### IN THE CO URT OF APPEALS OF TE NNE SS EE AT NASHVILL E
Ass ig ne d o n B rie fs Decem be r 8, 2 01 1

JE ROME DEG ANS v. TE NNESSEE DEPARTMENT O F 

### CORRECTI ONS,

E T A L



### .

A p p e a l f r o m t h e C h a n c e r y C o u r t f o r H i c k m a n C o u n t y N o
. 0 9 2 1 8 C J e f

f r e y S

. B i v i n s , C h a n c e l l o r

N o
. M 2 0 1 1

- 0 0 1 7 6

- C O A

- R 3

- C V

- F i l e d F e b r u a r y 8 , 2 0 1 2

I n m a t e f i l e d p e t i t i o n s e e k i n g r e v i e w o f d e c i s i o n o f p r i s o n d i s c i p l i n a r y b o a r d

. T r i a l c o u r t d i s m i s s e d p e t i t i o n f

o r f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h a p p l i c a b l e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d s t a t u t o r y
p r o v i s i o n s

. F i n d i n g t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t d i d n o t e r r , w e a f f i r m t h e d i s m i s s a l o f

t h e p e t i t i o n

.

T e n n
. R

. A p p
. P

. 3 A p p e a l a s o f R i g h t ; J u d g m e n t o f t h e C h a n c e r y C o u r t A f f i r m e d

R IC H A R D H

. D IN K IN S , J

. , d e l i v e r e d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e c o u r t
, i n w h i c h F R A N K G

. C LE M E N T , J R

. a n d A N D Y D

. B E N N E T T , J J

. , j o i n e d

.

J e r o m e D e g a n s , W a r t b u r g , T e n n e s s e e , P r o S e

.

R o b e r t E

. C o o p e r , J r

. , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l a n d R e p o r t e r ; B i l l Y o u n g , S o l i c i t o r G e n e r a l ; a n d
M a r k A

. H u d s o n , S e n i o r C o u n s e l

, f o r t h e a p p e l l e e , S t a t e o f T e n n e s s e e

.

M E M O R A N D U M O P I N I O N 1

P e t i t i o n e r , J e r o m e D e g a n s , a n i n m a t e o f t h e T e n n e s s e e D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s , f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f

o r w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i i n H i c k m a n C o u n t y C h a n c e r y C o u r t i n J u n e o f 2 0 0 9

s e e k i n g r e v i e w o f h i s M a r c h 1 8

, 2 0 0 9 c o n v i c t i o n o f a s s a u l t b y t h e T u r n e y C e n t e r D i s c i p l i n a r y B o a r d

. O n J u l y 2 1

, 2 0 0 9

, t h e c o u r t e n t e r e d a n o r d e r d i s m i s s i n g t h e p e t i t i o n ,

T enn . R. Ct . App. 10 s ta te s: 1

T his Cour t, wit h the con cur re nce of al l j udges par ti ci pat ing in the cas e, m ay af fi rm, re verse

or m odi fy the act ion s of the tr ia l cou rt by m emorand um opi nio n when a for m al opi nio n woul d have no pre ced ent ia l value. Wh en a cas e is dec ide d by m emorand um opi nio n it sha ll be des ignat ed “M EMORANDUM OPI NI ON,” sha ll not be publ is hed

, and sha ll not be ci te d

or re li ed o n f

or any re aso n i n an y unrel at ed c ase

.h o l d i n g t h a t “ [ t ] h e f i l i n g i s n o t s u f

f i c i e n t l y f o r m a t t e d a s r e q u i r e d b y s t a t u t e a n d m o r e t h a n 6 0 d a y s h a v e p a s s e d

, a n d t h e r e f o r e , t h e p e t i t i o n i s t i m e b a r r e d a s p e r T

. C

. A

. 2 7

- 9

- 1 0 2

. ” M r

. D e g a n s a p p e a l e d t h e d i s m i s s a l a n d o n A u g u s t 5

, 2 0 1 0

, t h i s c o u r t d i s m i s s e d t h e a p p e a l f o r l a c k o f a f

i n a l j u d g m e n t

. D e g a n s v

. T e n n

. D e p ’ t

. o f C o r r

. , N o

. M 2 0 0 9

- 0 1 8 2 0

- C O A

- R 3

- C V

, 2 0 1 0 W L 3 0 6 4 4 7 1 ( T e n n

. C t

. A p p

. A u g u s t 5

, 2 0 1 0 )

.

I t a p p e a r s t h a t
, f

o l l o w i n g o u r d i s m i s s a l o f t h e a p p e a l

, M r

. D e g a n s m a i l e d a r e v i s e d

p e t i t i o n t o t h e H i c k m a n C o u n t y C l e r k a n d M a s t e r w h i c h

, u l t i m a t e l y , w a s r e t u r n e d t o h i m

u n f i l e d

. O n S e p t e m b e r 1 3

, 2 0 1 0

, R e s p o n d e n t s f i l e d a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e p e t i t i o n f o r l a c k 2

o f j u r i s d i c t i o n a n d f

a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m , a s s e r t i n g t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n w a s n o t p r o p e r l y v e r i f i e d

a n d t h a t i t w a s b a r r e d b y t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d a p p l i c a b l e t o c e r t i o r a r i p e t i t i o n s

. B y o r d e r

e n t e r e d O c t o b e r 5

, 2 0 1 0

, t h e t r i a l c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e m o t i o n

. M r

. D e g a n s f i l e d a m o t i o n
p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 5 9

. 0 4

, T e n n

. R

. C i v

. P

. , w h i c h t h e c o u r t d e n i e d o n D e c e m b e r 1 6

, 2 0 1 0

. T h i s a p p e a l e n s u e d

. M r

. D e g a n s r a i s e s t w o i s s u e s f o r r e v i e w , o n e r e l a t i n g t o t h e m e r i t s o f
h i s p e t i t i o n a n d t h e o t h e r a s s i g n i n g e r r o r t o t h e d i s m i s s a l o f t h e p e t i t i o n

.

D I S C U S S I O N

I n i t i a l l y , w e m u s t c o n s i d e r t h e f a c t t h a t t h e a m e n d e d p e t i t i o n , w h i c h w a s d i s m i s s e d
b y t h e c o u r t
, i s n o t a p a r t o f t h e r e c o r d o n a p p e a l

. 

### It is in cu m b en t u p o n th e ap p ellan t to
p ro v id e th is C o u rt w ith an ad eq u ate ap p ellate reco rd f o r rev iew

. C

h io zza v. C

h io zza , 3 1 5 S .W.3 d 4 8 2

, 4 8 9 (T en n

. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 9 ) (citin g Jen n in g s v. S ew ell-A llen P ig

g ly Wig g ly

, 1 7 3 S .W.3 d 7 1 0

, 7 1 3 (T en n

. 2 0 0 5 )); S va ch a v. Wa ld

en s C reek S a d d le C lu b

, 6 0 S .W.3 d 8 5 1

, 8 5 5 (T en n

. C t. A p p

. 2 0 0 1 )

. 

### We are g en erally p reclu d ed f ro m ad d ressin g an issu e o n ap p e a l

w h en th e reco rd f

ails to in clu d e th e d o cu m en ts rele v a n t to th at issu e. S ta te v. Z irkle

, 9 1 0 S .W.2 d 8 7 4

, 8 8 4 (T en n

. C rim

. A p p

. 1 9 9 5 ) (d en ial o f m o tio n f o r co n tin u an ce a f

f i r me d b ecau se d ef

en d an t f ailed to in clu d e th e m o tio n in th e ap p ellate reco rd ). U p o n rev iew o f th e

en tire reco rd

, h o w ev er, an d in th e in terest o f j u stice, w e sh all co n sid er th e p ro p riety o f th e d ism issal o f

th e am en d ed p etitio n

. 3

T he amended pet it ion is not a par t of the re cor d on app eal

. T he doc um ent s con ta ine d in the re cor d 2
fi le d with thi s Court dat ed aft er August 5, 2010 are the fol lowi ng: (1) m and at e is sue d Oct obe r 5, 2010 ; (2) Summ ons is sue d by or on behal f of Mr. Degans to the T enn ess ee Depa rt m ent of Corr ect ion s, c/ o Off ic e of the Att orn ey Gene ra l, on Sept ember 10, 2010 ; (3) Mo ti on to Dis m is s and sup por ti ng m emor a n d u m fi le d Sept ember 13, 2010 ; (4) “M oti on to Rem ove T ime Bar or Rend er Fin al J udgem ent ” fi le d by Mr

. Degans on Sept ember 15, 2010 ; (5) Orde r of Dis m is sal ent er ed Oct obe r 5, 2010 ; (6) “M oti on For Am end m ent Of Err ed
J udgm ent ” and sup por ti ng m emorand um and at t a c h me n t s fi le d by Mr

. Degans on Novem ber 5, 2010 ; (7) Orde r d enying th e Novem ber 5 motio n en te re d Dec ember 16 , 201 0.

I n so doi ng, we acc ept as tr ue Mr . Deg ans ’ unswor n stat ement in the m emorand um in sup por t of 3
the m oti on he fi le d on Novem ber 5 tha t: “On 8/5 /10

, the Cour t of Appea ls dis m is sed the pla int if f’ s cas e and ( c o n t i n u e d

. . . )

-2-T h e t r i a l c o u r t f o u n d t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n w a s n o t v e r i f i e d b y o a t h o r a f

f i r m a t i o n , a s

r e q u i r e d b y T e n n

. C o n s t

. A r t

. V I

, § 1 0 a n d T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § 2 7

- 8

- 1 0 4 ( a )

, a n d t h a t i t d i d

n o t c o m p l y w i t h T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § 2 7

- 8

- 1 0 6

. I n i t s o p i n i o n , t h e c o u r t s t a t e d t h a t “ M r

. D e g a n s a t t e m p t e d t o v e r i f y h i s p e t i t i o n b y i n v o k i n g T i t l e 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 7 4 6

. ”

T h e c o m m o n l a w w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i i s “ t h e p r o p e r p r o c e d u r a l v e h i c l e t h r o u g h w h i c h

p r i s o n e r s m a y s e e k r e v i e w o f d e c i s i o n b y p r i s o n d i s c i p l i n a r y b o a r d s

. . . . ” W i l l i s v

. T e n n

. D e p ’ t o f C o r r

. , 1 1 3 S

. W

. 3 d 7 0 6

, 7 1 2 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 3 )

. S t a t e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d s t a t u t o r y
p r o v i s i o n s s e t f

o r t h t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s t h a t m u s t b e s a t i s f i e d w h e n f

i l i n g a c o m m o n l a w w r i t

o f c e r t i o r a r i

.

T e n n

. C o n s t

. A r t

. V I

, § 1 0 s t a t e s :

T h e J u d g e s o r J u s t i c e s o f t h e I n f e r i o r C o u r t s o f L a w a n d E q u i t y , s h a l l h a v e
p o w e r i n a l l c i v i l c a s e s , t o i s s u e w r i t s o f c e r t i o r a r i t o r e m o v e a n y c a u s e o r t h e
t r a n s c r i p t o f t h e r e c o r d t h e r e o f

, f r o m a n y i n f

e r i o r j u r i s d i c t i o n , i n t o s u c h c o u r t

o f l a w , o n s u f

f i c i e n t c a u s e , s u

p p o r t e d b y o a t h o r a

f f i r m a t i o n

. ( E m p h a s i s

a d d e d )

.

S u b s t a n t i a l l y t h e s a m e l a n g u a g e a p p e a r s i n T e n n

. C o d e A n n

. § 2 7

- 8

- 1 0 4 ( a )

. T h e l a w i n T e n n e s s e e i s c l e a r t h a t
, i n o r d e r f o r a c o u r t t o h a v e s u b

j e c t m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n o f a c e r t i o r a r i

p r o c e e d i n g , t h e r e m u s t b e c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e v e r i f i c a t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t

. S e e D r u m b a r g e r

v

. S t a t e o f T e n n

. B d

. o

f P r o b a t i o n a n d P a r o l e , e t a l

. , N o M 2 0 1 1

- 0 0 0 8 6

- C O A

- R 3

- C V

,

_ _ _ W L

_ _ _ ( T e n n

. C t

. A p p

. J a n u a r y 2 0

, 2 0 1 2 ) ( c i t i n g B d

. o f P r o f ’ l R e s p o n s i b i l i t

y v

. C a w o o d

, 3 3 0 S

. W

. 3 d 6 0 8

, 6 0 9 ( T e n n

. 2 0 1 0 ) ; J a c k s o n v

. T e n n

. D e p ’ t

. o f C o r r

. , 2 4 0 S

. W

. 3 d 2 4 1

, 2 4 5 ( T e n n

. C t

. A p p

. 2 0 0 6 ) ; W i l s o n v

. T e n n

. D e p ’ t

. o f C o r r

. , N o

. W 2 0 0 5

- 0 0 9 1 0

- C O A

- R 3

- C V

, 2 0 0 6 W L 3 2 5 9 3 3

, a t * 4 ( T e n n

. C t

. A p p

. F e b

. 1 3

, 2 0 0 6 ) )

.

N o t h a v i n g t h e a m e n d e d p e t i t i o n b e f o r e u s , w e h a v e n o b a s i s t o q u e s t i o n t h e c o u r t ’ s

s t a t e m e n t t h a t M r

. D e g a n s s o u g h t t o v e r i f y t h e p e t i t i o n b y i n v o k i n g 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 7 4 6

. S u c h 4

v e r i f i c a t i o n i s n o t i n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h T e n n e s s e e l a w a n d

, a s a c o n s e q u e n c e , t h e c o u r t d i d n o t

a c q u i r e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g a n d d i s m i s s a l w a s p r o p e r

.

(

. . . c o n t i n u e d ) 3

re m and ed it bac k to the tr ia l cou rt for fur the r pro cee din gs o r f o r e n t r y o f fi nal j udgm ent

. I n li ght of the

re m and ing, the pla int if

f too k the oppo rt uni ty to re wri te and re vise his ‘ol d and poorl y ar ra nged’ pet it ion to

m ake it m ore le gible fo r t ri al , whi le never cha nging any of t he f act s or al le gatio ns t her ei n.”

We not e tha t Mr

. Degans st at ed the fol lowi ng in the m emorand um i n sup por t of the m oti on to 4
amend the j udgm ent : “Pur sua nt to 28 U.S.C. § 1746

, I dec la re unde r pen al t y o f per j ury tha t the for egoing is tr ue & c orr ect to th e be st of m y beli ef & in for m at ion .”

-3-I n l i g h t o f o u r h o l d i n g , t h e o t h e r i s s u e r a i s e d f o r r e v i e w i s p r e t e r m i t t e d

.

T h e j u d g m e n t d i s m i s s i n g t h e p e t i t i o n f o r c e r t i o r a r i r e v i e w i s A F F I R M E D

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ R I C H A R D H

. D I N K I N S

, J U D G E

-4-