ÿWPC¦  Ħéð’nö‚³@D€Åsn`)¡L¥BTFU׿]#r[L’UàÆÛ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bx Æ• 0D[ 0DŸ 0Dã ã D/' ' BV D3s ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ¢U£ ¤ ¥ ¦ §£¨©ªÓ€´ìu[%3|xµ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular!"#$&Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ oÝ ƒ þÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝDan€Wilkins€is€the€only€plaintiff€to€appeal.((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó ùÝ ƒ"¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€X¹IXXXÔÔ€æ4XX¹IÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€X¹IXæ4ÔÐ  ÐÌNovember€9,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ùÝ ƒ"¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€X¹IXXXÔÔ€æ4XX¹IÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€X¹IXæ4ÔÐ  ÐÌNovember€6,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd 'ÿÿdxdÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÓ'°,X°À”X°œX'Óò òñ´ññªñßr€ )<,(j 8` `€€@Eȱ` 8ttxP°ð  rßñªññ´ññ´ñßt€ )>.*jxç` `€€@EÌ—` 8ttxPÏð È tßñ´ñà@O O ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€ˆÌà@úú$ìàAT€NASHVILLEó óˆÐ œì ÐÌà@. . ìà_______________________________________________________ˆÌÌà À à)Ìò òDAN€W.€WILKINS,ó óà À à)à  àDavidson€County€Circuit€CourtÐ 8 ˆ Ðà À à)à  àNo.€94C„3634Ð ( x Ѐ€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à À à)Ð  d Ðà À à)Ìò òandó óà À à)Ð ì <  Ðà À à)Ìò òFRANCES€WILKINS,ó óà À à)Ð È  Ðà À à)Ì€€€€€Plaintiff.à À à)Ð ¤ô  Ðà À à)ÌVS.à À à)à  àC.A.€No.€01A01„9707„CV„00299Ð |Ì Ðà À à)Ìò òDODSON,€PARKER,€SHIPLEY,€BEHMó ó€€)Ð T¤ Ðò ò&€SEABORG,€A€partnership,€andó óà À à)Ð D” Ðò òHARLAN€DODSON,€III,€PAUL€S.ó óà À à)Ð 4„ Ðò òPARKER,€MARIETTA€L.€SHIPLEYó ó,à À à)Ð $t Ðò òMARGARET€BEHM,€and€JON€P.ó óà À à)Ð d Ðò òSEABORG,€Individuallyó ó,à À à)Ð T Ðà À à)Ì€€€€€Defendants/Appellees.à À à)Ð à0 Ðà À à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Circuit€Court€of€Davidson€County€at€Nashville.Ìò òHonorable€Donald€P.€Harris,€Judge€ó óÐ | Ì ÐÌÌÌò òDan€W.€Wilkins,€ó óPro€SeÐ ,$|" Ðò òÌÌÌWinston€S.€Evansó ó,Ð à'0#& Ðò òDennis€J.€Meakeró ó,Ð Ð( $' ÐEVANS,€JONES€&€REYNOLDS,€Nashville,€TennesseeÌAttorneys€for€Defendants/Appellees.ÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÐ H/˜*. ÐÌÌà À àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÐ  2\-1 ÐÌò òHIGHERS,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ð ä34/3 Ðò òLILLARD,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ð Ô4$04 ÐÌÌÌÌÌÌñ¢ñÐ L;œ6; Ðñ¢ññ¤ññ£ñÓ3°,X°` À”X°,X°À”X3Óñ£ññ¤ññ¥ññ¤ñÓ6°,X°` ¸ À”X°,X°À”X6Óñ¤ññ¥ññ¦ññ¥ñÓ6°,X°` ‚XÀ”X°,X°À”X6Óñ¥ññ¦ññ¦ñÓ0°,X°` ˜X°,X°À”X0Óñ¦ññ§ñÓ  Óñ§ññ¨ñÓÓñ¨ññ©ñÔ‡XFêXXXÔà ` àThis€is€a€legal€malpractice€case.€€The€malpractice€action€arose€out€of€a€lender€liabilityÐ ° Ðlawsuit€that€was€dismissed€by€the€trial€court€because€it€had€not€been€filed€within€the€limitationsÏperiod.€€Dismissal€of€the€underlying€lawsuit€was€affirmed€on€appeal€by€the€Middle€Section€of€thisÏCourt.€€òòò òWilkins€v.€Third€National€Bank€in€Nashvilleó óóó,€884€S.W.2d€758€(Tenn.€App.€1994),€òòò òcert.Ð P   Ðdeniedóó,€ó ó(Sept.€26,€1994).€€While€not€in€the€record€before€us,€the€facts€of€the€underlying€lawsuitÐ 0 € Ðcontained€in€the€aforementioned€decision€of€the€Middle€Section€will€be€helpful€in€understanding€theÏfacts€of€this€appeal.€€ÌÌà ` àIn€1978,€Dan€W.€Wilkins€(hereinafter,€ð ðWilkinsðð)€opened€a€restaurant€in€Chattanooga,ÏTennessee,€which€he€operated€until€1981€when€he€sold€the€business€to€a€Dr.€Carpentier.€€After€theÏsale,€Wilkins€remained€liable€on€the€restaurantððs€lease€and€continued€as€individual€guarantor€of€aÏloan€made€to€the€restaurant€by€the€Third€National€Bank€(hereinafter,€ð ðThird€Nationalðð€or€ð ðBankðð).€ÏCarpentier€operated€the€restaurant€until€1985,€when€it€was€closed€due€to€financial€difficulties.€ÏWilkins€subsequently€took€over€the€restaurant€because€he€remained€liable€on€both€the€debt€to€ThirdÏNational€and€the€original€lease.€€Wilkins€also€incorporated€ð ðDorothy€W.,€Inc.ðð€(hereinafter,€ð ðDWIðð)Ïfor€the€purpose€of€operating€the€restaurant.ÌÌà ` àBy€two€separate€loans,€Third€National€Bank€loaned€DWI€a€total€of€$330,000€toÏrenovate€the€restaurant€facility€and€get€the€restaurant€open€and€operating.€€Both€loans€were€due€andÏpayable€on€June€1,€1986.€€The€restaurant€reopened€in€April,€1986.€€In€the€Spring€of€1986,€WilkinsÏand€DWI€requested€that€the€Bank€loan€the€enterprise€an€additional€$800,000€for€a€total€loan€balanceÏof€$1,130,000€in€order€to€consolidate€the€existing€loans€and€to€provide€additional€working€capital.€ÏThird€National€declined€to€make€the€loan,€and€referred€the€existing€loans€of€Wilkins€and€DWI€to€itsÏspecial€assets€division€which€specialized€in€collecting€problem€loans.ÌÌà ` àVarious€negotiations€took€place€between€Wilkins,€DWI€and€the€Bank.€€Ultimately,Ïthe€notes€came€due€on€June€1,€1986.€€When€Wilkins€and€DWI€did€not€pay€the€notes,€Third€NationalÏBank€notified€Wilkins€on€June€12,€1986,€that€both€his€personal€loans€and€his€business€loans€wereÏdelinquent.€€Ìà ` àOn€July€16,€1986,€Wilkins€met€with€a€representative€of€Third€National€to€discuss€theÐ ;`6: Ðrequest€for€additional€financing.€€Wilkins€and€the€Bank€reached€a€tentative€agreement€whereby€theÏBank€would€extend€Wilkinsðð€and€DWIððs€existing€loans€for€ten€years€if€Wilkins€would€satisfy€threeÏconditions:€(1)€secure€a€loan€commitment€for€at€least€$450,000€from€another€lender;€(2)€secureÏ$150,000€in€financing€for€new€equipment;€and€(3)€obtain€a€ten„year€extension€on€the€lease€for€theÏrestaurant€premises.ÌÌà ` àWithin€ten€days€after€the€agreement€was€reached,€and€in€any€case€before€July€31,Ï1986,€Wilkins€informed€Third€National€that€he€had€obtained€$350,000€in€financing€from€UnionÏPlanters€Bank€(hereinafter,€ð ðUnion€Plantersðð)€and€that€he€had€satisfied€the€other€conditions€underÏthe€partiesðð€agreement.€€Third€National€canceled€the€whole€deal€and€suggested€that€Wilkins€haveÏUnion€Planters€assume€Third€Nationalððs€loans.€€When€informed€of€Third€Nationalððs€reaction€andÏproposal,€Union€Planters€withdrew€its€approval€for€the€$350,000€loan.€€Wilkins€then€informed€ThirdÏNationalððs€representative€that€Union€Planters€had€withdrawn€its€financing.€€From€that€time€on,€ThirdÏNational€unequivocally€refused€to€make€any€additional€loans€to€Wilkins€and€never€indicated€aÏwillingness€to€alter€its€position.€€Ultimately,€DWI€filed€for€bankruptcy€protection,€and€on€August€18,Ï1986,€Third€National€called€due€all€outstanding€loans€it€had€made€to€DWI€and€Wilkins.ÌÌà ` àOn€August€16,€1989,€Wilkins€and€DWI€sued€Third€National€Bank€in€the€Circuit€CourtÏof€Hamilton€County,€alleging€that€the€bank€had€breached€its€agreement€to€finance€the€restaurantÏproject.€€Wilkins€was€represented€at€that€time€by€Jon€Seaborg€and€the€law€firm€of€Dodson,€Parker,ÏShipley,€Behm€&€Seaborg,€the€appellees€in€the€present€appeal.€€The€Hamilton€County€lawsuit€wasÏdismissed€for€improper€venue€in€June,€1990,€and€Wilkins€and€DWI€refiled€the€suit€in€the€CircuitÏCourt€for€Davidson€County€on€May€31,€1991.ò ò€€ó óWhen€the€suit€was€refiled€in€Davidson€County,Ð ð-@), ÐWilkins€was€represented€by€Irwin€Venick€and€the€law€firm€of€Woods€&€Venick.€€Neither€SeaborgÏnor€his€law€firm€had€any€involvement€in€the€lawsuit€at€the€time€it€was€refiled€in€Davidson€County.€ÏOn€July€15,€1991,€Third€National€filed€its€answer€in€which€it€stated€in€relevant€part:ÌÌÌà@ŒŒ#ìàSECOND€DEFENSEˆÌà ` àThe€plaintiffððs€claims€are€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€Ð ;`6: Ðà ` àÌà ` àIn€January,€1992,€the€trial€court€granted€Wilkinsðð€and€DWIððs€motion€for€a€voluntaryÏnonsuit€of€all€claims€against€the€Bank,€except€for€the€claim€alleging€that€the€Bank€had€breached€itsÏJuly€16,€1986,€financing€agreement.€€In€September,€1992,€Joe€Sadler,€a€Third€National€employeeÏgave€his€deposition€testimony€at€which€time€the€Bankððs€July€15,€1991,€answer€was€made€an€exhibit.€ÏWilkins€was€in€attendance€at€that€deposition.€€On€November€13,€1992,€Third€National€filed€a€motionÏfor€summary€judgment,€asserting€that€the€remaining€claim€was€barred€by€the€three„year€statute€ofÏlimitations€governing€injuries€to€property.€€The€trial€court€granted€the€motion€by€order€entered€AprilÏ2,€1993.€€In€dismissing€the€suit,€the€trial€court€determined€that€the€breach€of€the€financing€agreement,Ïif€any,€occurred€on€or€before€July€31,€1986,€when€Third€National€unequivocally€declined€to€provideÏWilkins€with€additional€financing.€€The€trial€court€found€that€Wilkins€knew€or€should€have€knownÏon€July€31,€1986,€that€the€cause€of€action€had€accrued;€therefore,€the€trial€court€concluded€that€theÏcomplaint€filed€on€August€16,€1989,€was€time€barred€because€it€was€filed€more€than€three€years€afterÏthe€cause€of€action€accrued.ÌÌà ` àOn€appeal,€the€Middle€Section€of€this€Court€affirmed€the€decision€of€the€trial€court.€Ïòòò òWilkins€v.€Third€National€Bank€in€Nashvilleó óóó,€884€S.W.2d€758€(Tenn.€App.€1994),€òòò òcert.€deniedóó,Ð °"  Ðó ó(Sept.€26,€1994).€€This€Court€held€that€under€T.C.A.€ðð€28„3„105(1),€actions€for€injuries€to€personalÐ $à" Ðor€real€property€must€be€commenced€within€three€years€from€the€accrual€of€the€cause€of€action.€€òòò òId.ó óóóÐ p&À!$ Ðat€761.€€The€Court€concluded€that€no€genuine€factual€dispute€existed€that€Wilkins€knew€on€or€beforeÏJuly€31,€1986,€that€Third€National€Bank€had€repudiated€all€of€its€earlier€financing€agreements.€ÏTherefore,€the€Court€determined€that€the€trial€court€had€properly€concluded€that€Wilkinsðð€and€DWIððsÏcause€of€action€was€time„barred€when€Wilkins€filed€suit€on€August€16,€1989.€€The€aforementionedÏare€the€pertinent€facts€gleaned€from€the€prior€opinion€of€the€Middle€Section€of€this€Court.€€ÌÌà ` àOn€November€12,€1993,€while€the€suit€against€Third€National€Bank€was€pending,€DanÏW.€Wilkins€and€his€wife,€Frances€Wilkins,€filed€their€legal€malpractice€claim€in€the€Davidson€CountyÏCircuit€Court.€€Wilkins€voluntarily€dismissed€that€complaint€on€December€14,€1993,€but€refiled€itÏon€November€8,€1994.€€Named€as€defendants€in€the€suit€are€the€law€firm€of€Dodson,€Parker,€Shipley,ÏBehm€&€Seaborg,€and€the€following€individually€named€defendants:€Harlan€Dodson,€III,€Paul€S.Ð ;`6: ÐParker,€Marietta€L.€Shipley,€Margaret€L.€Behm€and€Jon€P.€Seaborg.€€Wilkins€alleged€in€the€complaintÏthat€the€defendants€had€failed€to€file€timely€the€lawsuit€against€Third€National.ÌÌà ` àOn€July€21,€1995,€the€trial€court€entered€an€order€dismissing€all€claims€asserted€byÏthe€Wilkins€on€behalf€of€DWI,€on€the€basis€that€the€Wilkins€did€not€have€standing€to€assert€thoseÏclaims.€€On€September€16,€1996,€the€trial€court€entered€an€order€dismissing€the€claims€of€FrancesÏWilkins,€thereby€leaving€only€the€claims€asserted€by€Dan€W.€Wilkins.€€Ultimately€on€May€30,€1997,Ïthe€trial€court€issued€a€Memorandum€Opinion€granting€the€defendantsðð€motion€for€summaryÏjudgment.€€In€that€opinion,€the€trial€court€stated€in€relevant€part:ÌÌÓÓà8 ` àà ¸ àOn€August€16,€1989,€Dorothy€W.,€Inc.,€and€Mr.€and€Mrs.ÏWilkins,€represented€by€Mr.€Seaborg,€filed€suit€against€Third€NationalÏBank€in€Chattanooga,€Tennessee.€€That€lawsuit€was€dismissed,Ïwithout€prejudice,€in€June,€1990€and€was€refiled€on€May€31,€1991,€inÏNashville.€€At€the€time€of€refiling,€both€Dorothy€W.€Inc.,€and€theÏWilkins€were€represented€by€Irwin€Venick,€a€Nashville€attorney.€€Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ àIn€its€answer,€Third€National€Bank€raised€a€statute€ofÏlimitations€defense.€€The€bank€later€filed€for€summary€judgment€onÏthat€issue€and€on€April€1,€1993,€the€Fifth€Circuit€Court€for€DavidsonÏCounty,€Tennessee,€Judge€Walter€Kurtz,€presiding,€granted€theÏdefendant€bank€summary€judgment.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.€Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ àThe€trial€courtððs€ruling€was€appealed€to€the€Court€of€AppealsÏwhere€it€was€affirmed.€.€.€.€€It€is€clear€that€both€the€trial€court€and€theÏCourt€of€Appeals€considered€the€gravamen€of€Mr.€Wilkinsðð€complaintÏto€be€a€breach€of€contract€action.€€As€such,€the€applicable€period€ofÏlimitations€is€found€in€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€28„3„109(a)(3),Ïwhich€provides€for€a€six€(6)€year€statute€of€limitations.€€òòò òAlexander€v.Ð 0*€%( ÐThird€National€Bankó óóó,€915€S.W.2d€797€(Tenn.€1996).€€Ð +p&)` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x Ðà8 ` àÐ ` x` x Ðà8 ` àà ¸ àIn€order€to€prevail€in€this€action,€plaintiffs€must€first€proveÏThird€National€Bank€was€liable€to€them€for€breaching€its€July€16,Ï1986,€agreement€to€amortize€and€extend€plaintiffsðð€personalÏindebtedness.€€Second,€plaintiffs€must€prove€defendants€failed€to€fileÏsuit€on€that€claim€within€the€applicable€statute€of€limitations.€€SinceÏit€is€undisputed€that€both€the€suit€filed€in€behalf€of€the€Wilkins€by€Mr.ÏSeaborg€and€that€brought€by€Mr.€Venick€were€within€six€years€fromÏthe€date€the€alleged€cause€of€action€arose,€July€30,€1986,€plaintiffÏcannot€prevail€in€this€case.€€Defendants€cannot€be€held€responsibleÏbecause€plaintiffsðð€attorney€in€the€subsequent€Nashville€action€failedÏto€take€issue€with€the€statute€of€limitations€Third€National€BankÏasserted€was€controlling.€€Accordingly,€the€complaint€should€beÏdismissed.Ð ` x` x Ðà ` àÌÐ