Bonnie Jo Miller v. Thomas A. Parker ( 1995 )

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE EASTERN SECTI ON FILED October 3, 1995 Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk BONNI E J O M LLER I ) CUMBERLAND COUNTY ) 03A01- 9503- CV- 00101 Pl a i nt i f f - Appe l l a nt ) ) ) v. ) HON. J OHN A. TURNBULL, ) J UDGE ) THOMAS A. PARKER ) ) De f e nda nt - Appe l l e e ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED BONNI E J O M LLER, Appe l l a nt , Pr o Se I PROCTOR UPCHURCH OF CROSSVI LLE FOR APPELLEE O P I N I O N Godda r d, P. J . Thi s i s a s ui t by Bonni e J o M l l e r a ga i ns t Thoma s A. i Pa r k e r s e e ki ng da ma ge s f or pe r s ona l i nj ur i e s a s a r e s ul t of he r b e i n g s t r uc k by a n a ut omobi l e be i ng dr i ve n by hi m. The j ur y f ound t ha t M . Pa r ke r ' s ne gl i ge nc e wa s 49 r p e r c e n t a nd M . M l l e r ' s 51 pe r c e nt . s i The Tr i a l Cour t , i n a c c or d a nc e wi t h M I nt yr e v . Ba l e nt i ne , 833 S. W 2d 52 ( Te nn. 199 2 ) , c . e n t e r e d a j udgme nt di s mi s s i ng M . M l l e r ' s s ui t . s i 2 She a ppe a l s r a i s i ng t he f ol l owi ng i s s ue s : 1. W s j ur y ve r di c t s uppor t e d by e vi de nc e a p r e s e nt e d? 2. W s j ur y i ns t r uc t e d a s t o de gr e e of a a p pe l l a nt ' s c ont r i but or y ne gl i ge nc e i f a ny? 3. W s j ur y i ns t r uc t e d t ha t a ppe l l e e ha d be e n a c r i mi na l l y c onvi c t e d of " dr i vi ng wi t hout a l i c e ns e ? 4. W s j ur y i ns t r uc t e d t ha t a ppe l l e e wa s not a we a r i ng hi s gl a s s e s e ve n t hough i n t he de pos i t i on he a c knowl e dge s t ha t h e c a nnot s e e a t a di s t a nc e wi t hout t he m? W a r e una bl e t o a ddr e s s M . M l l e r ' s i s s ue s be c a us e e s i n e i t h e r a t r a ns c r i pt n or a s t a t e me nt of t he e vi de nc e i s a pa r t of t h e a pp e l l a t e r e c or d, a nd a l l of t he i s s ue s r a i s e d r e qui r e a c o n s i d e r a t i on of t he f a c t s . I n l i ght of t he f or e goi ng we c onc l ude t hi s i s a n 1 a p p r o p r i a t e c a s e f or a f f i r ma nc e unde r Rul e 10( a ) of t hi s Cour t . Th e Tr i a l J udge i s a c c or di ngl y a f f i r me d a nd t he c a us e r e ma nde d f o r c o l l e c t i on of c os t s be l ow. Cos t s of a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d a g a i ns t M . M l l e r . s i 1 Ru l e 1 0 . ( a) Af f i r ma n c e W t h o u t Op i n i o n . i Th e Co u r t , wi t h t h e c o n c u r r e n c e o f a l l j u d g e s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e c a s e , ma y a f f i r m t he ac t i on of t h e t r i a l c o u r t b y o r d e r wi t h o u t r e n d e r i n g a f o r ma l o p i n i o n wh e n a n o p i n i o n wo u l d h a v e n o p r e c e d e n t i a l v a l u e a n d o n e o r mo r e o f t h e f o l l o wi n g c i r c u ms t a n c e s e x i s t a n d a r e d i s p o s i t i v e o f t h e a p p e a l : ( 1) t h e Co u r t c o n c u r s i n t h e f a c t s a s f o u n d o r a s f ound by ne c e s s a r y i mp l i c a t i o n b y t h e t r i a l c o u r t . ( 2) t h e r e i s ma t e r i a l evi de nc e t o s uppor t t he ver di c t of t he j ur y. ( 3) no r e ve r s i bl e e r r or of l a w a ppe a r s . S u c h c a s e s ma y b e a f f i r me d a s f o l l o ws : " Af f i r me d i n a c c o r d a n c e wi t h Co u r t o f Ap p e a l s Ru l e 1 0 ( a ) . " 3 _______________________________ Hous t on M Godda r d, P. J . . 4 CONCUR: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________ ______ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ________________________ Do n T. M M r a y, J . c ur 5