News
October 3, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court has adopted significant revisions to its rules regulating court-approved mediators in the state. The revisions to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31, and the adoption of Rule 31A, are the first in-depth changes to the rules governing mediation and arbitration in Tennessee…
October 2, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral argument in cases on October 3 and 4, 2018, in Nashville. The Court also will hear oral argument regarding a proposed new rule on collaborative family law from the Tennessee Bar Association. The details of the cases and the proposed new rule…
October 1, 2018
Judges, prosecutors, public defenders, probation officers, and other professionals associated with the criminal justice system recently met in the Dandridge, Tennessee courtroom of Judge Duane Slone to learn about an innovative program he started to help certain offenders with substance abuse…
September 28, 2018
One of Tennessee’s most distinguished jurists was honored at a retirement reception recently in Nashville.An array of state and local leaders gathered at the reception to celebrate the career of the Honorable Seth Walker Norman, the founder of Tennessee’s first Drug Court and a Criminal Court judge…
September 28, 2018
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has appointed Michael E. Spitzer as Circuit Court Judge for the 21st Judicial District, which serves Hickman, Lewis, Perry, and Williamson counties. The appointment fills the new trial court judgeship established by the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this…
September 26, 2018
The 59th Annual Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference was held recently in Franklin. The TGSJC is a statewide organization consisting of 185 General Sessions Court judges from across the state. Speakers at the event included outgoing TGSJC president Judge Denise Andre, Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken…
September 26, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that a circuit court judge in Tennessee lacks jurisdiction to issue search warrants for property located outside the judge’s statutorily defined judicial district unless the judge has obtained expanded geographical jurisdiction by interchange, designation,…
September 24, 2018
Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate has been named the recipient of End Slavery Tennessee’s 2018 Human Trafficking Impact Award. The award was presented to Director Tate in recognition of her many contributions over the years to the prevention and confrontation of human…
September 25, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today, Tuesday, September 25, 2018 to consider ten candidates for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 22nd Judicial District – Giles, Lawrence, Maury, and Wayne CountiesThere is an upcoming vacancy in this position due to the impending retirement of the Honorable…
September 21, 2018
Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Frank W. Drowota III and Memphis attorney Amber Floyd were announced as the winners of the 2018 Janice M. Holder Award at the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services’s recent Equal Justice University event.Since 2014, that award has been presented annually to…
September 20, 2018
The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services recently held its 41st annual conference devoted to expanding civil legal assistance throughout the state. The 2018 edition of Equal Justice University brought an enthusiastic crowd of legal professionals together to hear updates on efforts to increase…
September 19, 2018
Judge John Everett Williams, the presiding judge of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, will receive a special honor from his hometown of Huntingdon this weekend.Judge Williams will be given Huntingdon’s 2018 Outstanding Citizen Award as part of the city’s 26th Annual Heritage Festival,…
September 18, 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for two cases on September 19, 2018, in front of hundreds of high school students from seven local high schools when it brings court to Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as part of the Court’s SCALES program. …
September 14, 2018
The 35th Annual Conference on Juvenile Justice was recently held in Knoxville, bringing together an array of judges, lawyers, advocates, and experts to discuss some of the biggest issues facing children and families who become involved with Tennessee’s legal system.The conference saw the election…
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…