News
September 11, 2024
Judge Stephanie J. Williams was elected on Aug. 1, 2024 to serve as Circuit Court Judge for the 20th Judicial District. She fills the vacancy created by the passing of Judge Philip E. Smith, in September 2022. Fittingly, Judge Smith served as Judge Williams’ longtime mentor and was instrumental in…
September 9, 2024
Nashville, Tenn- Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary L. Wagner received a warm welcome to the bench as family, friends, colleagues, elected officials, and the judiciary joined her in Germantown for a ceremonial investiture by Governor Bill Lee.“Justice Wagner is highly qualified and brings…
September 6, 2024
Judge Jennifer Nichols was sworn in as the newest circuit court judge for the 18th judicial district August 22 at the Sumner County Courthouse. Her 4-year-old granddaughter, Ann Campbell Boulki, held the Bible during the oath of office. “That was just beyond special,” said Judge Nichols. “She’…
August 28, 2024
Retired Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Joyce Cassandra Broffitt passed away on Aug. 23, 2024. She was 68 years old.Judge Broffitt was appointed to the General Sessions Criminal Court, Division 9, by the Shelby County Commission on Nov. 18, 1996, and took office on Nov. 22, 1996…
August 27, 2024
Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Supreme Court today clarified that an alert from a trained drug-sniffing dog can be part of law enforcement’s probable cause for a search even though the dog cannot tell the difference between illegal marijuana and legal hemp.On February 16, 2020, law enforcement…
August 26, 2024
Retired Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe D. Duncan passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 20 in Farragut. He was 100 years old.In 1990, Judge Duncan retired from the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. He was elected to the post by Governor Winfield Dunn, in 1975. Prior to his appointment,…
August 26, 2024
Fourth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge O. Duane Slone died in a traffic accident on Aug. 25, 2024, in Jefferson County. He was 61 years old.Judge Slone, a former drug trafficking prosecutor, was first elected to the 4th Judicial District Circuit Court in 1998, and in 2009 he co-founded his…
August 20, 2024
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr. passed away on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. Judge Witt was serving as a judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section, at the time of his passing. He was appointed to the court by Republican Governor Don Sundquist in…
July 31, 2024
Nashville, Tenn- The Tennessee Supreme Court held today that a person who bought property near downtown Nashville, but failed to record the deed, could not gain full ownership of the property under a rule of law known as “adverse possession.” Under adverse possession, someone who may not own…
July 19, 2024
The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that attorneys must pay their professional privilege tax or face suspension, and if they are suspended, it takes effect the moment the Court enters the order of suspension.
Every year, attorneys licensed in the State of Tennessee are required by…
July 18, 2024
Nashville, Tenn- The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met in Charlotte, Tennessee to select nominees for a circuit court judge int 23rd Judicial District which includes Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, and Stewart counties.
After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the…
July 11, 2024
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today in Sevierville to consider eight applicants for a circuit court judge vacancy in the 4th Judicial District, which covers Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties.
After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Commission…
July 10, 2024
Nashville, Tenn- The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that, when a trial judge misunderstands his role as “thirteenth juror” in a civil case, appellate courts should send the case back to the trial judge to review the case instead of automatically requiring the parties to go through a new trial.…
July 3, 2024
Nashville, Tenn- The Tennessee Supreme Court has held that a defamation and false light suit filed by Bill Charles against Donna McQueen must be dismissed under the Tennessee Public Participation Act (“TPPA”).
The litigation began in 2020 after Durham Farms, a planned community in…
June 25, 2024
The Tennessee Supreme Court today affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of a prisoner’s petition to consider newly discovered evidence, called an error coram nobis petition. The Supreme Court clarified that, if the error coram nobis petition is not filed within one year after the conviction, the…
June 20, 2024
Nashville, Tenn – The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the decision of a Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel disbarring a Davidson County attorney for three criminal convictions. The criminal convictions arise from the attorney’s conduct in representing a client in post…
June 12, 2024
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed a finding of multiple ethical violations by Knoxville attorney Loring Justice and reinstated a three-year suspension imposed by a hearing panel of the Board of Professional Responsibility.
Although Mr. Justice previously was…
June 12, 2024
Federal Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, was recently honored with a portrait unveiling in Memphis.
The Memphis Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) presented her portrait to the thirtieth Judicial District Circuit Court of…
June 12, 2024
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission began accepting applications for a chancellor vacancy in the 19th Judicial District, which includes Montgomery and Robertson counties, on May 24, 2024.
After the June 11, 2024 deadline, two candidates had applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the…
June 11, 2024
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider eight applicants when it meets July 17th, 2024 in Charlotte, Tennessee to select nominees for a circuit court judge in the 23rd Judicial District which includes Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, and Stewart counties.
The applicants are:…