News
September 23, 2020
Since the coronavirus pandemic struck in mid-March, the laws and regulations surrounding residential evictions have been changing quickly, leaving judicial staff, policymakers, and social organizations scrambling to provide updates and essential services before tenants are left homeless and…
September 22, 2020
The family of Judge Richard H. Dinkins of the Tennessee Court of Appeals has released a statement regarding his status following his recent heart surgery. They have asked that it be shared with his colleagues:Thank you so much for asking about our father, Judge Richard Dinkins. While undergoing a…
September 17, 2020
When Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Thomas Woodall took the bench for the last time, he took a sentimental approach when selecting his attire: the judicial robe formerly worn by one of his mentors, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Mark Walker, who Judge Woodall clerked for right out of law school,…
September 17, 2020
Each September 17, the nation celebrates Constitution and Citizenship Day. The day commemorates the signing of the United States Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787 and also celebrates those who have become American citizens.While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted a number of in-person observances of…
September 16, 2020
Retired Judge James “Eddie” Beckner passed away on September 16, 2020, at the age of 81. Judge Beckner served as a criminal court judge in the Third Judicial District for 30 years and retired in 2006. He was appointed by then Governor Ray Blanton in 1976 and was re-elected in 1982, 1990, and…
September 16, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Chancellor in the Sixth Judicial District, which covers Knox County. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Michael W. Moyers, effective January 23, 2021.Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are…
September 15, 2020
Whether helping his team win on the football field, representing his clients in the courtroom, or striving to improve the lives of Knox County youths from the bench, Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin has always shown dedication to goals bigger than himself. In his newest role, as president…
September 11, 2020
Retired 16th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge and military veteran Royce Taylor was the keynote speaker Friday at a ceremony in Rutherford County in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.Judge Taylor served the State of Tennessee as a judge from 1998 to 2020. During the Vietnam…
September 11, 2020
Two Tennessee judges were elected to the Tennessee Conference of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Executive Committee at the organization’s recent August conference, which was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perry County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Katerina V…
September 10, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court today entered an order permanently disbarring an attorney from practicing law in Tennessee. A lawyer is “disbarred,” that is, expelled from the legal profession, when the Supreme Court finds that he or she has engaged in misconduct so serious that it must revoke…
September 9, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Circuit Court Judge in the Sixth Judicial District, which covers Knox County. This vacancy was created by the appointment of the Honorable Kristi Davis to the Court of Appeals, Eastern Section.Qualified applicants must be licensed…
September 8, 2020
The Tennessee legal community is mourning the loss of Washington County General Sessions and Juvenile Judge James A. Nidiffer, who passed away on September 7, 2020 after a long illness. He was 66.Judge Nidiffer was first elected as a general sessions and juvenile judge in 2006 and was re-elected in…
September 8, 2020
The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) will honor Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark with the prestigious Janice M. Holder Award for Justice Clark’s leadership in advancing the quality of justice statewide to ensure the legal system is open and available to all. The award…
September 1, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court has two cases set for its September 2, 2020 docket. These cases will be heard by video conferencing. The cases will be livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively. The…
August 31, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has broadly impacted American society, but some of its harmful effects have been concentrated on the country’s most vulnerable citizens. For many of those struggling economically, the pandemic has threatened not only their health and their livelihoods, but their homes as well.…
August 27, 2020
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Janet Vest Hardin as Special Judge in General Sessions Court for Washington County.“Janet Vest Hardin’s decades of experience as a prosecutor and attorney make her an exceptional addition to the bench in Washington County,” said…
August 26, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously held that a court may not retroactively correct, or “reform,” a deed when reformation would harm parties with valid recorded liens on the property and would benefit other parties who bought the property with notice of the liens. Courts in Tennessee…
August 25, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court today confirmed that a judge has an obligation to recuse himself or herself from a case if the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned, even if a litigant does not file a motion for recusal. The Court vacated the decision by a judge in a post-conviction…
August 18, 2020
One hundred years ago, on August 18, 1920, Tennessee legislators voted to ratify the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, securing a historic advancement for the rights of women. This vote in favor of extending the franchise to women was decisive, as Tennessee was the 36th state to…
August 14, 2020
Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Richard Dinkins has been named co-chair and Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Melissa Blackburn has been named a member of a new Policing Policy Commission created by Nashville Mayor John Cooper.
Mayor Cooper explained the goals of the Commission…