Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
Order Cases Online
The files located in the Tennessee Supreme Court Cases represent an especially valuable resource for historical and genealogical research at the Tennessee State Library and Archives [TSLA].
Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
Use quotes for an exact search. ex. "J. W."
| View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Entry | 1851 | Alexander McMillan v. John Nail | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Nail accused of entering McMillan's land, erecting a fence, & erecting a dam across Swan Pond Creek causing said creek to overflow & damage the land. Justice of Peace ruled for McMillan & awarded $25 damages, which Nail appealed to Circuit Court. Circuit court ruled in McMillan's favor & awarded $8 damages, which Nail appealed to SC. Nail tried to argue overflowing of McMillan's land caused not by Nail but by mill race conveying water to mill. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1158 | 16 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1865 | Burrell Badgett, et al. v. M. D. Bearden, admr. of Seth Lea, dec. | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Additional Plaintiffs: W. N. Maxwell. sued for damages in the sum of $25,000. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 101 | 83 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1930 | Charles W. Cook& Marlie Shelby v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Technically, the cause of action is "Assault with Intent to Commit Voluntary Manslaughter. Case file is incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 76 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1943 | Charles Wallace v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
2 Folders. |
East | Range: 5 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 194 | 453 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1847 | David McCully v. Alexander Malcolm Jr. et al. | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Additional Defendants: John Griffith, James Griffith, Joseph Matthews, Francis Walker, Josiah Rogers, Edward Luck, James Matthews. Plaintiff claims Defendants assaulted him with weapons & their fists , & arrested & imprisoned him without good cause. Non-party persons mentioned: Henry McCully, Plaintiff's brother, who was arrested at the same time Plaintiff was arrested. At one point, proceedings took place in Blount County, but they ended up in Knox County. |
East | Range: 9 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1121 | 40 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1941 | Eagle Pilky v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Vestal Pridemore. |
East | Range: 6 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 243 | 133 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1944 | Floyd Bruce & Roy Bruce v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill | East | Range: 5 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 196 | 184 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1943 | Floyd Bruce v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 93 | 2 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1866 | George J. J. Dunn v. Amos Hardin & John G. Hardin | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Hardins (rebels) accused of beating up Dunns (Union men). Amos & 2 rebel soldiers (James Grant & Bob Sugarts) heard threatening to whip/hang boys in settlement who didn't join rebel army. Testimony notes "the Dunns" were whipped; unclear if that means… ...Plaintiff & his dad or Plaintiff & his son. Amos heard boasting "how the Lincolnite" howled. Both Def.. died during lawsuit & succession of admrs. appointed for each. Events occurred during 1st yr. of war, before the Conscript. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1141 | 30 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | H. D. C. Mynatt v. State | Knox | Assault with Force and Arms |
For assault of M. S. L. Mynatt. |
East | Range: 19 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 1662 | 26 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1948 | J. C. Thompson v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: G. Ray Cockran. |
East | Range: 5 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 167 | 14 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1870 | John Mickley v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: William Merres |
East | Range: 8 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 813 | 5 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1931 | J. C. Fuller v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Fuller was tried and found guilty of assaulting John C. Cox and attempting to commit voluntary manslaughter. An argument took place when Cox's friends Wright and Davis forced Fuller off the road--Fuller admitted that his car was undamaged, but that the incident did "irreparable injury to his feelings." Fuller pursued the two, but they cut him off again. By then Fuller was so agitated that he "applied to the occupants of the Ford an epithet suggesting canine maternal ancestry." |
East | Range: 10 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1843 | 515 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1946 | John Turner v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Made an assault upon Irene Owenby with the intention of forcibly having carnal knowledge w/her. In a motion for a new trial, E. R. Mynatt brought new evidence of the physical impossibility of committing rape in the coal truck cab. Owenby claimed she was walking home from the Appalachian Mills when defendant stopped and said, "Sweetheart you are going w/me." Evidence includes a swatch of plaid cloth and what looks to be the second page of a letter. |
East | Range: 8 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 792 | 260 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | John Mickels v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Dissenting opinion only. Written by "Judge Nelson". Victim is not identified. Date is unknown. |
East | Range: 8 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 813 | 9 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1946 | Kenneth Hackney v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 100 | 2 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1857 | L. A. White & Isabella French v. John Rogers | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Demarcus D. Stacks also listed as defendant. Filed for $500 damages. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1157 | 21 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1942 | Mary Womble v. State | Knox | Assault with Force and Arms |
Plaintiff is appealing the charge that she attacked Estella Brown with a razor. |
East | Range: 5 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 34 | 61 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1871 | M. W. Dickinson use of M. Z. M. & M. Co. v. A. A. Barnes, et al. | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Additional Defendants: Robert Craighead, John Craig, and Hugh McKinney. Plaintiffs: Marble and Zinc Mining and Manufacturing Co. |
East | Range: 5 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 26 | 16 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1911 | R. M. Tillett v. State | Knox | Assault with Force and Arms |
Plaintiff is appealing the charge of "malicious shooting." Case file is incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 76 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1858 | Rachel A. Sawyers, By Guardian J. C. N. Sawyers v. John Zachry | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Plaintiff sued for $1,000 damages, alleging that on 10 March 1854 Zachry illegally took possession of a close and lot belonging to her, keeping her from it for a "long time". He also reduced the property's value by cutting timber valued at about $100. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1188 | 14 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1943 | Roy Bruce v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 93 | 2 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1835 | State v. John Dearmond | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Victim: Allen Perry. |
East | Range: 7 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 690 | 6 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1946 | State v. Kenneth Hackney | Knox | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Victim: Elizabeth McElroy. |
East | Range: 7 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 775 | 122 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1852 | Sydney (a man of color) v. Thomas White& Newton White | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Cause of action in this case is listed as "trespass with force and arms." Sydney (a man of color) is sued for his damages in the amount of $10,000. Sydney is a free man of color who is the son of a woman named Philis who has been given her freedom. Sydney claims that Thomas and Newton White assaulted, bruised, and imprisoned him against his will. Topics of interests in this case: slavery, free men of color. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1152 | 40 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1852 | Samuel A. White v. John Rodgers | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
D.G. Stacks listed as co-defendant. Plaintiff filed after defendants allegedly trespassed on his property and cut down timber and trampled down his crops after wrongfully evicting him from his residence. sued for $500 in damages. Exhibit: hand-drawn map of land boundaries. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1151 | 41 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1869 | State v. George Carter | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Rush Pate also listed as a defendant. Victim: Guilford Loney. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1186 | 23 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1856 | Thomas W. Kearns v. Aaron Harbison et al | Knox | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Additional defendant James Harbison. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1180 | 56 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1944 | William Bradford v. State | Knox | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 100 | 2 | Order A Copy |