News
November 6, 2023
Judge James Y. Ross, Wayne County General Sessions & Juvenile Court Judge, was recently elected president of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference (TGSJC).
“I’ve been on the executive committee for a long time, so I know what I’m getting into,” said Judge Ross.
Outgoing…
October 31, 2023
The Board of Judicial Conduct issued a Public Reprimand for Judge A. Melissa Boyd. Read the reprimand here.
October 27, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court and the Access to Justice Commission recently celebrated attorneys who performed more than 50 hours of pro bono services over the course of a year.
“Tennessee's always been the volunteer state and the lawyers live up to that motto,” John Farringer, chair of…
October 27, 2023
On October 6, Judge Ashleigh Travis was sworn in as the seventh judge of the 19th Judicial District by Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jill Bartee Ayers.
In her remarks, Judge Ayers recalled the time she and her colleagues appointed Judge Travis to the position of child support magistrate…
October 18, 2023
Knox County General Sessions Court Judge Chuck Cerny received the Leon Ruben Award for Excellence at the recent Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference in Memphis. The award was presented by Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Alex McVeagh.
“For those who don’t know, Judge Cerny not…
October 17, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court held today that a property owner using his home as a short-term rental did not violate homeowner association restrictions requiring that homes be used for "residential and no other purposes." However, the Court also held that the property owner’s short-term rentals…
October 16, 2023
Memphis Circuit Court Judge Valerie L. Smith was recently elected by her colleagues across the state to serve as president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference, which is comprised of all state trial and appellate judges. For the first time in the organization’s history, the president’s…
October 11, 2023
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals held oral arguments for its September Knoxville docket at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Judges Timothy Easter, Jill Ayers, and Robert Montgomery heard three appellate cases.
This was the first time that the court had heard oral arguments away…
October 6, 2023
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee formally swore in Justice Holly Kirby as the Supreme Court’s newest Chief Justice on October 4. Joined by her family, colleagues, and friends, Justice Kirby took the oath of office as Chief Justice in the Historic Supreme Court Chambers in the Tennessee State Capitol.…
October 3, 2023
Across the state of Tennessee, many judges are struggling to effectively administer justice in their courtrooms. The state must rely on court-appointed attorneys to provide mandatory legal counsel, but the pool of available attorneys has shrunk considerably.
“Every day we hear from judges who…
October 3, 2023
Nashville, Tenn. The Tennessee Supreme Court has six cases set for its October 4, 2023 docket. The first two cases will be heard in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning at 10:00 a.m., CDT. The next two cases will be heard beginning at 1:30 p.m., CDT. The remaining two cases case will be…
October 2, 2023
Governor Bill Lee will formally swear in Justice Holly Kirby as the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 4 at 9 a.m. in the Historic Supreme Court Chambers in the Tennessee State Capitol.
Chief Justice Kirby was unanimously elected by the Court for a two-year term,…
October 2, 2023
The State of Tennessee is mourning the loss of retired Court of Appeals Judge Richard H. Dinkins, who passed away on October 1 at the age of 71. Judge Dinkins served on the Court of Appeals from 2008 until his retirement in 2022. Previously, he was a chancellor in Davidson County from 2003 to 2008…
September 29, 2023
After years of planning, grant applications, hiring, and meetings, the 19th Judicial District has launched a Mental Health Court.
“When I started regularly hearing criminal cases here in the 19th, I noticed that certain defendants were cycling through my courtroom,” Judge Kathryn W. Olita said. “A…
September 29, 2023
In a lawsuit against a Davidson County physician, the Tennessee Supreme Court today upheld the trial court’s pre-trial ruling prohibiting the defendant doctor from using evidence that another physician, who was not in the lawsuit, caused the plaintiff’s injuries, because the defendant doctor did…
September 29, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that the 2017 amendment to the probation eligibility statute, Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-303, prohibits defendants who are convicted of vehicular homicide by intoxication from receiving any form of probation.
In August 2020, Ebony Robinson struck…
September 28, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed a decision of the Court of Appeals that had allowed a lawsuit against an Alabama homebuilder for alleged construction defects in a house built in Alabama to proceed in Tennessee. At issue in the case was the concept of personal jurisdiction, which…
September 28, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today ruled that the economic loss doctrine applies only to products liability cases and should not be expanded. The doctrine generally prevents a contracting party who suffers only economic losses from recovering additional damages under tort law principles. Because it…
September 28, 2023
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced three key judicial appointments for newly created state courts.
“I am proud to announce the appointment of these highly qualified individuals and value the significant experience they will bring to their respective roles,” said Governor Lee. “I…
September 25, 2023
The Tennessee judiciary is mourning the loss of retired 20th Judicial District Judge Seth Walker Norman, who passed away on September 25 at the age of 89. Judge Norman served as a criminal court judge in Nashville from 1990 until his retirement in 2018. He is often considered the father of the…