Timothy Williams v. Lee Ann Sikes

CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedMay 28, 2026
DocketW2025-00471-COA-R3-CV
StatusUnpublished
AuthorJudge Valerie L. Smith

This text of Timothy Williams v. Lee Ann Sikes (Timothy Williams v. Lee Ann Sikes) 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
Timothy Williams v. Lee Ann Sikes, (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

05/27/2026 IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON November 19, 2025 Session

TIMOTHY WILLIAMS v. LEE ANN SIKES

Appeal from the Chancery Court for Dyer County No. 24-CV-95 Michael Mansfield, Chancellor ___________________________________

No. W2025-00471-COA-R3-CV ___________________________________

Appellant appeals the trial court’s judgment in favor of Appellee for work performed pursuant to an oral contract between the parties. Discerning no error, we affirm.

Tenn. R. App. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Chancery Court Affirmed and Remanded

VALERIE L. SMITH, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which J. STEVEN STAFFORD, P.J., W.S., and W. NEAL MCBRAYER, J., joined.

Marianna Williams, Dyersburg, Tennessee, for the appellant, Lee Ann Sikes.1

Thomas H. Strawn, Dyersburg, Tennessee, for the appellee, Timothy Williams.

MEMORANDUM OPINION2

I. Background

In 2023, Bobby Sikes, a farmer who owned land on Lewis Creek in Dyer County, Tennessee, contacted Timothy Williams, who owned a company specializing in dirt moving and excavation, concerning a restoration project on Mr. Sikes’ property as it was 1 Ms. Williams was unable to appear for oral arguments, and Matthew Willis argued in her absence. 2 Rule 10 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals of Tennessee provides:

This Court, with the concurrence of all judges participating in the case, may affirm, reverse or modify the actions of the trial court by memorandum opinion when a formal opinion would have no precedential value. When a case is decided by memorandum opinion it shall be designated “MEMORANDUM OPINION”, shall not be published, and shall not be cited or relied on for any reason in any unrelated case. experiencing severe erosion problems. Mr. Williams suggested that Mr. Sikes contact the National Resource Conservation Service (the “NRCS”) for assistance. Briefly, the NRCS’ mission is to “deliver conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world.” About NRCS, NAT’L RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERV., https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about (last visited May 1, 2026). The NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners and agricultural producers “to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.” Getting Assistance, NAT’L RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERV., https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance (last visited May 1, 2026). The NRCS inspected Mr. Sikes’ property and created a restoration plan for it, which was estimated to cost $92,000.00. After receiving this plan, Mr. Sikes again contacted Mr. Williams to implement it. The two agreed that Mr. Williams would follow the NRCS’ restoration plan, but they did not enter into a written contract, and Mr. Williams did not provide a cost estimate for the work to be completed. Mr. Williams began work on the property in June 2023.

On September 6, 2023, Mr. Williams sent an invoice to Mr. Sikes for $64,278.00. In mid-September, Mr. Williams ceased working on the property, leaving the restoration project incomplete. On October 6, 2023, Mr. Williams sent Mr. Sikes another invoice for $24,414.00. On October 24, 2023, the NRCS reviewed the work that had been completed and valued it at $40,910.27. The NRCS released these funds to Mr. Sikes to pay for same. On November 6, 2023, Mr. Sikes’ wife, Lee Ann Sikes, wrote a check to “Williams Dirt Work” for $40,910.27. On December 6, 2023, Mr. Williams sent a final invoice to Mr. Sikes for $61,573.73. The payment of $40,910.27 was reflected in the invoice. The parties dispute whether Mr. and Mrs. Sikes attempted to compensate Mr. Williams further. Regardless, Mr. and Mrs. Sikes paid Mr. Williams $40,910.27 in total.

In the summer of 2024, Mr. Sikes contacted Zach Bennett of Bennett’s Excavation & Dozer Service, LLC to review the incomplete restoration project. Mr. Bennett met with representatives of the NRCS to review the plan and began work to complete the project. On completion, the NRCS reviewed Mr. Bennett’s work and approved it. Mr. Bennett billed Mr. Sikes for $17,800.00, and the NRCS reimbursed Mr. Sikes for this amount. The NRCS did not reimburse Mr. Sikes for Mr. Williams’ work beyond the previous payment of $40,910.27.

On February 28, 2024, Appellee Timothy Williams, d/b/a Williams Precision Earth Moving, LLC (“Precision Earth”) filed a complaint against Mr. and Mrs. Sikes in the Chancery Court of Dyer County (the “trial court”). Therein, Mr. Williams alleged that he had performed work for Mr. and Mrs. Sikes totaling $102,484.00 but was paid only $40,910.27, leaving a balance owed of $61,574.00. Attached to the complaint were the three invoices, discussed above. On March 14, 2024, Mr. and Mrs. Sikes filed an answer and counter complaint. In the answer, they alleged as an affirmative defense that they advised Mr. Williams “that the project was to be performed . . . in compliance with a Conservation Program Contract between [the NRCS] and [Mr. and Mrs. Sikes].” In the -2- counter complaint, they alleged that Precision Earth recorded a lien against their property for $61,573.73 related to the restoration project. Mr. and Mrs. Sikes alleged that Precision Earth “grossly exaggerated” the amount of the lien and asked that it be dissolved. They also alleged that they attempted to pay Mr. Williams $5,000.00 for additional work, but he refused payment.

Trial in this matter occurred on February 3, 2025. Nine witnesses testified, including Mr. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Sikes, and Mr. Bennett. Eleven exhibits were entered into evidence. In lieu of oral closing arguments, the parties agreed to submit written closing arguments to the trial court by a date certain.

On March 17, 2025, the trial court entered the final judgment. As an initial matter, the trial court found that Mr. Sikes’ property was experiencing severe erosion problems prior to 2023, and that “[Mr.] Williams suggested to [Mr.] Sikes that the NRCS, a government agency tasked with preventing erosion, might lay out a plan for remedying the erosion on [Mr. Sikes’] farm and also might pay to have that work completed.” The trial court further found that Mr. Williams, on behalf of Precision Earth, entered into an oral contract with Mr. Sikes to perform the work set forth in the NRCS plan for $92,000.00. Additionally, the trial court found that, despite Mr. Sikes’ belief that the NRCS would reimburse him for the work Mr. Williams performed, the contract was solely between Mr. Sikes and Mr. Williams, on behalf of Precision Earth, and that the NRCS was not a party to the contract. Additionally, the trial court found that: (1) Mr. Williams performed work on Mr. and Mrs. Sikes’ property from June through September 2023; (2) Mr. Williams invoiced Mr. Sikes for a total of $102,484.00; and (3) Mr. and Mrs. Sikes paid Mr. Williams $40,910.27 total. Also, the trial court found that Mr. and Mrs. Sikes hired Mr. Bennett to complete the work remaining on the project, which cost a total of $17,800.00. Lastly, the trial court found that Mr. Williams performed additional work on Mr. and Mrs. Sikes’ property that was not in the NRCS plan, costing $5,000.00, for which they offered to pay Mr. Williams, but he refused. Based on the foregoing, the trial court concluded that Mr. Sikes owed Mr. Williams $38,289.73 and entered a judgment in Mr. Williams’ favor for this amount. The trial court also ordered that post-judgment interest would accrue at the statutory rate until the judgment was satisfied. Because the trial court found there was no evidence that Mrs. Sikes entered into a contract with Mr. Williams, his claims against her were dismissed with prejudice.

Mr. Sikes filed a timely notice of appeal. On August 10, 2025, Mr. Sikes died. By order of October 6, 2025, this Court substituted Mrs. Sikes as Appellant in this appeal.

II.

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Timothy Williams v. Lee Ann Sikes, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/timothy-williams-v-lee-ann-sikes-tennctapp-2026.