Stephen Charles Johnson v. Elizabeth Kay Johnson

Syllabus

Stephen Charles Johnson (\Husband\) filed for divorce against Elizabeth Kay Johnson (\Wife\) in the Chancery Court for Knox County (\the Trial Court\).2 Former Chancellor Clarence E. Pridemore, Jr., presided at trial. However, he was defeated for re-election midtrial. Richard B. Armstrong, Jr. succeeded Pridemore as Chancellor. Shortly before his statutory authority expired, Chancellor Pridemore entered a one-page order adopting Wife's 59-page proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law in full. Husband appeals. We conclude that Chancellor Pridemore's order does not reflect his own deliberations and decision-making. We, therefore, vacate the Trial Court's judgment and remand for a new trial.