News
November 19, 2019
The opioid epidemic is an unprecedented public health crisis that affects millions of families nationwide each year, costing our nation over $1 trillion to date. Tennessee Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate has been a national leader in identifying the…
November 19, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a circuit court judge in the 15th judicial district, which covers Jackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale and Wilson Counties. This vacancy was created by the retirement of Honorable John D. Wootten, Jr.Qualified applicants must be licensed…
November 15, 2019
Over 500 local high school students will get the chance to witness the state’s highest court at work when the Tennessee Supreme Court hears oral arguments for two cases on November 19, 2019, in Kingsport, Tennessee, as part of the Court’s SCALES program. SCALES stands for the Supreme Court…
November 14, 2019
Tennessee is proud to be home to a great number of military veterans whose past service will forever be an honor to both their state and country. These veterans hail from every corner of the state and occupy all kinds of different positions in civilian life. Today, some of them go by Judge.
In…
November 13, 2019
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed the felony theft conviction of the defendant, Denton Jones. Over a period of 15 days, Mr. Jones stole several fitness trackers from two Target stores in Knoxville on five visits to the stores. In the indictment, the state…
November 11, 2019
The Tennessee legal community is mourning the loss of Coffee County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Timothy R. Brock, who passed away unexpectedly on Monday, November 11, 2019 while attending a national judicial training in Nevada. He was 62.Judge Brock was first elected as a…
November 8, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court is continuing its initiative to be more transparent and open. Starting in November 2019, Supreme Court oral arguments taking place in Jackson will be videotaped and made available to the public. Oral arguments that were held November 6 are now posted on the Court’s…
November 7, 2019
Court of Appeals Judge Richard H. Dinkins recently took to the pages of The Tennessean to advocate for public school teachers. Judge Dinkins argues that an essential step to creating equity in Nashville's public school system is to listen to, support, and respect teachers. You can read Judge…
November 4, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on November 6, 2019. The details of the cases are as follows:Paul Zachary Moss v. Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board – This case was initiated after Paul Zachary Moss was terminated from his position as a firefighter with the Shelby…
November 1, 2019
Every working attorney knows that there is a difference between learning about the law in a classroom and practicing law in a courtroom or other professional setting. While classroom instruction is foundational, the dynamic world of legal practice requires skills that can only be learned through…
October 25, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court has clarified that a defendant is entitled to a jury instruction on the defense of necessity when it is fairly raised by the evidence presented at trial. Moreover, an oral request during the trial is sufficient to preserve the issue on appeal.The defendant, Brandon…
October 24, 2019
Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Ana L. Escobar will be celebrated as one of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee’s 2019 Academy for Women of Achievement honorees at an awards dinner in Nashville.The Academy for Women of Achievement was founded in 1992 and “honors women who, through…
October 23, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission began accepting applications for a Criminal Court Judge in the 6th Judicial District, which covers Knox County, on October 8. After the October 22 deadline, two candidates had applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the governor with the names of…
October 18, 2019
The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct has named Judge Marshall L. Davidson III as its new disciplinary counsel. Judge Davidson will begin serving as disciplinary counsel on January 1, 2020. He currently is the presiding judge for the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, a position…
October 16, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court has held that a trial court had authority to decide coverage issues in a declaratory judgment action between an insurance company and its insured when a claimant, who had sued the insured but did not have a judgment against him, was not a party to the action.This case…
October 14, 2019
Michelle J. Long has been appointed the deputy director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Long has served as the assistant commissioner of the division of Health Licensure and Regulation for the Tennessee Department of Health since 2012.“Michelle has a stellar history of…
October 8, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Criminal Court Judge in the 6th Judicial District, which covers Knox County. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable Bob R. McGee, effective January 1, 2020.Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are…
October 2, 2019
Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on October 3, 2019. The details of the cases are as follows:· James A. Dunlap, Jr. v. Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility – Mr. Dunlap, a licensed attorney in the state of…
October 1, 2019
History was made at the recent Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference in Chattanooga, as Henry County General Sessions Court Judge Vicki S. Snyder became the first female judge to win the conference’s top honor. In another first, a newly-created award was given to Hamilton County General…
September 30, 2019
The Tennessee Supreme Court today assigned Chancellor Anne C. Martin to hear cases for the Business Court Docket Pilot Project, which seeks to provide all Tennessee businesses and citizens a specialized forum to hear complex or unique questions of business law, effective November 1, 2019.The…