Opinion ID: 2418420
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Action of the Trial Court and the Record on Appeal

Text: The trial court dismissed the malpractice suit but the record does not reflect the reason for his decision. It is not possible to ascertain from the judgment entered whether the dismissal was based upon improper joinder, improper venue or both. The personal injury and wrongful death action was dismissed in part upon the one-year statute of limitations, the court finding that the accident occurred on February 4, 1974 and that the first suit was not instituted until February 5, 1975. The court held that the suit was barred by the one-year statute of limitations insofar as the strict liability and common-law negligence theories were concerned. It further held that actions for breach of warranties do not apply to a wrongful death action so as to allow a greater period of time in which to commence such action. This judgment, entered on April 29, 1977, states that the court relied upon and considered not only certain affidavits which have accompanied the record on appeal but depositions filed both for and against the motions for summary judgment. None of these depositions, which might well be pertinent to many aspects of this case, were included in the appellate record by the appealing party, Mary C. McCampbell, or by any of the other parties, despite the affirmative statement in the record that they had been filed with the trial court and considered by it. Such depositions were not required to be incorporated in a bill of exceptions, but should have been filed as a part of the technical record. See Rule 14(8)(a), Rules of the Tennessee Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals would have been well within its discretionary authority in dismissing the appeal or in insisting that these depositions be furnished to it before attempting to decide the complex issues upon which the parties seek appellate review. It did not do so, however, but accepted the case upon an incomplete record and undertook to deal with the issues presented by the parties. Under our direction, the clerk of this Court has undertaken to obtain these discovery depositions, because we felt that they might contain important factual information about the accident, the status of the parties, their residence and other issues sought to be presented for review. The clerk has succeeded in obtaining two of four depositions filed by the defending parties. We have reviewed these carefully and find that they do, indeed, contain some information relevant to disposition of portions of the case. The depositions of the owner of the truck and of one other witness, however, have not been located, and we have no means of knowing their contents. Nor are we advised whether the plaintiff did file additional depositions in opposition to the summary judgment motions as indicated in the final order of the trial court. In the trial court there was initially a dispute as to whether the accident occurred on February 4, 1974, or on February 5. As the case comes to us, it is conceded that the correct date was February 4. Accordingly the original suit for damages was not instituted within one year from that date but was one day late, having been filed on February 5, 1975. Probably because this date was no longer disputed, counsel saw fit not to include the discovery depositions in the record on appeal. We have concluded not to dismiss the appeal because of an incomplete record since the case has now been reviewed by the Court of Appeals.