News
October 29, 2013
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's office has issued the following list of members of the Governor's Commission for Judicial Appointments:S. Leo Arnold, Esq.Ashley, Ashley & Arnold322 Church AvenueDyersburg, TN 38024Phone: (731) 285-5074Email: leo@…
October 29, 2013
More than 180 listed Alternative Dispute Resolution mediators attended the 11th Annual Advanced Mediation Techniques Workshop held October 18 at Lipscomb University.The participants heard presentations from 15 experts in the field of mediation on topics such as Ethical Considerations for the…
October 21, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that aparent seeking to modify a residential parenting schedule after establishing a permanent parenting plan is not required to prove the parents did not anticipate a significant change in circumstances at the time of the initial parenting agreement.The…
October 17, 2013
With the announcement today of the Governor’s Commission on Judicial Appointments, the application process has been opened for the Supreme Court seat currently held by Justice Janice M. Holder and the Court of Appeals seat held by Judge David R. Farmer.Both Justice Holder and Judge Farmer announced…
October 17, 2013
Ruling on constitutional challenges to the state’s Voter Identification Act by the City of Memphis and two Shelby County voters, the Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously declined to overturn the Act.The Act, which was passed in 2011, requires voters to present government-issued photographic…
October 17, 2013
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced he has issued Executive Order No. 34 establishing the Governor’s Commission for Judicial Appointments, a necessary step to sustain the judicial branch of government and its operations.The new 17-member commission will send a panel of three…
October 8, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld a Sevier County man’s two attempted first-degree murder convictions for his role in an attack on several people in a cabin.In January 2008, Kevin Anthony Dickson, Jr. became angry after purchasing cocaine that he felt was of very poor quality. Dickson enlisted…
October 8, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court, in a 3-2 decision, has upheld a death sentence for a Memphis-area man who was convicted of first-degree felony murder after he killed an elderly man while stealing his car.While the entire Court agreed that Corinio Pruitt was guilty, the dissenting justices would have…
September 26, 2013
The Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference (TGSJC) presented the inaugural Judge Leon Ruben Awards in recognition of outstanding service and accomplishment by General Sessions judges.Judge Thomas L. Moore, Jr. of Weakley County and Judge A. Ben Strand, Jr. of Jefferson County were the…
September 25, 2013
A pilot program in Sumner County General Session Judge James Hunter’s courtroom allows language interpreters to provide services from any location via an internet connection.The first remote session was held for five cases this week. The interpreters worked via laptop using a video and audio feed…
September 16, 2013
Chancellor Ron E. Harmon of the 24th Judicial District passed away Saturday, September 14 following a long illness."All within the judicial branch of government mourn the death of Chancellor Ron Harmon of Hardin County,” said Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Gary R. Wade. “A kind and gracious man,…
September 12, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled today that a failure to promptly return proof of service of process doesn’t prevent a lawsuit from meeting the time deadline for filing suit so long as process is actually served within the appropriate time period.Service of process is the act of giving legal…
September 11, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court announced today the appointment of Bill Young as the next administrative director of the Administrative Office of the Courts.Young, who has served as solicitor general in the Tennessee Attorney General’s office for more than two years, will take the helm at the AOC later…
September 10, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court has held that a trial court erred by failing to follow appropriate procedures after learning that a juror contacted a witness via Facebook during a murder trial.William Darelle Smith was charged with the 2007 shooting death of Zurisaday Villanueva. During Mr. Smith’s…
September 9, 2013
Leaders from the access to justice community met in Knoxville last week with representatives from the six law schools in Tennessee to learn about the state of pro bono in Tennessee.
About 40 people participated in the Law School Pro Bono & Public Interest Conference program, including Supreme…
September 6, 2013
A Tennessee Supreme Court ruling today clarifies that parents and grandparents must satisfy the same legal standards in disputes over modifications to existing court-ordered grandparent visitation.In the Court’s unanimous Opinion, a parent or grandparent asking a court to modify or terminate court-…
September 6, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that persons found in criminal contempt under the general contempt statute have not been convicted of a criminal offense and may not obtain post-conviction relief from such criminal contempt findings.Persons convicted of offenses defined as crimes by state…
September 5, 2013
The Tennessee Supreme Court has added a provision to Supreme Court Rule 13 that will permit the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) to deduct unpaid costs from attorneys’ entitlement to compensation for indigent defense.Recently, the BPR reported that a small number of Tennessee attorneys…
September 3, 2013
A rule regulating the use of recording equipment, which is being used in only one Tennessee courtroom, has been updated by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reflect changes in technology.Supreme Court Rule 26 outlines procedures for recording trial court proceedings and includes provisions for…
August 30, 2013
A fund that all Tennessee attorneys financially support will now offer even more protection to those clients that may have suffered a financial loss as a result of the dishonest acts of any member of the profession.“This fund is now supported entirely by Tennessee lawyers –all willing to take…