1 Th e ca s e wa s di s mi s s e d at t h e conc l u s i on of Mr . Br a num' s pr oof .

FILED

January 6, 1997

Cecil Crowson, Jr.

Appellate Court Clerk

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE

EASTERN SECTI ON

HERBERT CARSON BRANUM ) UNI ON COUNTY

) 03A01- 9604- CH- 00127

Pl a i ntif f - Appe lla nt )

)

)

v. ) HON. BI LLY J OE WHI TE,

 ) CHANCELLOR

 )

CI TY OF MAYNARDVI LLE, PAUL )

BOWMAN, BI LL P. GRAVES, )

RUSSELL GI LLENWATER, LEN )

PADGETT a nd H. E. RI CHARDSON )

)

De f e nda nt s - Appe l l ees ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED

BYRON D. BRYANT OF KNOXVI LLE FOR APPELLANT

J ON G. ROACH OF KNOXVI LLE FOR APPELLEES

 O P I N I O N

 Godda r d, P. J .

Pl a i nt i f f He r be r t Ca r s on Br a num a ppe a l s di s mi s s a l of

hi s sui t

1

 a ga i ns t t he Ci t y of Ma yna r dvi l l e a nd i t s Commi s s i one r s ,

s e e ki ng r e i ns t a t e me nt t o hi s pos i t i on a s Wa t e r Commi s s i one r a nd
2 T. C. A. 29- 20- 307 as per t i n e n t t o t h i s appe a l pr ovi d e s t h e

f o llo wi n g :

29- 20- 307. Ex c l us i v e j ur i s di c t i o n - - No j ur y . - - Th e

c i r c u i t cour t s s h a l l have exc l u s i v e or i g i n a l j u r i s d i c t i on over any

act i o n b r o u g h t u n d e r t h i s chap t e r an d shal l h ear an d d eci d e such

s u i t s wi t h o u t t h e in t e r v e n t i o n o f a ju r y , . . .

2

da ma ge s f or hi s wr ongf ul di s c ha r ge , bot h c ompe ns a t or y a nd

e xe mpl a r y. He a l s o s e e ks a n or de r e nj oi ni ng t he De f e nda nt s " f r om

a ny f ur t he r ultr a vi r e s act s aga i ns t t he Pl a i nt i f f " based upon

hi s c ont e nt i on t ha t t he y ha d vi ol a t e d c e r t a i n of our St a t e

St a t ut e s . 

The c ompl a i nt i n ma j or pa r t s e e ks r e l i e f unde r t he

Te nne s s e e Gove r nme nt a l Tor t Li a bi l i t y Ac t f or whi c h t he Ci r c ui t

Cour t of thi s St a t e ha s e xc l us i ve jur i s di c t i on. T. C. A. 29- 20-

307. 2 I n l i ght of t hi s a nd t he f a c t t he s ui t wa s br ought i n t he

Cha nc e r y Cour t, it is ne c e s s a r y tha t we a f f i r m di s mi s s a l of the

c a s e , not on t he me r i t s but be c a us e t he Cha nc e r y Cour t l a c ks

j ur i s di c tion to he a r it.

I n c onc l us i on, we r e c ogni z e t ha t s ome of t he r e l i e f

s ought , s uc h a s a n i nj unc t i on a ga i ns t t he Ci t y Commi s s i one r s ,

mi ght pr ope r l y be ma i nt a i ne d i n Cha nc e r y Cour t . Howe ve r , we

be lie ve in the int e r e s t of jus tic e to bot h pa r tie s , it is

a ppr opr i a t e tha t a ll is s ue s be tr i e d toge t he r r a t he r tha n

bi f ur c a t e d, whi c h pr ompt e d t he de t e r mi na t i on whi c h we ha ve

r eache d.
3

For t he f or e goi ng r e a s ons t he j udgme nt of t he Tr i a l

Cour t , but not i t s r e a s oni ng, i s a f f i r me d a nd t he c a us e r e ma nde d

f or col l ect i on of cos t s be l ow, whi c h ar e , as ar e cos t s of appeal ,

a dj udge d one - ha l f a ga i ns t Mr . Br a num a nd one - ha l f a ga i ns t t he

De f e nda nt s .

_______________________________

Hous t on M. Godda r d, P. J .
4

CONCUR:

________________________________

He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J .

________________________________

Don T. Mc Mur r a y, J .