BRANDON SHANE WOOLEY v. DICKSON COUNTY, ET AL. - Articles

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BRANDON SHANE WOOLEY v. DICKSON COUNTY, ET AL.

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Dec 29, 2025

Court: TN Court of Appeals

Attorneys 1: Brandon Shane Wooley, Charlotte, Tennessee, Pro Se appellant.

Attorneys 2: Timothy V. Potter, Dickson, Tennessee, for the appellees, Dickson County, Tennessee, and, in their official capacities, Brian Cave, Jenifer Gonzales, Dewayne Hayes, Amber McCoy, and Ashley Whitworth.

Judge(s): SWINEY

This appeal concerns jail behavior credits. Dickson County Jail inmate Brandon Shane Wooley (“Plaintiff”) sued Dickson County and several officials (“Defendants”) in the Chancery Court for Dickson County (“the Trial Court”) alleging that he was wrongfully denied credits for good behavior. When Defendants failed to respond within 30 days, Plaintiff moved for default judgment. Defendants then filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. The Trial Court denied Plaintiff’s motion for default judgment. In addition, the Trial Court held that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to hear Plaintiff’s complaint because Plaintiff failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. The Trial Court stated, therefore, that it was unnecessary to address Defendants’ motion to dismiss. Plaintiff appeals. We vacate the Trial Court’s holding that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction and remand for the Trial Court to determine whether Plaintiff exhausted his administrative remedies and what those remedies were.

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