News
April 8, 2019
Gerald Webb II, a former assistant district attorney and criminal defense lawyer, was recently sworn in as the newest judge on the Hamilton County General Sessions Court. He is the first African American judge to hold a countywide judgeship in Hamilton County.Judge Webb was sworn in by Hamilton…
April 5, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court has designated Saturday, April 6 as the kickoff for the third annual HELP4TN Days, a time dedicated to bringing free legal resources to Tennesseans in need. Throughout the month of April, more than 100 free legal clinics will be held throughout the state, and online and…
April 3, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Criminal Court Judge in the 13th Judicial District, which covers Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties. This vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of the Honorable David A. Patterson, who…
April 2, 2019
Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear two cases on April 4, 2019. The details of the cases are as follows: Thursday, April 4, 2019State of Tennessee v. A.B. Prince, Jr., and Victor Tyrone Sims – On January 1, 2017, the Public Safety Act of 2016 became effective.…
March 29, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court has amended Supreme Court Rule 7, which focuses on the licensing of attorneys to practice law in Tennessee. These most recent changes follow other modifications that were made to the rule over the past several years, including adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and…
March 25, 2019
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark recently presided over the final round of the Tennessee Bar Association's 2019 State High School Mock Trial Competition. Students from Agathos Classical School in Columbia were named the winners for the second year in a row. They will now go on to…
March 21, 2019
The Administrative Office of the Courts is now accepting grant applications for the Parent Education and Mediation Fund (“PEMF”) as well as the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (“VORP”) for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The PEMF and VORP grants for the 2019 – 2020 fiscal year are for the…
March 20, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today a bank that removed an individual from an account held as a joint tenant with right of survivorship without the individual’s permission was not protected from liability. The Court found the plaintiff had sufficiently alleged claims for relief against the bank…
March 19, 2019
Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway will receive a 2019 Women of Distinction award later this month during American Baptist College’s Nannie Helen Burroughs Luncheon.The luncheon is one of the highlights of the historic college’s annual Garnett-Nabrit Lecture Series, now in its…
March 18, 2019
In 2017, Bo and Jessica, a couple in their 30s, welcomed twin boys into the world. They were loving parents, but the couple had a problem, an all too common one in today’s world: they were addicted to opioids.That addiction led to trouble later in the year when both Bo and Jessica were separated…
March 13, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that the fair report privilege provided to journalists cannot be defeated by either express or actual malice. The decision came in an appeal arising out of a defamation action that Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk filed against Scripps…
March 12, 2019
In a divided opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court has adopted a good-faith exception similar to one set forth by the United States Supreme Court in Herring v. United States, which held “that when police mistakes are the result of negligence . . . rather than systemic error or reckless disregard of…
March 11, 2019
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today, Monday, March 11, 2019, to consider 14 applicants for the Court of Appeals vacancy in the Western Division. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Council selected the following applicants:…
March 7, 2019
Juvenile judges from across Tennessee recently held their winter conference in Murfreesboro, focusing on the effects of vicarious trauma on themselves, judicial staff, and children, as well as learning about legislative changes and new state leadership in key areas.Tennessee Supreme Court Justice…
March 1, 2019
General Sessions Court judges from across the state recently gathered for a conference in Murfreesboro where they discussed issues related to the opioid epidemic, the effects of vicarious trauma, updates to case law, and more.In his opening remarks on the first morning of the conference, Tennessee…
February 28, 2019
The Advisory Task Force on Composition of Judicial Districts will hold a public hearing in Nashville on March 4 to receive comments from those interested in sharing their thoughts on judicial districts in Tennessee. The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. at Cordell Hull Building, Senate…
February 26, 2019
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments has selected March 11 as the meeting date to interview the 14 candidates who have applied for the Court of Appeals opening in the Western Division. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. CST and will be held at the Jackson Supreme Court Building.The…
February 20, 2019
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced four new members to the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments, which is responsible for recommending candidates to the governor to fill vacancies for Tennessee’s appellate courts.“The Council for Judicial Appointments reflects some of the brightest legal…
February 20, 2019
The Advisory Task Force on Composition of Judicial Districts has announced four public hearing dates to receive comments from those interested in sharing their thoughts on judicial districts in Tennessee. The hearing dates are:March 4, 2019, 1 p.m.Cordell Hull Building – Senate Hearing Room…
February 14, 2019
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider 14 applicants when it meets to select nominees for the Court of Appeals opening in the Western Division created by the appointment of Brandon O. Gibson as Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor.The applicants are:…