€any€rightÐ ° Ðaffected€by,€or€€real€interest€in,€this€matter.€€We€agree€with€the€trial€court€that€only€Tex€Smith€isÐ œì Ðdirectly€affected€by€the€issues€presented€in€Plaintiffsðð€declaratory€judgment€action€and€that€he€is€theÐ ˆØ Ðonly€plaintiff€with€standing€to€bring€this€law€suit.€Ô#†X ™XX X ™ #ÔÐ tÄ ÐÌà  àThe€judgment€of€the€Chancellor€is€affirmed€with€costs€assessed€to€Appellants.Ð L œ ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à___________________________________€Ð ü L  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGE