News

February 10, 2017
Four new judges in Tennessee attended the Administrative Office of the Court's Judicial Academy on Friday, February 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.Circuit Court Judge for the 19th Judicial District in Montgomery and Robertson counties Ted A. Crozier, Chancellor for the 30th Judicial District in…

February 9, 2017
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13 authorizes the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to enter into contracts for representation by attorneys working on various types of cases, including representation of individuals unable to afford legal representation in cases in which he or she is facing…

February 7, 2017
 On Monday, February 6, 2017, seven individuals graduated from Davidson County Veterans Treatment Court.  General Sessions Judge Melissa Blackburn presided over the ceremony, and also presides over the court.Across the United States, Veterans Treatment specialty courts are working to meet the…

February 6, 2017
The Administrative Office of the Courts is pleased to welcome Kimi deMent as the new Pro Bono Coordinator for the Tennessee Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission. Ms. deMent joins the AOC following work as a family law attorney with a focus on domestic violence at the Legal Aid Society of…

February 6, 2017
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear nine cases February 8-9, 2017, in Nashville, TN.  The details of the cases are as follows:  Wednesday, February 8, 2017State of Tennessee v. Walter H. Webb-This case involves a defendant who was convicted by a Wilson County jury of one count of aggravated…

February 6, 2017
From The Tennessean DANDRIDGE, Tenn. — Judge Duane Slone has observed the arc of the…

February 3, 2017
From The Commercial Appeal Bryan Owens committed his first crime when he was 12. He did it for the love of his life: drugs. "I was smoking marijuana and drinking…

February 1, 2017
Davidson County Drug Court (now Recovery Court) honored six new graduates today, February 1, 2017. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark was the keynote speaker, and addressed the audience, noting the achievements of each graduate, the journey to overcome their struggles and their…

January 30, 2017
From the Knoxville News-SentinelWhen the opiate epidemic came calling in his rural five-county jurisdiction, one East Tennessee judge admits he was caught unaware.“In…

January 27, 2017
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee and retired Supreme Court Justice William "Muecke" Barker have been recognized as part of University of Tennessee's Top 100 Distinguished Alumni.  The recognition comes as The Tennessee Alumnus magazine celebrates it’s 100th continuous year of…

January 26, 2017
Below is Chief Justice Jeff Bivins' Annual Report Message, which is available in full here.2016 Judiciary Annual ReportEvery day, the judges of our great state seek to further the pursuit of…

January 23, 2017
The Board of Judicial Conduct, which investigates and acts on complaints against judges in Tennessee, has placed General Sessions Judge Amanda Sammons on a three-year probation, in accordance with a Deferred Disciplinary Agreement as contemplated by T.C.A. § 17-5-301 (f)(4), in lieu of pursuing…

January 20, 2017
From The TennesseanIn the nearly three years since his retirement, the 74-year-old says he is still an avid reader who enjoys spending time with his family, including…

January 17, 2017
From the TennesseanOne by one, the graduates stood in the fellowship hall of the St. Paul Episcopal Church on Main Street in Franklin on Monday night…

January 13, 2017
In a case involving the dismissal of a tenured teacher, the Tennessee Supreme Court has held that the Court of Appeals’ award to the teacher of partial back pay was not authorized under the Tennessee Teacher Tenure Act (Tenure Act). It also held that the teacher could not appeal the timeliness of…

January 11, 2017
Today, the Administrative Office of the Courts joined the state’s executive and legislative branches at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium for the Third Annual Campaign against Hunger Community Service Project, hosted by the General Assembly’s “Nutrition Caucus,” and organized by Tennessee Senator…

January 10, 2017
The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the Tennessee Board of Parole’s decision to deny parole to a prisoner based on the seriousness of the offense.In January 2009, Joseph Brennan pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape of a child and incest. Mr. Brennan, who was sentenced to twenty years…

January 10, 2017
The Tennessee Supreme Court has affirmed the Tennessee Board of Parole’s decision to deny parole to a prisoner based on the seriousness of the offense.In January 2009, Joseph Brennan pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape of a child and incest. Mr. Brennan, who was sentenced to twenty years…

January 10, 2017
From NPRWhen Donald Trump won the presidential election, he made a pledge to every citizen: that he would be president for all Americans. In the weeks before Trump's…