News
January 4, 2021
Former Rhea County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge James W. McKenzie passed away January 2. He was 76.Judge McKenzie had been in private legal practice in his hometown of Dayton for 26 years when he was elected to the Rhea County bench in 1998. He served there until his retirement in 2014…
January 4, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has determined that, under the language of the Tennessee Products Liability Act, a manufacturer is not liable for injuries resulting from products it did not make or sell.This products liability action was brought by Mr. Donald Coffman and Mrs. Carolyn Coffman as a…
December 29, 2020
Phone service returned Tuesday to most court-related offices in Nashville after the recent explosion, but the Nashville Supreme Court Building remains closed and without phone service. Below is an update as of Tuesday evening:The Nashville Supreme Court Building, including the Appellate Clerk…
December 29, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court recently appointed a new member to the state’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.Kyonzté Hughes-Toombs will take her seat on the Commission effective January 1, 2021. She replaces outgoing Commission Chair John Alexander, whose second three-year…
December 28, 2020
Most court services have been brought back online after the recent explosion in Nashville, but several outages remain and will affect court business on Tuesday, December 29th.Below is an update as of Monday evening:The Nashville Supreme Court Building, including the Appellate Clerk’s Office, will…
December 28, 2020
After more than a decade of public service, 16th Judicial District Circuit Judge David Bragg will retire effective Jan. 1st, 2021. A lifelong Murfreesboro resident, Judge Bragg won his seat on the bench in 2008, following the retirement of Judge James Clayton.Judge Bragg still remembers how his…
December 27, 2020
While no state or county court facilities were physically damaged in the Nashville explosion on Christmas Day, networks, email, phones, and other technical services at the Nashville Supreme Court Building, Administrative Office of the Courts, several boards and commissions, and Davidson County…
December 23, 2020
While the holiday season is a source of joy for so many, it can also highlight differences between those who are able to take things like family and gift-giving for granted and those who cannot.
In many cases, court-involved children don’t have that luxury. Their lives have been disrupted in major…
December 23, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission began accepting applications for a vacancy in Chancery Court, Part I in the 30th Judicial District, which covers Shelby County, on December 8, 2020.After the December 22, 2020 deadline, two candidates had applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the…
December 22, 2020
Responding to the increase in coronavirus cases across the state, the Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an Order reinstating the suspension of most in-person hearings from December 28, 2020…
December 21, 2020
It has been a difficult year, but that has not stopped one East Tennessee county from celebrating the achievements and selfless service of a local judge.Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey was recently named the winner of a 2020 Volunteer Spirit Award, an annual…
December 18, 2020
Not cold weather, sleet, or COVID-19 could stop judges and attorneys in the 30th Judicial District from collecting food for those in need this holiday season.Usually 30th Judicial District Circuit Judge Valerie Smith holds a food drive at her home as part of an annual holiday party for members of…
December 17, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously held that Endo Health Solutions Inc., Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.—drug companies that manufacture prescription opioids—may be sued by babies harmed by their mothers’ use of opioids. Under the Tennessee Drug Dealer…
December 16, 2020
The Board of Judicial Conduct has issued a Public Reprimand for Lewis County General Sessions and Juvenile Judge Michael Hinson. Read the Board's Public Reprimand here.
December 11, 2020
The Ashe Street Courthouse, a 110-year-old building in Washington County that housed county courts for several decades, is the latest judicial edifice in Tennessee to be named to the National Register of Historic Places. It was…
December 10, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court has approved an innovative Alternative Dispute Resolution Plan prepared by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission (ADRC) to assist courts facing a backlog of civil cases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many years, mediation has been used to successfully…
December 10, 2020
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court settled a split of authority in the Court of Appeals about the interpretation of a Tennessee statute authorizing termination of parental rights. The Supreme Court held that the statute authorizes termination of parental rights upon…
December 8, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Chancery Court Judge in the 30th Judicial District, which covers Shelby County. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Walter L. Evans on December 1, 2020.Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are…
December 7, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued a supplement to its November 17, 2020 Order that further clarifies the protocols judges, attorneys, court staff, and others should follow when entering a courthouse during the pandemic. The November 17 Order continued the judicial state of emergency and…
December 7, 2020
Statement by the Board of Law ExaminersAs we announced on Friday, the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners is spending additional time verifying the results of the most recent bar exam to ensure each test taker receives the correct score. We anticipate releasing exam results by noon on Wednesday…