News
December 8, 2021
Judge William Andrew Lockhart realized his elementary school dream, when he was sworn in as judge of the 14th Judicial District Circuit Court of Tennessee, which covers Coffee County. Judge Lockhart was sworn in August, filling the vacancy left by the Honorable L. Craig Johnson. “I took the…
December 7, 2021
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for Urshawn Miller who was convicted of murdering an employee of the convenience store that he attempted to rob in Jackson, Tennessee. On the night of November 25, 2015, Mr. Miller entered the Bull Market wearing…
December 7, 2021
Four Tennessee judges recently attended the 15th Annual Judicial Symposium on Civil Justice Issues, sponsored by the Law & Economics Center (LEC) of George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School.“The program presented discussions of a variety of issues currently being faced by our legal…
December 3, 2021
Chancellor Pamela Fleenor, 11th Judicial District, was excited and honored to swear-in her daughter, Christina Michelle Fleenor, on November 17.
“She asked me. She said, ‘Mom, do you want to swear me in?’ And I said, ‘sure.’ The other choice this year was to do it virtually by the Supreme Court…
December 2, 2021
Tate is credited with historic innovations, modernization of the court system, child welfare reforms and innovative national pilot projects Deborah Taylor Tate, Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for the Tennessee Supreme Court, will leave her current role in early 2022 after…
November 29, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reinstated the conviction of a defendant for premeditated first-degree murder. The Court determined that there was sufficient proof of premeditation to support the jury’s verdict and also concluded that the introduction of evidence about gang membership did not…
November 22, 2021
First Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Jean A. Stanley is retiring next year, after 30 years of service to the people of Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington Counties. She wanted to announce her retirement early to give those who are interested in taking her place time to establish their…
November 22, 2021
An early Thanksgiving celebration took place at the Hawkins County Courthouse Friday, in honor of National Adoption Day. “It’s most apropos that we celebrate National Adoption Day through the season of Thanksgiving because in our community and communities all across America, adoptive families are…
November 19, 2021
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider 11 applicants when it meets to select nominees for the Tennessee Supreme Court opening created by the passing of Justice Cornelia A. Clark on September 24, 2021.
The applicants are: …
November 18, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission joins countless others in the legal and equal justice communities in mourning the loss of Sean A. Hunt. Hunt was initially appointed to the Commission in 2016 and was re-appointed for a second term in 2019. He served on and grew to become a…
November 18, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the three-year suspension of Nashville attorney Charles Edward Walker from the practice of law in Tennessee.A Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel found that Mr. Walker violated multiple provisions of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct…
November 17, 2021
Judge Lanning P. Wynn is retiring after 43 years of service to the Sevierville Municipal Court, as the city’s first and only judge. “I started in December of 1979. I was appointed City Judge by then Mayor Gary Wade, who later went on to become Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court,” said…
November 16, 2021
Chattanooga City Judge Sherry Paty received the Sharon G. Lee Award of Excellence at the 2021 Tennessee Municipal Judges Conference.The award is presented each year to a municipal judge who makes a significant contribution to the conference over his or her years of service to the bench. It was…
November 15, 2021
Chancellor George R. Ellis passed away on November 15, a day after his 73rd birthday.Chancellor Ellis served the 28th Judicial District, which includes Crockett, Gibson and Haywood counties, since 1993, and was re-elected four times.Prior to taking the bench as a chancellor, he served as a General…
November 15, 2021
A portrait of retired Davidson County Chancery Court Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman was recently completed by Nashville Artist, Illustrator and Storyboard Artist, J. William Myers.
Myers is an ADDY-award winning artist and illustrator of numerous posters, book covers, children’sbooks,magazines,murals…
November 11, 2021
Six Tennessee counties have developed special diversionary courts aimed at lending a hand and focused approach to Veterans who are struggling and find themselves on the wrong side of the law. These special Veterans Treatment Courts recognize the transition from military to civilian life is not…
November 10, 2021
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today to consider five applicants for the Court of Criminal Appeals vacancy in the Western Section. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Council selected the following applicants:…
November 9, 2021
The Board of Judicial Conduct issued a Public Reprimand for Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Gerald Webb. Read the Public Reprimand here.
November 8, 2021
Governor Bill Lee appointed two new members to the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments, which manages the application process, interviews candidates, and makes a recommendation to the governor for vacancies in the Tennessee appellate courts, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, or the…
November 8, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met November 4 in Dyersburg to consider candidates for the vacancy in the 29th Judicial District, which includes Lake and Dyer counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Russell Lee Moore, effective December 1, 2021. The Commission…