News
December 21, 2021
The recent Tennessee Supreme Court SCALES (Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students) event held at Columbia Central High School had special meaning to one justice in particular. Justice Holly Kirby, who joined the State’s highest court in 2014, is a 1975 graduate of Columbia Central…
December 21, 2021
The Honorable John F. Weaver, Chancellor for Part I of the Chancery Court for Knox County, was presented with the Knoxville Bar Association’s (KBA) Courage in the Face of Adversity Award at the KBA meeting, in Knoxville, on December 10.The Courage in the Face of Adversity Award is awarded…
December 20, 2021
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee appointed Mark Hayes as circuit court judge for the 29th Judicial District to fill the Honorable Russell Lee Moore’s vacancy, effective immediately. “Mark will bring extensive experience to this role, and I’m proud to announce his appointment,” said Governor Lee. “I…
December 17, 2021
There is a .44 caliber ruger revolver on display in Judge Donald Parish’s office. It’s a reminder of one of his most memorable cases as an attorney, the State v. Ashby (1991). It’s also the fee he collected from his client.“In 1990, Jack Ashby was prosecuted for selling some of his prescription…
December 16, 2021
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: Becky Doyal (20 years), Francesca Kraft (10 years), and Andy Whaley (10 years) (not pictured). Becky and Francesca work in the…
December 16, 2021
The Carroll County Courthouse steps will always hold a special memory for Judge J. Brent Bradberry. It’s where he was sworn into office by fellow Carroll Countian and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge John Everett Williams, on October 17, 2021.
“Judge Williams’ office is on the court square. We are…
December 15, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court announced today that Deputy Director Michelle Long will become the next Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Long was appointed Deputy Director in 2019 and has over 25 years of experience in private practice, government, and in-house counsel offices…
AOC Director Tate Honored at Annual Tennessee Association of Recovery Court Professionals Conference
December 14, 2021
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Director Deborah Taylor Tate was honored by the Tennessee Association of Recovery Court Professionals (TARCP) for her work with the organization and individuals struggling with substance misuse. Director Tate announced earlier this month that she will leave…
December 13, 2021
The Tennessee Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates presented the Judicial Excellence Award to Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle for her outstanding contributions towards Tennessee’s fair and impartial rulings, in addition to her leadership in and out the courtroom. Chancellor Lyle serves as…
December 9, 2021
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today to consider nine applicants for the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Council selected the following applicants:…
December 9, 2021
Students from 15 Middle Tennessee high schools gathered in Columbia last week to hear two live court cases pending before the Tennessee Supreme Court as part of the SCALES project, which stands for Supreme Court Advancing the Legal Education for Students. The project, founded in 1995, has touched…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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: …