News

May 29, 2012
Nashville, Tenn. – In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the first degree murder convictions of Hubert Glenn Sexton for the shooting deaths of Stanley Goodman and his wife, Terry Sue Goodman on May 20, 2000 in Scott County. However, due to errors during the trial, the case has…

May 25, 2012
Nashville, Tenn.– In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court clarified the procedures an inmate must follow to dispute the determination of parole eligibility for consecutive sentences.  The case arose when Danny A. Stewart was convicted in 2002 of multiple drug-related offenses and…

May 25, 2012
Recently, Boys State delegates heard oral arguments in two Supreme Court cases at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville as part of the week-long Boys State program sponsored by the American Legion. This is the 10th consecutive year that Boys State delegates have participated in the SCALES Program…

May 24, 2012
Nashville, Tenn.– The State of Tennessee requested the Tennessee Supreme Court to review the order granting new trials to three of the four defendants convicted of the first degree murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. Today, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that a trial judge’s…

May 21, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court is now accepting comments regarding the Administrative Office of the Courts' proposal that expands and updates the provisions of Supreme Court Rule 42. Rule 42 governs the appointment and compensation of court interpreters and translators in this…

May 18, 2012
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille R. McMullen was recently featured in Austin Peay State University's magazine. To read the article, visit http://www.apsu.edu/magazine.

May 16, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court has begun a review of Supreme Court Rule 9: Disciplinary Enforcement. If there are any proposed changes, there will be an announcement and a time for public comment set. Read Rule 9: Disciplinary Enforcement

May 8, 2012
Nashville, Tenn. – In a 4-1 opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court today denied workers’ compensation benefits to a lineman for Fayetteville Public Utilities who was injured on the job.  On Jan. 5, 2009, Troy Mitchell and his crew were replacing a power pole. Mitchell, who admittedly was aware…

May 4, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court recently changed Rule 21 or the Rule for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. Attorneys will now receive continuing education credits at no cost for pro bono legal and mediation services as outlined in Rule 21.  The change will allow more attorneys and mediators to…

May 1, 2012
The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts was recently recognized with numerous awards from the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts. The consortium seeks to promote equal access to justice in courts and tribunals by eliminating language barriers for persons with limited English…

April 30, 2012
Nashville, Tenn.– On May 1, judges, lawyers and citizens across the state will be participating in various events to celebrate Law Day. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Cornelia A. Clark is this year’s state chair of Law Day.  “Law Day gives us a chance to recognize the many professionals…

April 27, 2012
From the Columbia Daily HeraldBy: Tim Hodge High Court Judge Speaks at Law Day A Tennessee Supreme Court Justice visited Maury County in celebration of Law Day 2012 and discussed a section of the judicial system he said is often under-appreciated. Law Day was established in 1958 by President…

April 24, 2012
Nashville, Tenn.– The Tennessee Supreme Court decided today that a settlement agreement requiring the transfer of an interest in real property must satisfy the Statute of Frauds to be enforceable. The Court also held for the first time that e-mails are sufficient to satisfy the Statute of Frauds.…

April 24, 2012
Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Supreme Court today ruled a defendant should not have been questioned by the State regarding prior assaults against her because the evidence was inadmissible.  The case began after the death of Azucena Lopez-Lajuj, the daughter of Nelson Aguilar Gomez and…

April 20, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s judgment today and ruled that a prosecutor’s handwritten note that was not turned over to the defendant before the trial of his case was not admissible as evidence and, therefore, was insufficient to support the defendant’s petition for a new…

April 19, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed a trial court’s award of damages because the plaintiff had failed to prove that she had suffered a serious mental injury in her claim based on intentional infliction of emotional distress due to poor maintenance of a cemetery.  In 2001, Betty Saint…

April 13, 2012
Hawkins County General Sessions Judge James F. Taylor reached an agreement with the Court of the Judiciary today. He agreed to an immediate suspension and will resign effective May 1. Read the Order

April 9, 2012
The Court of the Judiciary has issued a public reprimand against Obion County General Sessions Court Judge Jimmy C. Smith in response to a complaint filed against the judge.View the Public Reprimand

April 9, 2012
The lawyers of the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office spend most of their days helping others. But the challenges of the judicial system can be daunting. Lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression and more likely to abuse alcohol than those in other occupations. That’s why the…

April 9, 2012
From the Bristol Herald Courier... Raymond W. Winters Raymond W. Winters Jr. Beloved husband, father and grandfather, Raymond William Winters Jr., a kind and gentle man, passed away suddenly after a brief illness on April 8, 2012. Raymond was born on July 24, 1939. Raymond graduated from Lincoln…