James Scarlett v. AA Properties, GP ( 2020 )


Menu:
  •                                                                                              07/21/2020
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
    AT KNOXVILLE
    Assigned on Briefs June 10, 2020
    JAMES SCARLETT v. AA PROPERTIES, GP
    Appeal from the Circuit Court for Knox County
    No. 1-132-19     Kristi M. Davis, Judge
    No. E2019-01371-COA-R3-CV
    This appeal arises from a default judgment in a detainer action. AA Properties, GP (“AA
    Properties”) filed a detainer warrant against James Scarlett (“Scarlett”) in the General
    Sessions Court for Knox County (“the General Sessions Court”) concerning real property
    of Scarlett’s that had been foreclosed upon. Default judgment was entered against Scarlett
    and a writ of possession was issued. Scarlett later filed a petition for writ of certiorari and
    supersedeas in the Circuit Court for Knox County (“the Circuit Court”). AA Properties
    filed a motion to dismiss, which the Circuit Court granted. Scarlett appeals, arguing that
    the warrant was deficient in that it failed to state specifically that personal service was
    attempted. Scarlett argues further that, under the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure, only
    five days elapsed from the posting of the warrant to the hearing, when per statute he was
    entitled to six days. We hold, first, that the warrant sufficiently reflected that personal
    service was attempted. We hold further that, in this instance, the Tennessee Rules of Civil
    Procedure did not apply in the General Sessions Court. We affirm.
    Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Affirmed;
    Case Remanded
    D. MICHAEL SWINEY, C.J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which JOHN W.
    MCCLARTY and THOMAS R. FRIERSON, II, JJ., joined.
    Carl W. Eshbaugh, Knoxville, Tennessee, for the appellant, James Scarlett.
    Oliver D. Adams, Knoxville, Tennessee, for the appellee, AA Properties, GP.
    OPINION
    Background
    In 2017, title to 1024 Connecticut Avenue in Knoxville passed to Scarlett and his
    sister upon the death of his mother. In February 2019, the property was foreclosed upon
    and transferred to AA Properties, which filed a detainer warrant against Scarlett in the
    General Sessions Court. The warrant reflects “Posted Dates” of March 1, 2019, March 4,
    2019, and March 5, 2019, all handwritten in blank spaces above three separate lines. The
    “Date Served” was March 5, 2019, or, the same date as the third “Posted Date.” The matter
    was set for trial on March 12, 2019. Above the trial date the word “POSTED” is stamped
    at an angle.
    On March 12, 2019, default judgment was entered against Scarlett. A writ of
    possession was issued and served upon Scarlett, and he was removed from the property in
    April 2019. That month, Scarlett filed his petition for writ of certiorari and supersedeas in
    the Circuit Court alleging, in part, that he “was never legally served with process or proper
    notice of the date for hearing thereof, at the time judgment was entered against him, and
    the General Sessions Court, in this cause, had neither personal nor in rem jurisdiction in
    this cause,” and that “as a result of the wrongful issuance of the Writ of Possession, the
    Movant has not only lost possession of the real property but also his personal possessions
    have been lost or converted, including household furnishings and a valuable collector’s
    automobile, having a value of as much as $125,000.” AA Properties subsequently filed a
    motion to dismiss. In June 2019, the motion was heard.
    In July 2019, the Circuit Court entered an order granting AA Properties’ motion to
    dismiss. In its order, the Circuit Court stated:
    This case is before the Court on a Petition for Writ of Certiorari and
    Supersedeas. The Petition alleges that petitioner James Scarlett lived at 1024
    Connecticut Avenue and that, unbeknownst to him, the property was
    foreclosed upon and transferred to the Respondent. The Petitioner does not
    take issue with the foreclosure sale but rather the subsequent detainer action
    filed by the Respondent in Knox County General Sessions Court. The
    Petitioner claims that he did not receive notice of the detainer action until he
    received a Writ of Possession on March 12, 2019. The Petitioner claims
    damages resulting from his forcible removal on April 1, 2019.
    The Petitioner claims that the detainer warrant from General Sessions
    Court is invalid on its face because it fails to meet the requirements of 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 2
    [9]-18-115. He contends that the warrant was never personally
    served on him and fails to show that attempts at personal service were made.
    -2-
    The detainer warrant is attached to the Petition, and this Court recognizes it
    as the standard detainer warrant form used by the Knox County General
    Sessions Court. The warrant has a section for service, which states: “Came
    to hand same day issued and executed as commanded on:” and then contains
    two blank lines for the process server to complete. The hand-written section
    reflects that James Scarlett was served when the warrant was posted on
    March 12, 2019. The warrant then has a section stating, “Copy of Warrant
    Posted on Door,” followed by “Posted Dates,” with three blanks to be filled
    in by the process server. The blanks are filled in with the dates of March 1,
    4, and 5.
    The Respondent has filed a motion to dismiss and quash and contends
    that the face of the warrant reflects that the Petitioner was properly served.
    At issue are the requirements contained in 
    Tenn. Code Ann. §29-18
    -
    115(e)(2) for service of process. That section provides as follows:
    If, after attempting personal services of process on three (3)
    different dates and documenting such attempts on the face of
    the warrant, the sheriff, sheriff’s deputy, constable, or private
    process server is unable to serve any such one (1) named
    defendant personally, service of process for determining the
    right of possession of the subject premises as to all who may
    have a contractual or possessory property right therein may be
    had by the sheriff, sheriff’s deputy, constable, or private
    process server taking the following actions at least six (6) days
    prior to the date specified therein for the defendants to appear
    and make a defense:
    (A) Posting a copy of the warrant or summons on the door of
    the premises....
    The Respondent contends that it is entitled to dismissal of the action because
    the warrant reflects that personal service was attempted on three different
    dates (March 1, 4, and 5) and that the statute then allowed for service by
    posting. The Petitioner views the statute as requiring the warrant to
    specifically use the words, “personal service was attempted but
    unsuccessful” on March 1, 4, and 5, rather than simply state that the warrant
    was posted on those dates. The statute requires the person attempting service
    to attempt such service on three different dates and to document such
    attempts on the face of the warrant. The Court finds that the notation on three
    different dates that the warrant was posted sufficiently reflects that personal
    service was attempted but unsuccessful-thus, the need to post the warrant on
    those dates. The Court does not read the statute as requiring specific
    -3-
    language so long as the warrant adequately reflects three unsuccessful
    attempts at personal service. The Court finds that the warrant in this case
    meets the statutory requirement.
    The Petitioner also takes issue with the time between service and the
    hearing date. Service was accomplished via posting on March 5, and the
    hearing date was March 12; thus, seven days elapsed. The statute requires at
    least six days. Petitioner contends that pursuant to Rule 6.01, Tenn. R. Civ.
    P., intervening Saturdays and Sundays should not be included in the
    computation. He contends that only five days elapsed. This argument is
    without merit, as Rule 6.01 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure does
    not apply in General Sessions Court. See State v. Smith, 
    278 S.W.3d 325
    (Tenn. Ct. Crim. App. 2008) (holding that the relevant statute for the
    computation of time in General Sessions Court is 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3
    -
    102, which provides that “[t]he time within which any act provided by law
    to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the
    last, unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, then it shall
    also be excluded.”).
    The Respondent’s motion to dismiss is GRANTED. Court costs are
    taxed to the Petitioner, for which execution may issue, if necessary.
    Scarlett timely appealed to this Court.
    Discussion
    Scarlett raises one issue on appeal subdivided into two parts, which we restate
    slightly as follows: 1) whether the General Sessions Court lacked jurisdiction to grant relief
    on an expedited basis in view of the service requirements of 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18
    -
    115(e)(2); and 2) whether the General Sessions Court erred by entering default judgment
    earlier than six days after service of process, requiring Scarlett to appear and defend in
    violation of the requirements of 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
    (e)(2) as computed by Tenn.
    R. Civ. P. 6.01.
    Scarlett filed a petition for writ of certiorari and supersedeas in the Circuit Court
    pursuant to 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-129
    , which provides:
    The proceedings in such actions may, within thirty (30) days after the
    rendition of judgment, be removed to the circuit court by writs of certiorari
    and supersedeas, which it shall be the duty of the judge to grant, upon
    petition, if merits are sufficiently set forth, and to require from the applicant
    a bond, with security sufficient to cover all costs and damages; and, if the
    defendant below be the applicant, then the bond and security shall be of
    -4-
    sufficient amount to cover, besides costs and damages, the value of the rent
    of the premises during the litigation.
    
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-129
     (2012). This Court has elaborated on petitions for writ of
    certiorari and supersedeas in actions such as these, stating:
    The requirements for sustaining a petition for writs of certiorari and
    supersedeas following FED actions differ from those following other cases.
    Elliott v. Lawless, 
    53 Tenn. 123
     (Tenn. 1871). The general standard requires
    the petitioner to show good reason for not taking an appeal, whereas the
    standard applicable in cases of FED judgments1 does not. Elliott, 53 Tenn.
    at 126. Both standards, however, require a showing of sufficient merits. Id.
    Thus, when an unsuccessful FED defendant posts bond and files for writs of
    certiorari and supersedeas within thirty days of the judgment, he or she need
    only state sufficient merits in the petition to obtain review in circuit court.
    See Ammons v. Coker, 
    139 S.W. 732
    , 733 (Tenn. 1911); Rogers v. Wheaton,
    
    13 S.W. 689
    , 689 (Tenn. 1890); Elliott, 53 Tenn. at 126.
    Merits sufficient to sustain a petition for writs of certiorari and
    supersedeas are allegations which, if true, would constitute a meritorious
    defense. S. Servs., Inc. v. Brewington, No. 86-42-II, 
    1986 WL 6062
    , at *3
    (Tenn. Ct. App. May 29, 1986); Investors Diversified Prop. Mgmt., Inc. v.
    Wright, 1985 Tenn. App. LEXIS, at *11-*12 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1985); see
    Elliott v. Lawless, 53 Tenn. at 126-27. The language of the statute does not
    require the petitioner to prove the allegations by a preponderance of the
    evidence or to the level of detail expected at trial. S. Servs., 
    1986 WL 6062
    ,
    at *3. Rather, the petitioner’s prima facie showing of merit will suffice for
    the issuance of the writs. 
    Id.
    CitiFinancial Mortg. Co., Inc. v. Beasley, No. W2006-00386-COA-R3-CV, 
    2007 WL 77289
    , at *5 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 11, 2007), no appl. perm. appeal filed (footnote in
    original but renumbered, emphasis in original).
    We first address whether the General Sessions Court lacked jurisdiction to grant
    relief on an expedited basis in view of the service requirements of 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29
    -
    18-115(e)(2). In his brief, Scarlett asserts that “[t]he warrant fails on its face to meet the
    1
    Certain circumstances will require the FED petitioner to show good cause for not taking an appeal. First,
    if the petitioner files after the expiration of the statutory thirty (30) day period, he or she must make the
    more demanding showing required under the general standard. Rogers, 13 S.W. at 689. Similarly, if the
    petitioner files only for a writ of certiorari without also petitioning for a writ of supersedeas, he or she must
    meet the higher standard by justifying the failure to appeal. Ammons, 139 S.W. at 733.
    -5-
    requirements of Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-18-115(a)(1)(C)(e)(2), stating neither
    personal service upon James Scarlett nor unsuccessful attempt at personal service.” In
    response, AA Properties disputes that special language on the warrant regarding personal
    service is required. To determine which interpretation is correct, we look to 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
     as it read when this action was commenced:
    (a)(1) In commencing an action under this chapter, summons may be served
    upon any adult person found in possession of the premises, which includes
    any adult person occupying the premises; and service of process upon such
    party in possession shall be good and sufficient to enable the landlord to
    regain possession of such landlord’s property. In the event the summons
    cannot be served upon any adult person found in possession of the premises,
    personal service of process on the defendant is dispensed with in the
    following cases . . .
    ***
    (e)(1) In addition to the methods set out in this section, service of process for
    an action commenced under this chapter shall be good and sufficient to
    enable the landlord to regain possession of such landlord’s property if a
    sheriff, sheriff’s deputy, or constable personally serves a copy of the warrant
    or summons upon any one (1) named defendant who has a contractual or
    possessory property right in the subject premises.
    (2) If, after attempting personal service of process on three (3) different dates
    and documenting such attempts on the face of the warrant, the sheriff,
    sheriff’s deputy, or constable, is unable to serve any such one (1) named
    defendant personally, service of process for determining the right of
    possession of the subject premises as to all who may have a contractual or
    possessory property right therein may be had by the sheriff, sheriff’s deputy,
    or constable taking the following actions at least six (6) days prior to the date
    specified therein for the defendant or defendants to appear and make a
    defense:
    (A) Posting a copy of the warrant or summons on the door of
    the premises;
    (B) Sending by United States postal service first class mail a
    copy of the warrant or summons to the so named defendant or
    defendants at the address of the subject premises or the
    defendants’ last known address, if any; and
    -6-
    (C) Making an entry of this action on the face of the warrant or
    summons filed in the action.
    (3) Subdivision (e)(2) shall apply only to the service of process in an action
    brought to regain possession of real property, and shall not apply to the
    service of process in any action seeking monetary judgment.
    
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
     (West April 12, 2018 to April 17, 2019).
    Here, the warrant reflects that it was “posted” on March 1, 2019, March 4, 2019,
    and March 5, 2019, and then set for trial on March 12, 2019. Scarlett argues that merely
    posting notice on a door does not affect personal service. He also raises due process
    concerns, noting that constructive service and personal service are not the same. Scarlett
    is correct that 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
    (e)(2) requires three attempts at personal
    service on three different dates, as well as documentation of those attempts on the face of
    the warrant. If the warrant stated explicitly that personal service of process was attempted
    unsuccessfully, that undoubtedly would have been clearer. However, 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
    (e)(2) contains no requirement that any specific language be used in
    documenting the attempts. The presence of three blank lines next to “Posted Dates,” with
    “Date Served” as a separate line, tracks the process set forth in 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18
    -
    115(e)(2). In our judgment, the Trial Court did not err when it held that the filling in of
    those “Posted Dates” blanks with three separate dates is adequate documentation reflecting
    that the process server attempted to serve Scarlett personally but was unsuccessful. We
    decline to add, from the bench, additional requirements to 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18
    -
    115(e)(2). If the statute is to be modified, the General Assembly would be the body to do
    it. We hold, as did the Trial Court, that the notations on the detainer warrant constituted
    sufficient documentation of unsuccessful attempts at personal service on Scarlett.
    We next address whether the General Sessions Court erred by entering default
    judgment earlier than six days after service of process, requiring Scarlett to appear and
    defend in violation of the requirements of 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-115
    (e)(2) as computed
    by Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.01. 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-117
     (2012) provides: “The officer
    serving the warrant shall notify the defendant of the time and place of trial, the time not to
    be less than six (6) days from the date of service.” Here, the detainer warrant was posted
    on March 5, 2019, and the hearing was set for March 12, 2019. This meant seven actual
    days elapsed. However, Rule 6.01 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure provides for
    the computation of time as follows:
    In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by these rules, by
    order of court, or by any applicable statute, the date of the act, event or default
    after which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included.
    -7-
    The last day of the period so computed shall be included unless it is a
    Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday as defined in 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 15
    -
    1-101, or, when the act to be done is the filing of a paper in court, a day on
    which the office of the court clerk is closed or on which weather or other
    conditions have made the office of the court clerk inaccessible, in which
    event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not one of the
    aforementioned days. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less
    than eleven days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays shall
    be excluded in the computation.
    If Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.01 applied in the General Sessions Court as Scarlett argues, only five
    rather than seven days elapsed from the posting to the hearing.
    In response, AA Properties contends that the Rules of Civil Procedure did not apply
    in the General Sessions Court. AA Properties argues that 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-102
    (2014) applied instead, which provides: “The time within which any act provided by law
    is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the
    last day is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, and then it shall also be excluded.” In
    State v. Smith, 
    278 S.W.3d 325
    , 330-31 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2008), the Tennessee Court of
    Criminal Appeals held that 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-102
     applies in general sessions court,
    at least for criminal cases. If 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-102
     applied in the General Sessions
    Court as AA Properties argues, then Scarlett received more than the six days he was entitled
    to before the hearing.
    To determine whether the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure applied in the
    General Sessions Court, we begin by looking to the Rules themselves. Tenn. R. Civ. P. 1
    provides:
    Subject to exceptions as are stated in particular rules, the Rules of Civil
    Procedure shall govern procedure in the circuit or chancery courts in all civil
    actions, whether at law or in equity, and in all other courts while exercising
    the civil jurisdiction of the circuit or chancery courts. These rules shall be
    construed to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every
    action.
    The Rules of Civil Procedure shall not apply to general sessions courts except
    as follows:
    (1) The rules shall apply to general sessions courts exercising civil
    jurisdiction of the circuit or chancery courts;
    (2) The rules shall apply after appeal or transfer of a general sessions civil
    lawsuit to circuit court; and
    -8-
    (3) Rule of Civil Procedure 69 governing execution on judgments shall apply
    to civil judgments obtained in general sessions courts.
    The Advisory Commission Comment to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 1 explains further, as
    follows:
    This rule makes it clear that these Rules establish identical procedures for
    circuit and chancery courts and for those other courts of record which have
    been established by special or private acts of the General Assembly and
    which have jurisdiction similar to that of the circuit or chancery court, or of
    both. The Rules are not applicable to general sessions courts in the exercise
    of jurisdiction conferred by general statutes, but if a particular general
    sessions court exercises, under authority of a special or private act of the
    General Assembly, special jurisdiction similar to that of the circuit or
    chancery court, then these Rules do apply to that court in the exercise of that
    special jurisdiction.
    Addressing the general non-applicability of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure
    in general sessions courts, this Court has discussed:
    The Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply in general sessions
    court except in specific circumstances. Ray v. Ray, No. M2013-01828-COA-
    R3-CV, 
    2014 WL 5481122
    , at *16 n. 15 (Tenn. Ct. App. Oct. 28, 2014)
    (citing Masquerade Fundraising, Inc. v. Stott, No. E2011-00309-COA-R3-
    CV, 
    2012 WL 444052
    , at * 1 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 14, 2012), no perm. app.
    filed)). However, the Rules do apply to “general sessions courts exercising
    civil jurisdiction of the circuit or chancery courts.” 
    Id.
     (citing Tenn. R. Civ.
    P. 1). In this divorce case, the general sessions court was exercising civil
    jurisdiction of the circuit and chancery courts, thus the Tennessee Rules of
    Civil Procedure were applicable. See id.; Whitworth v. Whitworth, No.
    E2008-01521-COA-R3-CV, 
    2009 WL 2502002
    , at *5 (Tenn. Ct. App. Aug.
    17, 2009).
    Gant v. Gant, No. M2015-02160-COA-R3-CV, 
    2017 WL 417225
    , at *3 n. 4 (Tenn. Ct.
    App. Jan. 31, 2017), no appl. perm. appeal filed.
    Thus, the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure are not presumed to apply in general
    sessions courts. On the contrary, they apply only in specific circumstances. Scarlett
    contends that this is one such circumstance because detainer actions may originate either
    in general sessions court or circuit court. Indeed, Tennessee law provides: “All cases of
    forcible entry and detainer, forcible detainer, and unlawful detainer, may be tried before
    -9-
    any one (1) judge of the court of general sessions of the county in which the acts are
    committed, who shall decide the particular case, and all questions of law and fact arising.”
    
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-107
     (2012). As for circuit court’s jurisdiction, the law provides:
    The action for the recovery of the possession of land, given in this chapter,
    may also be originally instituted in the circuit court, the same forms being
    substantially pursued as those prescribed, the process being issued by the
    clerk, the plaintiff first giving bond and security to answer costs and damages
    as provided in § 29-18-111.
    
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-108
     (2012). According to Scarlett, had this case originated in
    the Circuit Court rather than the General Sessions Court, there would be no question but
    that the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure applied. Scarlett states that there ought to be
    uniformity in the computation of time regardless of which court a detainer action originates
    in.
    Although Scarlett requests uniformity, general sessions courts differ historically
    from circuit courts. One major difference is the relative informality of general sessions
    courts. In a 2012 opinion, our Supreme Court explained:
    When the Tennessee General Assembly created the general sessions
    courts over sixty years ago, it intended that these courts would retain the same
    informal procedures that characterized the practice in their predecessors, the
    justice of the peace courts. See Ware v. Meharry Med. Coll., 898 S.W.2d at
    183. Except for circumstances not involved in this case, the Tennessee Rules
    of Civil Procedure do not apply to proceedings in general sessions court but
    do apply “after appeal or transfer of a general sessions civil lawsuit to circuit
    court.” Tenn. R. Civ. P. 1(2).
    Brown v. Roland, 
    357 S.W.3d 614
    , 618 (Tenn. 2012) (footnote omitted). Nevertheless,
    Scarlett suggests that an exception applies—namely, that the General Sessions Court was
    exercising the civil jurisdiction of circuit or chancery court.
    However, that the General Sessions Court adjudicated a civil matter does not mean
    that it exercised the civil jurisdiction of circuit or chancery court. In this detainer action,
    the General Sessions Court exercised jurisdiction conferred upon it by general statute rather
    than by special or private act. General sessions courts exercise their own distinct statutory
    role in detainer actions; they are not just an additional circuit court. This is true even though
    a detainer action may originate either in general sessions or circuit court, as the different
    avenues of appeal illustrate. This Court has observed: “[T]he Tennessee General Assembly
    has conferred subject matter jurisdiction to general sessions courts to adjudicate detainer
    -10-
    actions. Additionally, the General Assembly has conferred circuit courts with subject
    matter jurisdiction to adjudicate appeals of decisions from general sessions courts in
    detainer actions.” Bottorff v. Sears, No. M2018-01232-COA-R3-CV, 
    2019 WL 2234680
    ,
    at *2 (Tenn. Ct. App. May 23, 2019), Rule 11 perm. app. denied Sept. 19, 2019. In a
    detainer action originating in general sessions court, the first avenue of appeal is to circuit
    court for trial de novo, where the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure apply. If a detainer
    action originates in circuit court, the first avenue of appeal is to this Court, and no new trial
    is conducted. Under Scarlett’s interpretation, a litigant opting to pursue a detainer action
    in general sessions court potentially would receive two trials subject to the Tennessee Rules
    of Civil Procedure before appealing to this Court. The point, it seems, of the option to
    pursue a detainer action originally in general sessions court is to partake of its relative
    informality, including the general inapplicability of the Tennessee Rules of Civil
    Procedure. A litigant can opt initially for the formality of circuit court and appeal directly
    to this Court, or the informality of general sessions court with the possibility of trial de
    novo in circuit court before appealing to this Court. Otherwise, general sessions court is
    rendered a redundant circuit court for purposes of detainer actions, which we do not believe
    our General Assembly intended.
    We find no exception in this case to the general rule that the Tennessee Rules of
    Civil Procedure are inapplicable in general sessions courts. We affirm the Trial Court in
    its determination that, in this instance, the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure—including
    Rule 6.01—did not apply in the General Sessions Court, and Scarlett’s hearing date was
    timely set pursuant to 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 1-3-102
    .
    As a final matter, AA Properties argues that the foreclosure extinguished any right
    Scarlett had to the property at issue, possessory or otherwise. AA Properties contends that,
    as Scarlett is not challenging the underlying foreclosure, he lacks a meritorious defense
    necessary under 
    Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-129
     to sustain his petition for writ of certiorari
    and supersedeas. Indeed, Scarlett does not challenge the foreclosure; he withdrew such a
    challenge during the hearing below on AA Properties’ motion to dismiss. Scarlett
    challenges only when and how he was removed from the property. We do not regard this
    as a meritorious defense to the detainer warrant because Scarlett never claims to have a
    right of possession. Scarlett’s lack of a meritorious defense constitutes an additional basis
    for affirmance of the Trial Court’s grant of AA Properties’ motion to dismiss. For this and
    the other reasons discussed, we affirm the judgment of the Trial Court.
    -11-
    Conclusion
    The judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed, and this cause is remanded to the Trial
    Court for collection of the costs below. The costs on appeal are assessed against the
    Appellant, James Scarlett, and his surety, if any.
    ______________________________________
    D. MICHAEL SWINEY, CHIEF JUDGE
    -12-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: E2019-01371-COA-R3-CV

Judges: Judge D. Michael Swiney, C.J.

Filed Date: 7/21/2020

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 4/17/2021