News
January 14, 2013
A coalition of Tennessee legal groups has joined forces to launch a toll-free phone line offering free legal information and referrals to low-income Tennesseans.The service, known as aLEGALz, will assist Tennesseans in finding resources to deal with civil legal issues. Those who cannot afford a…
January 11, 2013
Seven attorneys have applied to fill the Criminal Court vacancy in the 1st Judicial District, which serves Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Lynn W. Brown, effective March 31.The Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a…
January 4, 2013
The Administrative Office of the Courts has received 24 applications for the seat on Judicial Nominating Commission created by the retirement of commission member Theresa Lee.The comment period is now open and the Administrative Office of the Courts invites public comment regarding the applicants.…
January 4, 2013
Robert D. “Don” Arnold was sworn in Thursday as the third General Sessions Judge for Washington County.Judge Arnold was appointed by the Washington County Commission during a special meeting convened Thursday. He was immediately sworn in by Criminal Court Judge Robert E. Cupp.Judge Arnold was on…
January 2, 2013
Six attorneys have applied to fill the Chancery Court vacancy in the 8th Judicial District, which serves Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union counties. The vacancy was created by the death of the Honorable Billy Joe White in November.The Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a…
December 26, 2012
Incoming Senior Judge Paul Summers will be sworn in Monday, December 31 in Nashville.Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark will administer the oath at 9:30 a.m. at the Supreme Court building, 401 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville.Summers most recently was a partner in the Nashville law firm of…
December 21, 2012
In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s judgment awarding a Memphis teacher back pay and damages after the board failed to comply with the Teacher Tenure Act when it dismissed her.Saundra Thompson, a tenured teacher in the…
December 21, 2012
Six attorneys have applied to fill the Chancery Court vacancy in the 8th Judicial District, which serves Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union counties. The vacancy was created by the death of the Honorable Billy Joe White in November.The Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a…
December 20, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court today upheld the lower courts’ decisions that David Keen, an inmate currently on death row, could not reopen his post-conviction proceeding to assert that he was intellectually disabled.In 1990, David Keen raped and murdered an eight-year-old girl in Shelby County. He…
December 19, 2012
In a case of first impression in this state, Chief Justice Gary R. Wade wrote on behalf of a unanimous Court that the State can prosecute an unknown suspect by issuing a “John Doe” warrant that lists the suspect’s unique DNA profile.In 1994, a Nashville woman was attacked in her home but was able…
December 18, 2012
The Judicial Nominating Commission is now accepting applications for the judicial vacancy in the 1st Judicial District Criminal Court (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washingtoncounties). The vacancy is being created by the retirement of Judge Lynn W. Brown, effective March 31.An interested applicant…
December 17, 2012
Judge Lynn W. Brown, Criminal Court Judge in the 1st Judicial District, has announced his retirement effective at the end of March.Judge Brown has been on the bench since 1988. In addition to his time as a Criminal Court judge, he served as special judge for two terms on the Tennessee Court of…
December 17, 2012
The 3rd and Church Health Care clinic in downtown Nashville has made a $1000 donation to the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program.The clinic provides a variety of healthcare services to downtown employees, residents and visitors, including members of TLAP. The clinic donates $1 for every B-12 it…
December 17, 2012
Assistant District Attorney Lila Statom was sworn in Monday morning as General Sessions Judge, Division IV, in Hamilton County.Governor Bill Haslam appointed Judge Statom to fill a vacancy created by Judge Ronald W. Durby, who is taking leave from the court."It is my desire to faithfully serve the…
December 14, 2012
The Judicial Nominating Commission met in Knoxville today to review the eight applicants for the Third Circuit Court vacancy in the 6th Judicial District, Knox County. The vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Wheeler A. Rosenbalm effective January 1, 2013.After holding a public…
December 12, 2012
The Administrative Office of the Courts is now accepting applications for a seat on the Judicial Nominating Commission as a result of the retirement of commission member Theresa Lee.The position on the commission will be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor to an unexpired term that ends on June 30…
December 11, 2012
Sharon E. Guffee will be sworn in as Williamson County’s first Juvenile Court judge on Wednesday, Dec. 12. Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark, a native of Franklin, will administer the oath at 2 p.m. at the historic Williamson County Courthouse.Guffee has served as a Juvenile Court referee and…
December 7, 2012
The Tennessee Supreme Court building celebrated its 75th anniversary this past week, with the first public display of the original handwritten Tennessee Constitutions, the opening of the Judiciary Museum and a reunion for members of the judiciary and their staffs who have worked in the building…
December 7, 2012
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Janice Holder, who also serves as the Court's liaison to the Access to Justice Commission, spoke to about 200 attorneys in Nashville Friday, including Attorney General Bob Cooper, as part of a TBA Continuing Legal Education program.“Ethics and Professionalism, The…
December 6, 2012
Access to Justice Commissioner and Dean of the University of Tennessee College of Law Doug Blaze has been named the 2012 recipient of the Deborah Rhode Award.The award is given each year by the Association of American Law Schools to a dean or faculty member who has made an “outstanding…