News
February 4, 2020
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider 16 applicants when it meets to select nominees for the Court of Appeals opening in the Eastern Division created by the retirement of the Honorable Charles D. Susano, Jr., effective April 30, 2020.The applicants are:…
January 30, 2020
A recent graduation day in Coffee County was all about fathers and their children.The kids sat on the benches in the back of Coffee County Juvenile Court until their dads’ names were called. Then they proudly walked up front with them to share in their moment of recognition. “I’d like to…
January 29, 2020
Harold Wimberly Jr., who served as a General Sessions Judge in Knoxville from 1974-1987 and a Circuit Court Judge in the 6th Judicial District from 1987 to 2014, passed away on January 24.Judge Wimberly was a double alumni of the University of Tennessee and was admitted to the bar in 1966. In…
January 29, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that a criminal trial court lacks authority to partially vacate its own order dismissing criminal prosecutions once the order becomes final. In 2012, the Shelby County Criminal Court filed a final order dismissing criminal prosecutions against Carl Allen…
January 29, 2020
Recovery courts, one of the judiciary’s most powerful tools to combat substance abuse, reduce costs, and put lives back on track, have seen a remarkable growth in Tennessee in recent years. Since 2013, there has been a 67 percent increase in the number of recovery courts in the state — starting at…
January 28, 2020
In a wrongful death case out of Hickman County, the Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s pre-trial dismissal of the case for lack of proof. The Court clarified that appellate courts may reverse only if the trial court’s decision was not within…
January 24, 2020
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications for the Court of Appeals vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Charles D. Susano, Jr., effective April 30, 2020.Any interested applicant must be a licensed attorney who is at least 30 years of age, a…
January 23, 2020
Longtime Nashville Judge Seth Norman, whose visionary ideas on the criminal justice system’s treatment of drug offenders challenged conventional wisdom and saved countless lives, was honored recently with a portrait unveiling ceremony in his former courtroom.The Honorable Seth Walker Norman’s…
January 22, 2020
Governor Bill Lee appointed five 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…
January 17, 2020
Today about 25 percent of state judges in Tennessee are female, which places Tennessee 45 out of 50 states for women in the judiciary. The Tennessee Court Talk podcast sat down with Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark, Court of Appeal Judge Carma Dennis McGee, Chancellor Jerri Bryant…
January 15, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court set two execution dates today. The Court set an execution date of June 4, 2020 for Oscar Franklin Smith, convicted of the 1989 murders of Judith Lynn Smith (age 35), Chad Burnett (age 16), and Jason Burnett (age 13) in Nashville. View the Order…
January 15, 2020
The Tennessee Supreme Court announced Larry Bridgesmith has been selected as chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission, and J. Marcus Rudolph and Lori Thomas Reidwill join the Commission. The appointments were effective January 9, 2020.“I am excited to assume this role with…
January 13, 2020
Brandon L. Bowers has been appointed Chief Technology Officer of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Bowers has previously served as the Deputy Director, Data Center Services at the Strategic Technology Solutions for the State of Tennessee and Director of Production Support Services…
January 9, 2020
Livestreaming of the investiture of new Sixth Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Kyle A. Hixson will be available at the link below at 3 p.m. EST/ 2 p.m. CST on January 9, 2020. The link will go live 15 minutes before the start of the event. The Sixth Judicial District covers Knox County.…
January 8, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Wednesday, January 8, 2020, to consider six candidates for the 15th Judicial District Circuit Court vacancy, which covers Jackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale, and Wilson counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable John D. Wootten…
January 8, 2020
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission began accepting applications for the Circuit Court Judge in the 16th Judicial District, which covers Rutherford and Cannon counties, on December 18, 2019. After the January 7, 2020 deadline, two candidates had applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the…
January 6, 2020
After more than 25 years of service, Tennessee’s longest serving State Appellate Judge, Charles D. Susano Jr., has announced he will retire from the bench effective April 30, 2020. In a letter to Governor Bill Lee, Judge Susano said “It has been the highest honor of my life to have served the…
January 3, 2020
Tennessee’s Rule 31 mediators play an essential role in modernizing the state’s justice system, helping to reduce costs and delays related to the resolution of legal disputes. But, until recently, the systems used to track the mediators and their work were anything but modern and efficient.The…
December 26, 2019
Retired 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court Judge John K. Wilson died Friday morning, Dec. 20 at the age of 75. He served in the United States Air Force.Judge Wilson was an assistant District Attorney under Heiskell Winstead for eight years. In 1979, Governor Lamar Alexander appointed Judge Wilson…
December 23, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that a person who posted bond for a defendant, known as a surety, remains obligated even if the original charge was driving under the influence second offense and the subsequent indictment was for driving under the influence fourth offense.On October 4, 2015…