FILED

June 6, 1997

Cecil Crowson, Jr.

Appellate Court Clerk

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

GLADSTONE RALPH HOBBS, ) GREENE CI RCUI T

 ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9702- CV- 00063

 )

 Pl a i ntif f - Appe lle e )

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

vs . ) HON. CHESTER MAHOOD

 ) J UDGE BY DESI GNATI ON

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

MOLLI E J ANE HOBBS, ) REVERSED AND REMANDED

 )

 De f e nda nt - Appe l l a nt )

KENNETH CLARK HOOD, Roge r s , La ughl i n, Nunna l l y, Hood & Cr um, P. C. ,

Gr e e ne ville , for Appe lla nt .

ROGER A. WOOLSEY, Gr e e ne vi l l e , f or Appe l l e e .

MEMORANDUM OPI NI ON

Mc Mur r a y, J .
2

Thi s i s a di vor ce act i on. The de f e nda nt ( wi f e ) as s e r t s on

t hi s a ppe a l , a mong ot he r t hi ngs , t ha t t he t r i a l c our t a bus e d i t s

di s c r e tion i n de nyi ng a c ont i nua nc e of t he t r i a l . The r e c or d

r e f l ect s t ha t t he r e wa s a gr eat deal of conf us i on a s to the wa y and

ma nne r t he case wa s s e t f or t r i a l becaus e of t he r e s i gna t i on of t he

f or me r Ci r c ui t J udge . The wi f e ' s c ouns e l c l a i ms t o ha ve ha d no

not i c e of the tr i a l da t e unt i l t he da y t he cas e wa s s e t f or t r i a l .

On t ha t da t e , he a ppl i e d t o t he c our t f or a c ont i nua nc e . The c our t

c ont i nue d the c a s e until the f ollowi ng mor ni ng a t 7: 00 a . m. Pr i or

t o the tr i a l, the c our t a llowe d t he wi f e ' s a t t or ne y t o ma ke a

mot i on f or a c ont i nua nc e on t he r e c or d, wi t h a wr i t t e n mot i on, t o

be f i l e d a s e xhi bi t No. 1. Couns e l ' s a f f i da vi t s uppor t i ng t he

mot i on f or a c ont i nua nc e wa s a l l owe d t o be f i l e d a s e xhi bi t 2.

Upon c ons i de r a t i on of t he r e c or d, we a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t

t he wi f e ' s mot i on s houl d ha ve be e n gr a nt e d. I t i s de mons t r a t e d i n

t he r e c or d t ha t t he wi f e ' s c ouns e l ha d not r e c e i ve d i nf or ma t i on

a bout the va l ue of t he hus ba nd' s be ne f i t s unde r t he Te nne s s e e

Cons ol i da t e d Re t i r e me nt Pl a n. We a r e of t he opi ni on, t ha t unde r

t he ci r c ums t a nces of t he case, couns e l f or t he wi f e wa s dul y

di l i ge nt i n t r yi ng t o ge t t he i nf or ma t i on a nd i t a ppe a r s t ha t s he

wa s pr e j udi c e d by t he f a i l ur e t o t i me l y r e c e i ve t he i nf or ma t i on.
3

We a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t t he mot i on f or c ont i nua nc e s houl d

ha ve be e n gr a nt e d. Ac c or di ngl y, we va c a t e t he j udgme nt of t he

t r i a l c our t in its e ntir e t y.

Si nc e thi s is s ue is di s pos itive of the c a s e , we de c line to

a ddr e s s t he r e ma i ni ng i s s ue s r a i s e d by t he pa r t i e s . Thi s cas e i s

r e ma nde d to the tr i a l c our t f or a r e t r i a l of a l l iss ue s . I n s o

doi ng, we e xpr e s s no opi ni on on a ny i s s ue r e ma i ni ng t o be he a r d by

t he c our t . I n our di s c r e t i on, we t a x t he c os t s e qua l l y be t we e n t he

pa r tie s .

______________________________

 Don T. Mc Mur r a y, J .

CONCUR:

___________________________________

Hous t on M. Godda r d, Pr e s i di ng J udge

___________________________________

He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J udge
I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

GLADSTONE RALPH HOBBS, ) GREENE CI RCUI T

 ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9702- CV- 00063

 )

 Pl a i ntif f - Appe lle e )

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

vs . ) HON. CHESTER MAHOOD

 ) J UDGE BY DESI GNATI ON

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

MOLLI E J ANE HOBBS, ) REVERSED AND REMANDED

 )

 De f e nda nt - Appe l l a nt )

ORDER

Thi s a ppe a l came on t o be he a r d upon t he r e c or d f r om t he

Ci r c ui t Cour t of Gr e e ne Count y, br i e f s a nd a r gume nt of c ouns e l .

Upon c ons i de r a t i on t he r e of , t hi s Cour t i s of t he opi ni on t ha t t he r e

wa s r e ve r s i bl e er r or i n t he t r i a l cour t .

` Ac c or di ngl y, we va c a t e the judgme nt of the tr i a l c our t in its

e ntir e t y. Thi s cas e i s r e ma nde d t o t he t r i a l cour t f or a r e t r i a l
5

of a l l iss ue s . I n our di s c r e t i on, we t a x t he cos t s equa l l y be t ween

t he pa r tie s .

 PER CURI AM