Heidle vs. McFarland

Annotate this Case

Download PDF

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE FILED EASTERN SECTI ON November 13, 1997 Cecil Crowson, Jr. LOUI S E. HEI DLE a nd wi f e DELORI S J . HEI DLE, a / k/ a S S & Z PROPERTI ES Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l e e s v. RANDALL L. M FARLAND c De f e nda nt - Appe l l a nt ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Appellate C ourt Clerk M ORGAN COUNTY 03A01- 9702- CH- 00058 HON. FRANK V. W LLI AM I S, I I I , CHANCELLOR AFFI RM ED AND REM ANDED TOM M FARLAND OF KI NGSTON FOR APPELLANT c J AM ES W BROOKS, J R. , OF W . ARTBURG FOR APPELLEES O P I N I O N Godda r d, P. J . Ra nda l l L. M Fa r l a nd a ppe a l s a j udgme nt of t he Cha nc e r y c Co u r t f or M ga n Count y, whi c h f ound- - i n a s ui t br ought a ga i ns t or h i m b y Loui s a nd De l or i s He i dl e - - t ha t a c e r t a i n r oa dwa y whi c h b i s e c t s M . M Fa r l a nd' s pr ope r t y wa s a publ i c r oa d a nd r e qui r e d r c h i m t o r e move ga t e s whi c h he ha d e r e c t e d t ha t i mpe de d t he f r e e u s e o f t he r oa dwa y. The Cha nc e l l or f ound t ha t t he r oa d, whi c h r uns g e n e r a l l y f r om Hi ghwa y 62 i n a nor t he r l y di r e c t i on t hr ough M . r M Fa r l a nd' s pr ope r t y t o or ne a r t he t op of a mount a i n l oc a t e d i n c Fr o z e n He a d St a t e Pa r k, wa s a publ i c r oa d. The pr oof a nd i n f e r e n c e s t o be dr a wn t he r e f r om s how t ha t t he r oa d wa s c o n s t r u c t e d by t he Ci vi l i a n Cons e r va t i on Cor ps i n t he l a t e 193 0 s o r e a r l y 1940s , a nd ha d be e n ma i nt a i ne d a s a gr a ve l r oa d f or a n u mb e r of ye a r s by M ga n Count y. or Li ke wi s e , i t ha d be e n us e d wi t h o u t l e t or hi ndr a nc e by t he l a ndowne r s a dj oi ni ng i t , a s we l l a s t h e ge ne r a l publ i c , unt i l M . M Fa r l a nd pur c ha s e d hi s pr ope r t y r c a mo n t h or t wo pr i or t o De c e mbe r 1995, t he da t e t he pr e s e nt s u i t wa s f i l e d. Our r e vi e w of t he r e c or d a nd t he br i e f s of t he pa r t i e s p e r s u a d e us t ha t t hi s i s a n a ppr opr i a t e c a s e f or a f f i r ma nc e und e r Ru l e 1 0 ( a ) of t hi s Cour t . I n r e a c hi ng t hi s c onc l us i on we a r e a wa r e t ha t t he Co u n t y pa ve d t he r oa d f r om Hi ghwa y 62 t o M . M Fa r l a nd' s dr i ve wa y r c a n d a p p a r e nt l y c e a s e d t o ma i nt a i n t he r oa d be yond t ha t poi nt . Ho we v e r , we poi nt out t ha t e ve n i f t he Count y a ba ndone d t he r o a d , t h e a d j a c e nt l a ndowne r s woul d ne ve r t he l e s s r e t a i n t he pr i va t e r i gh t t o t r a ve r s e i t . For t he f or e goi ng r e a s ons t he j udgme nt of t he Tr i a l Co u r t i s a f f i r me d a nd t he c a us e r e ma nde d f or s uc h f ur t he r p r o c e e d i ngs a s ma y be ne c e s s a r y a nd c ol l e c t i on of c os t s be l ow. 2 Co s t s o f a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d a ga i ns t M . M Fa r l a nd a nd hi s r c s ur e t i e s . _______________________________ Hous t on M Godda r d, P. J . . CONCUR: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________________________ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________________________ W l l i a m H. I nma n, Sr . J . i 3

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.