News
April 7, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has denied a request by a death row inmate to have a hearing to determine whether he is eligible to be executed because he is intellectually disabled, concluding that the procedural avenues he sought to use in this case do not entitle him to such a hearing.Pervis Tyrone…
April 1, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed former judge and Williamson County attorney Robert E. Lee Davies to the position of senior judge.Davies practices family law, personal injury, and business litigation in Williamson County. He served from 2000-2008 as a circuit court judge in the 21st…
March 31, 2016
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Shelby County Attorney J. Ross Dyer to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Western Section, replacing Roger Page, who recently became a Tennessee Supreme Court Justice.Dyer’s appointment will require confirmation by the Tennessee General Assembly.Dyer, 43, has…
March 23, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld a decision by the Tennessee Department of Revenue to impose a tax variance on the parent company of Verizon Wireless. The Court held that the Commissioner of Revenue was within his authority to impose the variance, in order to keep the company from avoiding…
March 17, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that the Metro Nashville Police Department is not required by the Tennessee Public Records Act to release investigation records requested by a group of media organizations in a rape case involving four former Vanderbilt University football players. In June…
March 16, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping charges and affirmed multiple other convictions arising out of a home invasion in Memphis. In July 1999, two armed men forced their way into a residence and demanded money and other property from those…
March 16, 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…
February 22, 2016
The Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, co-chaired by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam, today announced the winners of the first Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Early Foundations, a new recognition program highlighting the collaborative and innovative projects that are helping…
March 8, 2016
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today in Jackson to consider eight applicants for the Court of Criminal Appeals vacancy created when Judge Roger A. Page was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court earlier this year.The Council held a public hearing and interviewed eight…
March 8, 2016
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Valerie L. Smith as circuit court judge for the 30th Judicial District, which serves Shelby County.Smith’s appointment fills the vacancy created last year by the death of Judge D’Army Bailey.Smith, 40, has been an attorney at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz…
March 7, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reversed a trial court’s dismissal of a professional negligence lawsuit against a law firm, concluding that the claim was timely filed under Tennessee’s savings statute.In 2010, Circle C Construction, LLC, hired the Louisville, Kentucky law firm of Furman, Nilsen…
March 4, 2016
From the Nashville Post:The first six appointments to the newly created Trial Court Vacancy Commission have been made, with Nashville attorney Tom Lawless to…
March 3, 2016
From the Daily News JournalIn the 15 years since the Drug Court (now called Recovery Court) in Rutherford County accepted its first three participants, hundreds of people have passed through it,…
March 2, 2016
The Indigent Representation Task Force, appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court to review practices regarding how attorneys are compensated for work with individuals who are unable to afford legal counsel, has launched a series of webpages.The resources now online include research materials, such…
March 2, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Initiative focuses on creating channels of free legal support for low income Tennesseans. On Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.- 4:15 p.m., the TFJA will sponsor an Attorney Training to prepare volunteer attorneys to assist low income…
February 26, 2016
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider eight applicants when it meets March 8 in Jackson to select nominees for the Court of Criminal Appeals vacancy created by the appointment of Justice Roger A. Page to the Tennessee Supreme Court.The applicants are:…
February 23, 2016
In a historic first, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Roger Page has been confirmed by the Tennessee General Assembly for a seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court.In a unanimous vote during a joint convention of the House and Senate, Justice Page was confirmed Monday night by the 109th Tennessee…
February 19, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Initiative focuses on creating channels of free legal support for low income Tennesseans. On Monday, March 14, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.- 4:15 p.m., the TFJA will sponsor an Attorney Training to prepare volunteer attorneys to assist low income…
February 17, 2016
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13 authorizes the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to enter into contracts for representation of indigent litigants by attorneys working on various types of cases, including representation of indigent Respondents facing contempt of court charges for failure to…
February 17, 2016
From the Jackson SunSierra Alexander found it inviting when she learned the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section was visiting Union University on Tuesday.“This was a first-time experience, and it’s pretty cool,” Alexander said. “I’ve never been to a court of appeals, so this was very…