News
September 12, 2018
Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate was recently honored at a reception held by Women in Numbers, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to supporting women in public office.Director Tate was recognized for her many years of leadership in public service, which has…
September 4, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear two cases on September 6, 2018, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The details of the cases are as follows: Thursday, September 6, 2018Nathan E. Brooks v. Board of Professional Responsibility.–Nathan E. Brooks, a suspended Tennessee attorney, appeals from a…
September 6, 2018
Washington County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Robert Lincoln has been named the 2018 recipient of the McCain-Abernathy Award.The award is presented annually by the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in recognition of a judge with juvenile jurisdiction who has…
August 30, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider 10 applicants when it meets on Tuesday, September 25 in Columbia to select nominees for the Circuit Court judge vacancy in the 22nd Judicial District. This district covers Giles, Lawrence, Maury, and Wayne Counties. There is an upcoming vacancy…
August 29, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Wednesday, August 29, 2018 to consider eight candidates for the Criminal Court vacancy in the 20th Judicial District – Davidson County.This vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of the Honorable Seth Walker Norman, who will end his service…
August 28, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Tuesday, August 28, 2018 to consider eight candidates for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 19th Judicial District – Montgomery and Robertson Counties.This new judicial position was created by Chapter 974 of the Public Acts of 2018 and is effective…
August 23, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court has determined that a statute allowing the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to collect a fee when an individual is convicted of certain drug and alcohol offenses does not deprive defendants of the right to a fair and impartial trial under both the Tennessee and U.…
August 22, 2018
Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael was recently elected to a top leadership position at one of the country’s largest and most respected judicial membership organizations.The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, founded in 1937, offers a range of educational…
August 20, 2018
Edward Terry Sanford, born and raised in Knoxville, is one of only six Tennesseans to have served on the Supreme Court of the United States (1923-30) and the only one with undergraduate degrees from the University of Tennessee. He has been described as “one of the more prominent and…
August 14, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the suspension of Memphis attorney Larry Edward Parrish from the practice of law for six months, with 30 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation.
Mr. Parrish’s suspension was based on derogatory statements he made regarding…
August 13, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an Order taking jurisdiction of the appeal in a lethal injection protocol challenge case, which was originally filed in the 20th judicial district by multiple death row inmates and appealed to the Court of Appeals.…
August 13, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the 60-day suspension of Brentwood attorney Michael Gibbs Sheppard from the practice of law.
Mr. Sheppard’s suspension was based on his failure, over a four-year period, to maintain and monitor client funds in his law firm’s trust account. This resulted in…
August 10, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Circuit Court judge in the 22nd judicial district, which covers Giles, Lawrence, Maury, and Wayne Counties. This vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of the Honorable Robert L. Jones, who will end his service…
August 8, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Wednesday, August 8, 2018 to consider seven candidates for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 16th Judicial District – Cannon and Rutherford Counties.This new judicial position was created by Chapter 974 of the Public Acts of 2018 and is effective…
August 7, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Tuesday, August 7, 2018 to consider five candidates for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 21st Judicial District – Hickman, Lewis, Perry and Williamson Counties. Terry R. Malone notified the Commission on August 6, 2018 that he had withdrawn his name for…
August 7, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reversed part of a Court of Criminal Appeals’ decision suppressing evidence in a case involving individuals on supervised release and has affirmed the suppression of evidence against a third party who resided with them. Janet Stanfield, who was…
August 6, 2018
A majority of the Tennessee Supreme Court has denied death row inmate, Billy Ray Irick, a stay of execution pending the resolution of his appeal of an unsuccessful challenge to the State’s lethal injection protocol. Mr. Irick is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, August 9, 2018.Mr. Irick was…
August 3, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission has released its fifth strategic plan, covering 2018 through 2020, for improving access to justice in Tennessee. The plan furthers the Commission’s goals of educating the public on existing resources, encouraging and creating new…
August 1, 2018
Court reporters play an integral role in our justice system, but their numbers have been on a steady decline in recent years. Veteran court reporters are retiring and a younger generation has not stepped up to meet the need, in no small part because many schools that once offered court reporting…
July 30, 2018
Incarceration can have a negative impact on the mental health of prisoners dealing with mental illness. Mental Health Court seeks to rehabilitate offenders with mental illness by getting them the treatment they need outside of a prison environment. The Tennessean recently took a look at this unique…