Julia v. Lee and Robert Joe Lee v. State of Tennessee
Docket: E2004-00851-COA-R3-CV
Court: Court of Appeals of Tennessee; December 21, 2004; Tennessee; State Appellate Court
Original Court Document: View Document
Julia V. Lee and Robert Joe Lee filed a claim against the State of Tennessee after Julia Lee sustained personal injuries from a fall on the University of Tennessee campus on April 30, 2001. She tripped on an uneven sidewalk near the Stokely Management Center, alleging negligent design and maintenance. Following a trial on January 21, 2004, the Commissioner awarded Lee $34,000 in damages, deeming the State liable. The State filed a Notice of Appeal on April 1, 2004, but this was deemed untimely as it exceeded the mandatory 30-day period required by Tenn. R. App. P. 4 for filing such notices. The court noted that adherence to this timeline is jurisdictional, leading to the dismissal of the appeal. Costs were assessed against the State. The decision was rendered by Judge Herschel Pickens Franks, with Judges Charles D. Susano, Jr., and D. Michael Swiney concurring.