ÿWPCö …# VU:a %› 04¡4Õéøw@ 0x@ 0D¸ 0Jü 0TF ULš 0^æ 0hD 0r¬ 0| 0†š 0 1u° U,% 0dQU,µU*áB)  B4DCQ AM”#á)`- D3v~ÀvÓ> 0@ AOQÆ  0Df D/ª BÙ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓypÑ tÔôÔô3|xƒ  k El m {n o [p Àq ¿r es Ó€ (((3ÝÙ$¤¤Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô(Ê EZ ‹4Baskerville MT Regular2, 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)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d d####7Border 1dd€-%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òAugust€5,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝWe€note€that€the€rule€applying€to€the€Rutherford€County€trial€courts€resolvesÏmost€à àof€these€issues.Ì VÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝOur€recent€decision€in€òòCruse€v.€City€of€Columbiaóó,€___€S.,W.2d€___€(Tenn.Ï1996),€à àdoes€not€conflict€with€this€opinion€because€that€decision€was€based€onÏð ðthe€unique€à àcircumstances€presented.ðð€€Furthermore,€we€specifically€stated€thatÏð ðcounsel€should€à ànot€rely€on€facsimile€transmissions€for€the€filing€of€documents€inÏthe€future.ðð€€òòCruseóó,€à à___€S.W.2d€at€___.€€€Ì$$$$'ÿÿdxdPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€!!X„d&ÓÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÑ , ÑÑ ` Ñ›Ñ7€G¨XXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑØ ØÓ&€X°d&Ӝـ€ÙßL€&'%;+'h|ª` Å `€€Lß›à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLE€ÌÌÌÌÌSCARLETT€LAY€LOVE,à àà àà à)à àà àòòFORÏPUBLICATIONóóÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àà àà àÌà àPlaintiff„Appellant,à àà àà à)à àà àò òFiled:€August€5,€1996ó óÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àà àà àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àSCOTT€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌCOLLEGE€LEVEL€ASSESSMENT€à à)à àHon.€Conrad€Troutman,€JudgeÌSERVICES,€INC.,€and€NURSING€à à)à àà àÌCAREERS,€INC.à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€03S01„9510„CV„00118à àÌÌà àÌòòFor€Plaintiff„Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€Defendants„Appelleesóó:ÌÌDonald€F.€Paineà àà àà àà àà àChristopher€Van€RiperÌAndrew€R.€Tillmanà àà àà àà àà àStuart€&€Van€RiperÌCarlyle€Urelloà àà àà àà àà àClinton,€TennesseeÌPaine,€Swiney€and€TarwaterÌKnoxville,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€ÔÔ€°ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€XÔÔ€"ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓCOURT€OF€APPEALS€REVERSED.à àà àà àà àà àDROWOTA,ÏJ.à àThe€plaintiff,€Scarlett€Lay€Love,€appeals€from€the€denial€of€her€motion€toÏdismiss,€the€motion€being€predicated€upon€the€alleged€failure€of€the€defendants,ÏCollege€Level€Career€Services,€Inc.,€and€Nursing€Careers,€Inc.,€to€perfect€anÏappeal€from€the€general€sessions€court€to€the€circuit€court€within€the€ten„dayÏperiod€provided€for€in€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€27„5„108.€€The€sole€issue€for€ourÏdetermination€is€as€follows:€whether€a€facsimile€(fax)€transmission€of€a€notice€ofÏappeal€and€appeal€bond,€sent€by€the€defendants€to€the€clerk€of€the€generalÏsessions€court€on€the€final€day€on€which€an€appeal€could€be€taken,€is€sufficient€toÏperfect€the€appeal.€€For€the€following€reasons,€we€conclude€that€the€facsimileÍtransmission€was€not€sufficient€to€perfect€the€appeal;€therefore,€we€reverse€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court€of€Appeals.€€ÌÌÓ  Óòòò òFACTS€AND€PROCEDURAL€HISTORYó óóóà0 àÌÓ  Óà àà àà àà àÌà àThe€facts€of€this€case€are€undisputed.€€On€October€29,€1993,€Scarlett€LayÏLove€brought€suit€in€the€Scott€County€General€Sessions€Court€against€NursingÏCareers€and€College€Level€Assessment€Services,€seeking,€among€other€things,Ïrescission€of€a€contract€between€her€and€the€defendants.€€On€June€7,€1994,€theÏgeneral€sessions€court€found€for€the€plaintiff,€rescinding€the€contract€andÏawarding€money€damages€to€her.€€The€courtððs€judgment€properly€stated€that€anyÏappeal€was€due€to€be€filed€no€later€than€June€17,€1994.€€ÌÌà àOn€June€17,€1994,€the€Clerk€of€the€Scott€County€General€Sessions€CourtÏreceived,€via€facsimile€transmission,€a€letter€from€the€law€firm€representing€theÏdefendants.€€That€letter€provides:€€ÌÌÓÓà8 àThis€letter€is€to€confirm€the€conversation€I€had€with€you€on€June€16,Ï1994.€€I€asked€if€Mr.€Van€Riper€could€fax€a€Notice€of€Appeal€to€theÏcourt€and€whether€a€fax€would€be€accepted€as€an€original,€since€theÏdeadline€for€filing€is€today,€June€17.€€You€indicated€to€me€that€theÏfax€would€be€treated€as€an€original.Ì€€Ìà8 àPlease€accept€this€fax€of€the€Notice€of€Appeal€in€the€above„referenced€case€as€an€original.€€A€duplicate€original€will€beÏprovided€by€U.S.€mail€this€same€date.ÌÌÌÌÓÓThe€following€page€of€the€facsimile€contained€a€ð ðNotice€of€Appeal,ðð€in€which€theÏdefendants€appealed€to€the€circuit€court€for€a€trial€òòde€novoóó;€the€page€alsoÏincluded€a€ð ðCost€Bond,ðð€which€designated€the€defendants€as€principals€and€theÏlaw€firm€as€surety€for€court€costs€not€to€exceed€five€hundred€dollars.€€ÌÌà àAt€some€point€after€June€17€the€clerk€of€the€general€sessions€courtÏreceived€the€original€documents€in€the€mail.€€Upon€receipt€of€the€documents,€theÏclerk€stamped€ð ðFiled€June€17,€1994"€thereon.€€ÌÌà àOn€October€6,€1994,€the€plaintiff€moved€to€dismiss€the€appeal,€arguing€thatÏbecause€facsimile€filing€of€the€notice€of€appeal€and€cost€bond€was€not€allowed€byÍrule€or€statute,€it€was€thus€ineffective€as€a€means€of€perfecting€an€appeal.€€TheÏdefendants€opposed€the€motion,€arguing€that€although€facsimile€filing€was€notÏexpressly€permitted€by€statute€or€rule,€neither€was€it€expressly€prohibited.€€TheÏtrial€court€denied€the€motion,€but€granted€the€plaintiff€permission€to€file€anÏinterlocutory€appeal€pursuant€to€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€9.€€The€plaintiff€did€so€and€theÏRule€9€application€was€granted€by€the€Court€of€Appeals.€€That€court,€however,Ïaffirmed€the€circuit€courtððs€judgment,€and€the€plaintiff€filed€an€application€toÏappeal€pursuant€to€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€11.€€We€granted€that€application€in€order€toÏaddress€this€important€procedural€issue.€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÓ  Óòòò òANALYSISó óóóÌÓ  ÓÌà àWe€begin€our€discussion€of€this€issue€by€noting€that€the€legislature€hasÏclearly€indicated€its€approval€of€facsimile€transmissions€in€the€filing€of€courtÏdocuments.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€16„1„113€provides€that:ÌÌÓÓà8 à(a)€It€is€the€intent€of€the€general€assembly,€in€recognition€of€theÏcommon€practice€and€use€of€facsimile€transmissions€(fax)€inÍbusiness€and€government,€to:€Ìà8 à(1)€Promote€a€more€efficient€means€of€filing€documents€andÏovercome€expenses€and€delays€entailed€in€long€distanceÏcommunication;€and€Ìà8 à(2)€Enable€courts€in€this€state€to€implement€procedures€for€the€filingÏof€documents€by€fax.ÌÌà8 à(b)€Courts€in€this€state€may€implement€procedures€for€theÏtransmission€of€documents€by€fax€machines€in€accordance€with€theÏprovisions€of€this€section€and€ðð16„3„408€and€the€TennesseeÏSupreme€Court€Rules.€Ì€€ÌÌÌFurthermore,€the€section€referenced€in€that€statute,€ðð€16„3„408,€provides€asÏfollows:ÌÌÌÌà8 àThe€supreme€court€is€urged€to€develop€court€rules€and€proceduresÏto€control€the€process€of€courts€using€fax€transmissions€ofÏdocuments.€€The€court€rules€and€procedures€are€to€be€promulgatedÏand€submitted€to€the€general€assembly€for€approval€as€provided€byÏlaw€by€February€1,€1992,€and€should€provide€for€the€following:ÌÌà8 à(1)€The€type€of€document€that€may€be€faxed;Ìà8 à(2)€The€length€of€restriction,€if€any,€of€a€document€that€may€be€faxed;Ìà8 à(3)€The€type€of€equipment€and€paper€which€must€be€used€by€clerksððÏoffices;Ìà8 à(4)€The€amount,€if€any,€of€fees€to€be€charged€for€the€faxing€ofÏdocuments;Ìà8 à(5)€The€payment€of€regular€filing€fees€of€the€court;Ìà8 à(6)€The€time€of€filing€of€a€faxed€document;Ìà8 à(7)€Requirements,€if€any,€for€filing€of€original€documents€or€originalÏsignatures;Ìà8 à(8)€Requirements,€if€any,€for€maintenance€of€transmittal€reports€ofÏfaxed€documents;€andÌà8 à(9)€Any€other€rule€or€procedure€the€court€deems€appropriate.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àIn€response€to€ðð€16„3„408,€this€Court€sanctioned€a€pilot€program€in€the€trialÏcourts€of€Rutherford€County€to€study€the€use€of€facsimile€filing.€€However,€neitherÏthis€Court€nor€the€Advisory€Commission€on€the€Rules€of€Civil€and€AppellateÏProcedure€has€made€a€final€evaluation€of€that€program€for€purposes€ofÏdetermining€the€desirability€of€adopting€a€statewide€rule.€€Therefore,€we€have€notÏimplemented€a€statewide€rule€governing€facsimile€filing.€€ÌÌà àThis€lack€of€an€enabling€rule€is€very€significant,€the€plaintiff€argues,€forÏwithout€specific€guidelines€the€decision€of€whether€to€accept€documents€filed€byÏfax€will€be€left€to€each€individual€clerk€to€make€on€an€òòad€hocóó€basis.€€Such€a€resultÏis€unacceptable,€she€continues,€for€such€a€practice€will€inevitably€lead€toÏdivergent€procedures€among€the€respective€clerks;€and€litigants€utilizing€theÍfacsimile€method€will€be€unsure€as€to€whether€their€documents€have€beenÏproperly€filed.€€Because€the€filing€of€documents€such€as€a€complaint€or€notice€ofÏappeal€is€of€paramount€importance€„„€it€is,€according€to€the€plaintiff,€jurisdictionalÏand€cannot€be€waived€by€the€court€„„€facsimile€filing€should€not€be€allowed€in€theÏabsence€of€a€specific€rule.€€ÌÌà àThe€defendants€counter€by€arguing€that€there€is€no€requirement€that€aÏparty€file€an€ð ðoriginalðð€notice€of€appeal,€and€that€no€rule€exists€which€prohibitsÏfiling€the€document€by€facsimile.€€Because€the€clerk€specifically€approved€theÏmethod€in€this€case,€they€contend,€the€judgment€of€the€lower€courts€should€beÏaffirmed.€€ÌÌà àWe€find€the€plaintiffððs€argument€to€be€more€compelling€for€a€number€ofÏreasons.€€First,€she€is€correct€that€the€timely€perfecting€of€an€appeal€is€no€mereÏtechnical€formality:€it€is€in€fact€a€mandatory€requirement,€and€if€it€is€not€compliedÏwith€the€court€has€no€jurisdiction€over€the€case.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€27„5„108.€ÏSecond,€while€the€facsimile€is€a€common,€reasonably€reliable€method€ofÍtransmitting€information,€there€are€several€issues€that€could€be€problematic€if€weÏwere€to€allow€such€filing€in€the€absence€of€a€detailed€rule.€€For€example,€since€theÏmachine€is€able€to€receive€a€transmission€at€any€time,€should€a€fax€sent€after€theÏnormal€closing€time€of€the€clerkððs€office€be€deemed€filed€that€day€or€the€next?€€ÏWhat€if€the€machine€in€the€clerkððs€office€has€technical€difficulty€or€is€tied€up€whenÏa€party€attempts€to€file€„„€should€the€abortive€attempt€be€deemed€a€valid€filing?€ÏShould€the€party€be€required€to€present€a€transmittal€sheet€in€such€a€situation?€ÏMay€the€court€charge€a€transmittal€or€user€fee€when€a€party€files€by€fax?€€And€mayÏa€party€use€the€machine€to€file€a€document€that€requires€a€filing€fee?€These€areÏprecisely€the€types€of€issues€that€the€legislature€had€in€mind€when€it€asked€thisÏCourt€to€formulate€a€comprehensive€rule€governing€facsimile€filing.× ƒ( ××  ×€€And€theseÏpotentially€problematic€issues€are€why€such€an€important€aspect€of€procedureÏcannot€be€subjected€to€the€vagaries€of€individual€clerks,€however€competent€andÏwell„intentioned€they€may€be.€€Ìà àÌà àIn€summation,€we€are€aware€that€significant€advances€in€communicationsÏtechnology€have€occurred€since€our€rules€of€civil€and€appellate€procedure€wereÏpromulgated,€and€we€acknowledge€that€our€courts€should€keep€abreast€of€theseÏchanges.€€However,€until€uniform€court€rules€and€procedures€have€beenÏdeveloped€to€control€the€use€of€this€particular€type€of€technology,€facsimileÏtransmissions,€counsel€should€refrain€such€use,€except€in€the€courts€where€pilotÏprograms€have€been€adopted.€€Because€this€Court€has€not€yet€adopted€a€rule€ofÏstatewide€applicability€governing€facsimile€filing,€and€because€we€have€not€yetÏsanctioned€a€pilot€program€in€Scott€County,€the€judgment€of€the€Court€of€AppealsÏand€the€trial€court€is€hereby€reversed.× ƒ) ××  ×€€ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA€IIIÌà àà àà àà àà àJUSTICEÌÌÌConcur:ÌÌBirch,€C.J.Ì€Reid,€Anderson€and€White,€JJ.