News
March 28, 2014
Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft is a 2014 recipient of the Dunavant Public Servant Award, selected by the family of the late Probate Court Clerk Bobby Dunavant and the Rotary Club of Memphis East.…
March 18, 2014
The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts is accepting applications for two grants. The deadline for both grants is April 11. More information is available here: Application for Grant Funding by State Appropriation Parent Education and Mediation Fund…
March 17, 2014
A five-member Special Supreme Court convened solely to hear a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the way appellate judges are initially chosen and later stand for reelection to office ruled today that the current retention election system for choosing appellate judges does not violate the…
March 7, 2014
In a unanimous opinion, the Tennessee Supreme Court has held that state law allows a plaintiff to add a defendant whose involvement was raised by the original defendant, even when the plaintiff was aware of the new defendant before the statute of limitations expired.The case involves Michael Becker…
March 7, 2014
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Carma Dennis McGee of Savannah as chancellor in the 24th Judicial District. She replaces Chancellor Ron E. Harmon, who died September 14, 2013.McGee will serve immediately upon her appointment and be up for election this August. The 24th…
March 6, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated a Memphis man’s conviction for first-degree felony murder while clarifying Tennessee law regarding the requirements to make an arrest and when a confession can be a basis for a conviction.Courtney Bishop and an accomplice schemed to rob a drug dealer at…
March 5, 2014
The Governor's Commission for Judicial Appointments met Wednesday, March 5 in Nashville to interview five candidates for the position on the Tennessee Supreme Court being vacated this summer by Justice William C. Koch, Jr.After conducting a public hearing and interviews of all the candidates, the…
March 5, 2014
Sullivan County General Sessions Judge William A. "Bill" Watson died last week after an extended illness. Judge Williams,74, was first elected in 1998.More information and a…
February 27, 2014
Sumner County Circuit Court Judge C.L. “Buck” Rogers died Thursday, February 27, 2014 in Hendersonville.Visitation will be 1-7 p.m. Saturday, March 1 at Hendersonville Memory Gardens, 353 Johnny Cash Parkway, Hendersonville 37075; (615) 824-3855.Memorial services will start at 2 p.m. Sunday, March…
February 25, 2014
The first-ever statewide gathering of faith-based organization and pro bono lawyers will bring together individuals and groups with a common interest in assisting Tennesseans with civil legal problems.The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission is hosting the Faith-Based Initiatives…
February 24, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission is hosting a Pro Bono Legal Clinic Conference on Monday, March 10, 2014, in Nashville, TN. The Conference will be a combination of presentations and round-table discussions, and topics will include recruiting attorney volunteers,…
February 21, 2014
The Governor’s Commission for Judicial Appointments will consider five applicants when it meets March 5 in Nashville to select nominees for the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy.The vacancy was created by the announcement last year by Justice William C. Koch, Jr. that he will retire in July to become…
February 21, 2014
In a unanimous Opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court affirmed the disbarment of a Memphis attorney from the practice of law for violating multiple Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct in his representation of clients.George E. Skouteris, Jr. represented clients in connection with…
February 20, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reinstated DUI charges against David Dwayne Bell. Mr. Bell was stopped in 2009 by police for driving on the wrong side of a divided highway and performed several field sobriety tests with reasonable success.Despite his performance on the tests, police arrested Mr.…
February 18, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court is now seeking applications for the Clerk of the Appellate Courts position based in Nashville.Qualified applicants must be a licensed Tennessee attorney, have extensive managerial experience, and be knowledgeable about implementation and use of current technologies.The…
February 7, 2014
Gov. Bill Haslam welcomed the Tennessee Supreme Court to the historic court chambers in the Capitol building in Nashville February 6, 2014. The courtroom was the home of the court from the late 1850s until the Supreme Court Building opened up across 7th Avenue from the Capitol in 1937.See…
January 31, 2014
History will be the stage for the Tennessee Supreme Court as they hear oral arguments next week in the Supreme Court Chambers of the Tennessee State Capitol.The Court regularly hears cases in the Supreme Court buildings in Jackson, Knoxville, and Nashville, but an invitation from Gov. Bill Haslam…
January 31, 2014
Clerk of the Appellate Courts Mike Catalano announced today he will retire in June of this year and become an ordained deacon in the Roman Catholic Church, pursuing his ministry on a full-time basis.Mr. Catalano has served the state of Tennessee for more than 35 years in a variety of roles. He was…
January 29, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that a plaintiff has extra time to refile her health care liability lawsuit based on a law that took effect while her initial lawsuit was pending.Juanita E. Good of Columbia suffered brain damage in 2005 while undergoing surgery to remove her gallbladder. Her…
January 28, 2014
The Tennessee Supreme Court has declined to set aside a 13-year-old guilty plea in which the defendant was never told the full extent of his punishment. In doing so, the Court determined that a statute passed in 1995 severely limited the ability of prisoners and parolees to obtain the benefit of…