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 | 1917 | Andrew Druffenbreck v. J. M. Lawrence | Davidson | Assault |
Druffenbreck owned a barbershop in Nashville and Lawrence was attacked by one of the employees named Thornton B. Ladd. |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 97 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1919 | Arch Norvill v. State | Bedford | Assault with Intent to Kill |
The victim in this case was John T. Paschal. |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 147 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1871 | Andy Foster & Moses Jackson v. State | Davidson | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Plaintiffs are "men of color" who are appealing the charge of assault with intent to commit murder of Peyton Woods, another "man of color." |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 318 | 34 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | Audry Collins, Pat Collins, Edward Greene, Jack Lane v. State | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Victim: A. L. Rawlings. County: Unknown. |
East | Range: 5 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 35 | 5 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1885 | Ashbury Bradford v. State | Jefferson | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Ashbury Bradford was charged with assault with intent to commit manslaughter. He assaulted the body of Thomas Howell with a knife. The men were fighting over one of them having their arm around a woman. |
East | Range: 19 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1906 | 43 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1899 | Ad Harmon v. State | Madison | Assault with Intent to Kill | West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 722 | 12 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1932 | Avril Taylor v. State | Anderson | Assault |
Plaintiff in error and Oliver Gadd are accused of participating in the robbery and attempted murder of E. A. Jenkins. Jenkins was crossing a bridge when he noticed two men standing on the other side. According to Jenkins, one of the men pointed a pistol at him and he immediately ran. The bridge was under construction and the plaintiff in error was the night watchman. During the night of the incident, the pla. in error claims it was Jenkins who pointed at pistol at him. |
East | Range: 10 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1360 | 28 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | Alex McKinney v. State | Carter | Assault, Felonious |
Alex McKinney, aka Eleck McKinney, is charged with feloniously assaulting W. M. Street with a shotgun with intent to commit murder. Both the plaintiff and the victim live in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. A day before the incident, Street, a deputy sheriff, had captured a still and whiskey which he believed belonged to the Pla. in error. The next day as Street was passing through Roan Mountain, he was shot in the back by someone who he identified as the Pla. |
East | Range: 10 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1379 | 45 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | Annie Williams v. State | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Incomplete case file. Nature and victim of assault are unknown. |
East | Range: 10 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1495 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1928 | Annie Carter v. State | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Case is incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 84 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1906 | Allison Caldwell v. State | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Final Decree only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 89 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | A. B. Summers v. State | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Ralph Burton. |
East | Range: 5 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 173 | 109 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1896 | Alanzo Bowman v. State | Decatur | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Toni Taylor |
West | Range: 82 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 458 | 44 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1908 | Arthur Crockett v. State | Shelby | Assault |
Victim: W. T. Griffin |
West | Range: 81 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 951 | 271 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1936 | Abijah Greene v. State | Hancock | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Abijah Greene shot Carson Burchet after Carson insulted the wife of Abijah |
East | Range: 8 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 1019 | 75 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | A. P. Massengill v. A. M. Shadden | Jefferson | Assault and Battery |
Additional Cause of Action: Trespass. Date: Unknown. Opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 74 | 4 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1933 | Annie Mae Thomas v. State | Hamilton | Assault |
Annie Mae Thomas, alias Jones. Plaintiff in error is accused of assaulting Ora Byrd with a knife. Details of assault are unknown. Plaintiff's petition for parole notes that pla. is 18 years old, has never before been charged with a crime, and has worked one job for, "one of our best families" for four years. |
East | Range: 10 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 1552 | 15 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1878 | Bailey P. Harrison v. State | Sumner | Assault and Battery |
Assault of Martha Jones. Joseph C. Stark, Judge of 10th Circuit, W. N. Cowden, Circuit Court Clerk, B. D. Bell, District Attorney General, D. P. Hart, Constable of Sumner Co. Jurors: J. K. Taylor, E. H. Green, J. J. Smith, T. F. Honeycutt, A. W. Overton, H. P. Enloe, George Schleuter, Charles Poston, M. V. Trout, H. E. Love, V. H. Allen, A. Escue. E. T. Bush, Foreman. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 38 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1915 | Brice Lane v. State | Rutherford | Assault with Intent to Kill | Middle | Range: 21 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 130 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1915 | Bedford Hill v. State | Overton | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Additional parties: S. R. Peterman, James Dial, Birdwell Patterson, J. H. Watkins |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 133 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1926 | Bill Brock & Bill Price v. State | McMinn | Assault and Battery |
Order only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 70 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1928 | Bob Thurman v. State | Rhea | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Case file is incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 80 | 1 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1944 | Ben Harrison v. State | Washington | Assault with Force and Arms |
Victim: Bobbie Snyder. |
East | Range: 5 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 121 | 89 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | Buchanan Fowler v. State | Assault |
Opinion only. |
West | Range: 84 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 11 | 0 | Order A Copy | ||
| View Entry | 1937 | Bill Johnson & George Johnson v. State | Bradley | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Tiger Walker. |
East | Range: 9 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1054 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1931 | Buford Cole v. State | Sevier | Assault, Felonious |
Pla. in error is accused of stabbing Charlie Dodgin with a pocket knife with intent to kill. Pla. in error, his wife, Otha Reagan, and Dodgin spent the night at Skiyuki Inn, which is described as a restaurant and soft drink stand. During the night, all of the parties consumed whiskey. After Pla. in error fell asleep, Dodgin and Pla.'s wife got into an argument and struck each other. Upon learning this, the Pla. in error went to Dodgin and stabbed him. |
East | Range: 10 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1325 | 37 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1890 | Burk Milum (col.) v. State | Lincoln | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Plaintiff in error is accused of attempting to rape Alma Hicks, daughter of Lewis Hicks, the plaintiff's employer. Lewis Hicks claims he entered his home to find the plaintiff assaulting his daughter. The plaintiff claim it was Alma who initiated the interaction. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 872 | 36 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1922 | Benton Robertson v. State | Overton | Assault and Battery |
Benton Robertson was charged with assault and battery against Mary Willie Moore |
Middle | Range: 33 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 429 | 32 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1940 | Bob Holland v. State | Greene | Assault | East | Range: 5 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 172 | 162 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1890 | Bud Bradley v. State | Gibson | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Henry Sheppard |
West | Range: 82 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 552 | 54 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1900 | Breece Kittrell v. State | Perry | Assault with Intent to Kill |
This only the brief. The victim is not named. |
West | Range: 82 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 677 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1908 | Ben Brooks v. State | Shelby | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Mollie Turner |
West | Range: 81 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 966 | 96 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1937 | Buzz McClain v. State | Sullivan | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Also named State v. Buzz McClain. Assault victims: W. T. Bishop, Sam Bishop, Jay Vaughn |
East | Range: 9 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1064 | 19 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1914 | Bonner Thomasson, by next friend v. Western Union Telegraph Company, et al. | Shelby | Assault |
Plaintiff, Bonner Thomasson, sued by his next friend, C. D. Thomasson- both residents of Shelby Co., sued defendants, Western Union Telegraph Co., and C. H. Carroll, an employee of said company, for sum of $2,000.00, result of assault, 31 Dec. 1912, upon defendant Thomasson who was attempting to collect (wages?). Defendant had been discharged as result of labor strike by messenger boys against company. Carroll threatened bodily harm against defendant. |
West | Range: 79 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1378 | 78 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1853 | Benjamin Fowler v. Henry A. Farnsworth | Greene | Assault |
Fowler says Farnsworth violently assaulted him by kicking & striking him, throwing him down, & dragging him, causing bodily injury & damaging his clothes. Farnsworth says he was justified in doing so, as Fowler broke into his house & he was resisting it. Fowler's children mentioned: Benjamin F. Fowler, Catharine Fowler, & stepson Alexander Simons. NOTE: ET 1140 and 1173 contain other cases between same parties around same time period, & cause of actions are fraud and trespass & damages. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1152 | 42 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1919 | Cass Vaughn v. State | Putnam | Assault and Battery |
Additional parties: Ina Kinnard, Bettie Jared |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 113 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1861 | C. W. Hughes v. State | Macon | Assault and Battery |
Defendant is appealing the charge that he assaulted William Drake. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 305 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1884 | Calvin Smith v. Memphis & Arkansas City Packet Company | Shelby | Assault and Battery |
The folder includes three briefs, two hand-written and one printed. Smith worked as a "rouster" on the steamboat Rene Macready, loading cotton. He claims he was attacked by the first mate, beaten on the head and buttocks with a hickory stick, and then threatened with a pistol and shot at. |
West | Range: 83 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 253 | 45 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1946 | Carl Jeffers v. State | Greene | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Mary Jeffers. |
East | Range: 5 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 195 | 184 | 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 | 1940 | Claude Shular v. State | Knox | Assault | East | Range: 6 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 236 | 348 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1944 | Charlie Murr v. State | Greene | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Murr was accused of killing Willard Cooter as well as accused of receiving five stolen hogs. |
East | Range: 6 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 257 | 293 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1893 | Calvin Lee v. State | Weakley | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Cora Hornsby |
West | Range: 82 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 576 | 78 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1945 | City of Chattanooga v. Dora Brown | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Victim: William Maddox. |
East | Range: 7 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 537 | 11 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1940 | City of Chattanooga v. Richard Cuzzart | Hamilton | Assault and Battery |
Victim: Earl Flegal. Defendant alias: Richard Cuzzort. |
East | Range: 7 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 613 | 42 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1906 | Carter Epps v. State | Henry | Assault, Felonious |
Victim: Elmus Collins |
West | Range: 81 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 979 | 11 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1892 | Corporation of Sparta v. Pate Lewis | White | Assault |
Plaintiff is accused of assaulting Charles Passons with a knife. Before the assault, plaintiff was arrested for public drunkenness and placed in jail. In the evening Charles Passons made a trip to the jail to bring water to Lewis, and claims this is when he was attacked. Plaintiff insists he was whittling, when in the process of taking his knife, Passons was accidently stabbed. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 920 | 40 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1874 | Charles Brannon v. State | Monroe | Assault and Battery |
Listed on cover sheet as "mayhem." For assaulting & putting out eye of William Henderson. |
East | Range: 20 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1622 | 30 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1917 | C. H. Baxter v. State | Maury | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Additional party: Gus Wright. |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 87 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1919 | Clyde G. Burson v. State | Davidson | Assault and Battery | Middle | Range: 21 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 142 | 0 | Order A Copy |