News
July 19, 2016
The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Alumni Chapter will honor Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby as the “Special Distinguished Alumna” at its 2016 Pillars of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Dinner.The event will be held Saturday, August 20, at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn. A VIP…
July 14, 2016
The Administrative Office of the Courts has approximately $200,000 in grant funding available for the development or continuation of initiatives that will address the needs of divorcing, divorced, or never married self-represented litigants and focus on services to help them resolve any or all…
July 11, 2016
In a case involving claims between siblings who were shareholders in a closely held family corporation, the Tennessee Supreme Court has adopted a new standard for when a shareholder can file a direct lawsuit on claims that concern the corporation.Ten siblings owned shares in a family-run…
July 12, 2016
Chief Justice Sharon Lee’s statement on the passing of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Robert E. Cooper, Sr.: The entire judicial family is saddened by the passing of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice Robert E. Cooper, Sr. and extends condolences to his family, friends…
July 7, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that defendants who have entered a guilty plea cannot seek relief from that plea using a statutory procedure that the Court says is intended by Tennessee law only for those who have been found guilty at trial.At issue is error coram nobis, a procedure defined…
July 7, 2016
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider 11 applicants when it meets August 8, 2016 in Memphis to select nominees for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 30th Judicial District – Shelby County.The vacancy was created by the announcement by Judge Donna M. Fields that she will retire September 1…
July 6, 2016
The Supreme Court has affirmed the convictions and sentences of death for Howard Hawk Willis for killing two East Tennessee teenagers and dismembering one of them. In 2010, a Washington County jury convicted Mr. Willis of two counts of premeditated murder and one count of felony murder in the…
June 10, 2016
An investiture ceremony for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Ross Dyer was held in Memphis on June 9. Gov. Haslam administered the ceremonial oath of office. Judge Dyer was appointed by Gov. Haslam on March 31 and confirmed by a joint session of the General Assembly on April 18.…
June 30, 2016
From The Mountain Press:SEVIERVILLE -- The state judiciary is working on several ways to modernize and make courts more accessible, including efforts to put courts online so…
June 28, 2016
From the Clarksville Leaf ChronicleCLARKSVILLE — “PT for PTSD” was the motto of the day at All Rise for Exercise, an event created by the Montgomery County Veterans…
June 22, 2016
Tennessee’s ranking on overall child well-being slipped from 36 to 38, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2016 KIDS COUNT® Data Book released today. The change was largely driven by worsening economic indicators.The KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks child well-being in states across four domains…
June 23, 2016
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced with Major General Max Haston of the Department of Military and Department of Children’s Services (DCS) Commissioner Bonnie Hommrich that Tennessee has been approved by the U.S. Department of Defense for a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program.The National…
June 24, 2016
The Supreme Court has ruled that a man convicted in Memphis of aggravated assault is entitled to a new trial because the prosecution did not properly elect an offense for the jury to consider.The case of Michael Smith involves an alleged violation of an order of protection by Mr. Smith, who was…
June 23, 2016
All in-house counsel members working in the state that do not have a Tennessee law license must register with the Board of Law Examiners before July 1 or face discipline and a bar examination in order to continue practicing in Tennessee.The July 1 deadline marks the end of an amnesty period granted…
June 21, 2016
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications for an upcoming Circuit Court judge vacancy in the 30th Judicial District – Shelby County. Judge Donna M. Fields has informed the governor that she will retire effective September 1.Any interested applicant must be a licensed attorney…
June 20, 2016
From WNPCFourth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone recently was presented the Tennessee Public Health Association’s Visionary Award for the Eastern Division of the State of…
June 16, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court was recognized for its SCALES Project as the 2016 recipient of the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education.
The award was presented Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the annual Bench Bar Luncheon, a joint program with the Tennessee Judicial Conference…
June 14, 2016
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met today to consider five applicants for the impending Chancery Court vacancy in the 20th Judicial District, which serves Davidson County. The vacancy will be created by the retirement in September of Chancellor Carol McCoy.After holding a public hearing and…
June 9, 2016
UPDATE: See photos from the day here.Declaring summer is officially here, Chief Justice Sharon Lee and Tennessee Bar Association President William L. Harbison, have issued a joint proclamation announcing Seersucker Day for the legal…
June 8, 2016
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13 authorizes the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to enter into contracts for representation of indigent persons by attorneys working on various types of cases, including representation of indigent respondents facing involuntary emergency judicial…