News

August 2, 2021
In a unanimous opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the economic loss doctrine applies in fraud actions where the parties are sophisticated commercial entities and the claim is based solely on alleged misrepresentations or nondisclosures about the quality of the goods…

July 28, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider three applications for a Circuit Court Judge in the Third Judicial District, which covers Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Thomas J. Wright, effective September 2, 2021.The…

July 22, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Thursday, July 22, to consider five candidates for the 25th judicial district circuit court vacancy. The 25th judicial district includes Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, McNairy, and Tipton counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the…

July 22, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed Judge Thomas J. Wright as a senior judge for a term of four years, effective September 1, 2021. Judge Wright is currently a circuit court judge in the state’s Third Judicial District, which includes Greene, Hancock, Hamblen, and Hawkins counties. He will…

July 16, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Friday, July 16, to consider five candidates for the 7th judicial district circuit court vacancy. The 7th judicial district covers Anderson County. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Donald R. Elledge, effective July 2, 2021.…

July 13, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Circuit Court Judge in the Third Judicial District, which covers Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Thomas J. Wright, effective September 2, 2021.Qualified…

July 8, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit that had been refiled after it previously was dismissed before going to trial.  The Court held that the prior dismissal did not prevent refiling the lawsuit because that dismissal had not resolved the lawsuit on its merits.In May…

July 6, 2021
The Tennessee judiciary is mourning the loss of retired Judge Terry Lafferty, who passed away on July 2, 2021, at the age of 89.Judge Lafferty served as a criminal court judge in Shelby County from 1977 to his retirement in 1997. After his retirement, he served as a senior judge. Prior to taking…

July 6, 2021
The Tennessee Judicial Conference, which is comprised of Tennessee’s state court judges, elected new officers at its meeting in June.Taking the helm as president is Chancellor J.B. Cox, who sits on the bench in the state’s 17th judicial district of Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore counties.…

July 2, 2021
Tennessee lawmakers passed several key pieces of legislation this year that will improve and impact the state’s court system. From the creation of new three-judge panel to hear certain constitutional challenges to the expansion of recovery courts and safe baby courts, the new laws allow the courts…

June 30, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that a general contractor may be required to pay a $300-per-day penalty under Tennessee law for its failure to pay a subcontractor for work completed on a Nashville construction project. Applying Tennessee’s Prompt Pay Act, the Court reversed the trial court’s…

June 29, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider three applicants for the circuit court vacancy in the 24th judicial district, which includes Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin, and Henry counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable C. Creed McGinley, effective August 1, 2021…

June 29, 2021
Seventh Judicial District Circuit Judge Don Elledge will retire at the end of June, after 16 years on the bench serving the people of Anderson County. During that time, Judge Elledge has gained a reputation as a respected leader among his peers, having been elected in 2019…

June 24, 2021
Tenth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Larry H. Puckett will retire from the bench at the end of June, after nearly 24 years serving the people of Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk Counties. He was first appointed to the 10th Judicial District Circuit bench in 1997 by Governor Don Sundquist…

June 23, 2021
The new Tennessee State Library & Archives is a treasure trove for judges and attorneys searching for historical information related to court cases, legislative history, or personal records that may be applicable to specific projects and problems. The new building opened in April on the…

June 22, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider five applicants for the circuit court vacancy in the 25th judicial district, which includes Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, McNairy, and Tipton counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Joe H. Walker III, effective July 2,…

June 18, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission began accepting applications for the Chancellor in the 26th Judicial District, which covers Chester, Henderson and Madison counties, on June 3, 2021. After the June 17, 2021, deadline, two candidates had applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the…

June 17, 2021
The trial judges from across Tennessee recently paid tribute to Chief Justice Jeff Bivins for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chief justice is the head of the judicial branch.  Since March 2020, the Supreme Court has issued ten Orders related to the pandemic that included…

June 16, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Wednesday, June 16, to consider five candidates for the 19th judicial district circuit court vacancy. The 19th judicial district covers Montgomery and Robertson. This vacancy was created by the appointment of the Honorable Jill Bartee Ayers to the Court…

June 15, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an interim rule for the special three-judge panels passed in the General Assembly in May. The interim rule is available here.