Green Meadow Park Inc. v. American Heritage Life Insurance Co.

540 S.W.2d 267, 1976 Tenn. App. LEXIS 245
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedJune 3, 1976
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 540 S.W.2d 267 (Green Meadow Park Inc. v. American Heritage Life Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Green Meadow Park Inc. v. American Heritage Life Insurance Co., 540 S.W.2d 267, 1976 Tenn. App. LEXIS 245 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

NEARN, Judge.

The principal question below was whether or not defendant American Heritage Life was obligated to fund or loan to plaintiff Green Meadow Park, Inc. the remaining unloaned balance of $75,000 of an original loan commitment of $400,000. The Chancellor held, inter alia, that the defendant Heritage was not so obligated, and the plaintiff Green Meadow has appealed. The Bank of Maryville, another named plaintiff also appealed, but it is admitted that its rights are derivative and it can prevail only if Green Meadows prevails. Therefore, only the rights of Green Meadows will be discussed.

This matter was heard without intervention of a jury.

Before discussing the merits of the appeal we must first consider the motions of Heritage to (1) dismiss the appeal because of improper appeal bond and (2) strike the Bill of Exceptions because of untimely filing.

On the issue of the appeal bond, counsel for appellee insists that the appeal bond should have been for “the whole debt, damages, and costs,” as required by T.C.A. § 27-315. It is also insisted that even if the cost bond that has been filed is considered sufficient, that bond was not timely filed as required by T.C.A. § 27-312.

This suit was in the nature of one for a declaratory judgment, i. e., for an ascertainment of the rights and obligations under various written instruments or contracts executed by the parties. No judgment for a dollar amount was entered by the Court below. The order sets out the rights of the parties and the amounts due under various instruments to bring them current, but no judgment for which execution may issue is given. T.C.A. § 27-315 is applicable to those cases specified therein where a money judgment subject to execution is given; thus, the statute does not apply here.

The late filing of an appeal bond does not deny the tardy a right of review. The matter may be reviewed as on writ of error. See Ward v. North American Rayon Corporation (1963) 211 Tenn. 535, 366 S.W.2d 134.

A party is entitled to a writ of error as a matter of right, if timely filed. Cockrill v. Peoples Savings Bank (1927) 155 Tenn. 342, 293 S.W. 996; T.C.A. § 27-601. This matter has reached this Court within the time allowed to file a writ of error. We see nothing to be gained by a dismissal of this appeal and requiring the appellant to formally re-file this appeal as a petition for writ of error. The matter is here and we are requested to review as on writ of error; we will do so.

However, whether the matter is before us on simple appeal, appeal in the [270]*270nature of a writ of error, or on writ of error, if reliance is to be made on the contents of a Bill of Exceptions, that Bill of Exceptions must be filed in accordance with T.C.A. § 27-111.

On February 25, 1975, the Chancellor filed his memorandum opinion which provided that Heritage was not obligated to loan to the plaintiff the remaining $75,000 of the $400,000 commitment. On March 18, 1975, an order was signed by the Chancellor and entered based on the memorandum opinion that provided “the plaintiffs are hereby granted 90 days from the entry of this judgment within which to file a bill of exceptions.” On April 3,1975, the plaintiff filed a motion for a new trial. On July 9, 1975, the Trial Judge granted in part the motion for a new trial by modifying in part the judgment of March 18,1975. That part modified was a relatively minor part of the previous order. As to the remainder of the order of March 18, 1975, the Trial Judge overruled the motion for a new trial. The July 9, 1975, order provided:

“To the foregoing action, in overruling the other matters contained in the plaintiffs’ motion for a new trial, the plaintiffs excepted and now except and pray an appeal to the next term of the Court of Appeals at Knoxville, which appeal is granted upon the plaintiffs executing appropriate appeal bond and the plaintiffs are given thirty (30) days from date hereof within which to prepare, tender, settle and file their Bill of Exceptions.”

On September 10, 1975, two things were done. A Bill of Exceptions approved by the parties was filed with the Clerk, and a written motion for relief from judgment was filed by counsel for Green Meadow. On September 30, 1975, an order on the motion for relief was filed which provided as follows:

“In this case, through oversight, it appears that the time for filing the Bill of Exceptions was limited to thirty (30) days which was in error, the court having allowed ninety (90) days for filing said Bill of Exceptions, IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that the prior order of this court entered July 8, 1975, be amended and corrected to show that the plaintiffs were granted ninety (90) days from said date within which to file their Bill of Exceptions.
“This Order is entered Nunc Pro Tune as of July 8, 1975, this September 29, 1975.”

Under prior procedural rules, a motion for a new trial was unknown to Chancery practice. The proper procedure was to file a petition for a rehearing when a reconsideration of the matter by the Chancellor was sought. See, e. g., Brannan v. Cunningham (1945 M.S.) 28 Tenn.App. 465, 191 S.W.2d 446; Gibson’s Suits in Chancery (5th ed.) §§ 1279 et seq. Since the adoption of the new rules the petition for a rehearing has been abolished and in lieu thereof has been substituted the motion for a new trial. Rule 59 Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. A motion for a new trial is not a prerequisite for appellate review in non-jury cases. T.C.A. § 27-303; American Insurance Company v. Taylor (1962 M.S.) 51 Tenn.App. 325, 367 S.W.2d 300. However, when filed it has had the same effect in both jury and non-jury cases; it “suspended the judgment and preserved the Trial Judge’s jurisdiction until he disposed of the motion; and when he overruled it he could then grant an appeal or an appeal in error and allow time for perfecting it and for filing a bill of exceptions, for these purposes the judgment being regarded as entered at the time of overruling the motion for a new trial.” Ragsdale v. Hill (1954 M.S.) 37 Tenn.App. 671, 269 S.W.2d 911; T.C.A. §§ 27-110-112, 27-312.

Since both the order of March 18, 1975, and the order overruling the motion for a new trial are appealed from, the appeal should be considered as a broad one; but even if it were not so, such fine distinction is moot when the matter is accepted as on writ of error. Ragsdale v. Hill, supra.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
540 S.W.2d 267, 1976 Tenn. App. LEXIS 245, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/green-meadow-park-inc-v-american-heritage-life-insurance-co-tennctapp-1976.