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Freels v. Freels

Court of Appeals of Tennessee, at Knoxville
Jun 20, 2011
No. E2011-00472-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jun. 20, 2011)

Opinion

No. E2011-00472-COA-R3-CV.

June 20, 2011 Session.

Filed June 20, 2011.

Appeal from the General Sessions Court for Morgan County; No. 2010-DV-20; Michael A. Davis, Judge.

Appeal Dismissed.

Derek C. Freels, Sunbright, Tennessee, appellant, Pro Se.

James W. Brooks, Jr., Wartburg, Tennessee, for the appellee, Heather R. Gunter Freels.

Charles D. Susano, Jr., D. Michael Swiney, and John W. Mcclarty, JJ.


MEMORANDUM OPINION

Rule 10 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals provides as follows:

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 When a case is decided by memorandum opinion it shall be designated "MEMORANDUM OPINION," shall not be published, and shall not be cited or relied on for any reason in any unrelated case.


This is a divorce case. The appellant, Derek C. Freels, seeks to appeal from an order of the trial court entered February 22, 2011. That order is not final, and, hence, is not appealable as of right. Accordingly, this appeal is dismissed.

The trial court's order of February 22, 2011, reflects on its face that, as of that date, there were still matters pending before the trial court. Because of this, the subject order is not a final order. "A final judgment is one that resolves all the issues in the case, `leaving nothing else for the trial court to do.'" In re Estate of Henderson , 121 S.W.3d 643, 645 (Tenn. 2003) (quoting State ex rel. McAllister v. Goode , 968 S.W.2d 834, 840 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997)). Tenn. R. App. P. 3(a) provides, in relevant part, that "any order that adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties is not enforceable or appealable. . . ." "Such an order is interlocutory or interim in nature and generally cannot be appealed as of right." In re Estate of Henderson , 121 S.W.3d at 645. This court does not have subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate an appeal if there is no final judgment. See Bayberry Assocs. v. Jones , 783 S.W.2d 553, 559 (Tenn. 1990) ("Unless an appeal from an interlocutory order is provided by the rules or by statute, appellate courts have jurisdiction over final judgments only.").

As this appeal was taken from an order that was not a final judgment, we lack subject matter jurisdiction. Accordingly, we must dismiss the appeal.

The appeal of this matter is dismissed and this case is remanded to the trial court. Costs on appeal are taxed to the appellant, Derek C. Freels.


Summaries of

Freels v. Freels

Court of Appeals of Tennessee, at Knoxville
Jun 20, 2011
No. E2011-00472-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jun. 20, 2011)
Case details for

Freels v. Freels

Case Details

Full title:HEATHER R. GUNTER FREELS v. DEREK C. FREELS

Court:Court of Appeals of Tennessee, at Knoxville

Date published: Jun 20, 2011

Citations

No. E2011-00472-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jun. 20, 2011)