News
January 10, 2023
Sixth Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Hector Sanchez was recently featured in Knox New's 40 Under 40 as well as WVLT's Going My Way segment. Judge Sanchez was appointed to the bench by Governor Bill Lee in September 2022 and is the state's first Hispanic trial court judge. Both media…
January 4, 2023
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today to consider five applicants for an upcoming vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court. The vacancy was created by the announcement of the retirement of the Honorable Sharon G. Lee, effective August 31, 2023.After holding a public hearing and…
December 21, 2022
Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee presented awards in the Tennessee Appellate Court’s Eastern Division to the following state employees for their years of service: Missy McConkey (25 years); Renee Hammond (20 years); Jennifer Rosser (15 years); Sally Goade, Tammy Capps, and Rebekah Bradley (10…
December 12, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court today appointed Sarah Keith of Knoxville and Donald Capparella of Nashville as new members on the Tennessee Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure. Judge Jennifer L. Smith, a criminal court judge in the 20th Judicial District, was appointed as the new…
December 12, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider five candidates when it meets to select nominees for the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Sharon G. Lee, effective August 31, 2023.
The applicants are:…
December 9, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court today upheld partial consecutive sentencing that was imposed by a trial court after it had found that a defendant’s record of criminal activity was extensive. In upholding the sentence, the Court clarified the principles for determining whether an offender has an…
December 8, 2022
The Rutherford & Cannon County Bar Association held a portrait unveiling on December 6 for long-time Rutherford County General Sessions Judge David Loughry. Judge Loughry served the county for 24 years, from 1990-2014.
Several of Judge Loughry’s colleagues attended the ceremony to share in his…
December 6, 2022
The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct has suspended Madison County General Sessions Judge Hugh H. Harvey, Jr. for a term of 30 days. The suspension can be viewed here.
December 5, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases at East Tennessee State University on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 as part of its SCALES program. SCALES stands for the Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students. This nationally acclaimed program, over 20 years in…
November 28, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications for the Supreme Court vacancy that will be created by the retirement of the Honorable Sharon G. Lee, effective August 31, 2023.Any interested applicant must be a licensed attorney who is at least 35 years of age, a…
November 22, 2022
Today, the Tennessee Supreme Court answered a question of law certified by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee: whether two video streaming services—Netflix, Inc. and Hulu, LLC—provide “video service” within the meaning of the Competitive Cable and Video Services…
November 22, 2022
Today, the Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed and increased the suspension of McMinn County attorney Joseph H. Crabtree, Jr. from the practice of law in the state.After reviewing disciplinary proceedings filed against Mr. Crabtree, the Supreme Court concluded that the original suspension imposed by a…
November 22, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today to consider nine 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 18, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that Tennessee’s mandatory sentence of life in prison when imposed on a juvenile homicide offender is cruel and unusual punishment and violates the juvenile’s rights as guaranteed by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In a narrow ruling,…
November 15, 2022
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee has notified Governor Bill Lee that she will retire on August 31, 2023.
“Serving in the Tennessee Judiciary for the past 19 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” Justice Lee said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve…
November 14, 2022
The Tennessee Court of Appeals will visit the campus of the University of Tennessee at Martin this week to hold oral arguments in front of a live audience of students and guests.“Bringing the courtroom to the students is a wonderful way to involve them in the judicial process,” said Judge Steven…
November 9, 2022
Rob Pharris joined the Army on Nov. 4, 1987 as a member of the Airborne Division. While in service, he experienced back and knee pain.
“I didn’t dare go to the medics and tell them I have knee problems because they might not let me be airborne,” said Rob Pharris, Veterans Treatment Court Graduate…
November 7, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court has four cases set for its November 9, 2022 docket. The cases will be heard in Jackson, Tennessee, beginning at 9 a.m. CST and will be livesteamed to the TNCourts YouTube page – https://www.youtube.com/user/TNCourts/featuredThe details of the case are as follows:Paul…
November 1, 2022
The Tennessee Supreme Court has amended the Rule for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education to remove limitations on distance-learning continuing legal education (“CLE”) credits. The Order was filed and effective on November 1, 2022.The change to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 21 deletes the previous…
November 1, 2022
At the request of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, the Tennessee Judicial Conference Foundation (TJCF) established a scholarship in honor of the late Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge John Everett Williams. Judge Williams passed away on September 2, 2022 at the age of 68. He served…