Opinions
State of Tennessee v. Roddarrius Eugene Jenkins
Roddarrius Eugene Jenkins, the Defendant, was convicted of first degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, a Class A felony, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, a Class B felony, by a Davidson County Criminal Court jury. See T.C.A § 39-13-202 (2018) (subsequently amended) (first degree murder); § 39-13-403 (2025) (especially aggravated robbery); § 39-17-1307 (2018) (subsequently amended) (felon in possession of a firearm). On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred by (1) violating his Equal Protection rights by denying his motion to appoint a second attorney, (2) denying his motions to suppress his pretrial statements, (3) admitting the Defendant’s uncorroborated statements as evidence, (4) denying, at the close of the State’s proof, the Defendant’s request for a self-defense instruction, (5) restricting the scope of the codefendant’s cross-examination, and (6) finding enhancement factors applied to the Defendant’s sentence. The Defendant also contends that the evidence is insufficient to support the Defendant’s convictions for felony murder and especially aggravated robbery. We affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Charles Raymond Locke, Jr.
A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Charles Raymond Locke, Jr., of second |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Sarah Elizabeth Woodruff ex rel. Ethan Woodruff et al. v. Ford Motor Company et al.
In this appeal, we hold that this Court’s holding in Coffman v. Armstrong International, Inc., 615 S.W.3d 888 (Tenn. 2021), does not mandate dismissal as a matter of law of the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims. Here, the plaintiff filed a product liability lawsuit under the Tennessee Products Liability Act against the defendant manufacturer of a child’s booster seat. The lawsuit claimed the defendant was required to warn of risks of using the booster seat in combination with a seatbelt extender, manufactured by another defendant, but failed to do so. The defendant moved for summary judgment on the grounds that Coffman bars the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims for risks associated with using the defendant’s product with another manufacturer’s product. The trial court granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed the plaintiff’s claim. The Court of Appeals affirmed and held that Coffman bars the plaintiff’s claims as a matter of law. We reverse the Court of Appeals and clarify that the holding in Coffman does not mandate dismissal of the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims as a matter of law. Accordingly, we reverse and remand the case to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings. |
Knox | Supreme Court | |
Sarah Elizabeth Woodruff v. Ford Motor Company
In this interlocutory appeal, we hold that this Court’s holding in Coffman v. Armstrong International, Inc., 615 S.W.3d 888 (Tenn. 2021), does not mandate dismissal as a matter of law of the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims. Here, the plaintiff filed a product liability lawsuit under the Tennessee Products Liability Act against the defendant alleged manufacturer of a seatbelt extender. The lawsuit claimed that the defendant was required to warn of risks of using the seatbelt extender in combination with a child’s booster seat, manufactured by another defendant, but the defendant failed to do so. After a mistrial, the trial court granted permission for interlocutory appeal on the question of whether Coffman bars the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims for risks associated with using the defendant’s product with another manufacturer’s product. The Court of Appeals granted the interlocutory appeal and held that Coffman bars the plaintiff’s claims as a matter of law. We reverse the Court of Appeals and clarify that the holding in Coffman does not mandate dismissal of the plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims as a matter of law. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals and remand the case to the trial court for further proceedings. |
Knox | Supreme Court | |
Connie Reguli v. Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee
In this disciplinary appeal, the lawyer must be disbarred. The lawyer engaged in a years-long orchestrated effort on social media to publicly intimidate judges and justice system officials, and to inspire community fear and loathing against the justice system itself. She posted hyperbolic commentary on social media loaded with false allegations about judges and justice system officials, doxed judges and justice system officials, urged her social media followers to send them harassing messages, intimidated judges and justice system officials, spread disinformation and conspiracy theories, and flagrantly defied court orders. Her public comments to social media followers indicated she wished physical harm to judges and justice system officials, prompting them to fear for their safety and that of their families. And in defiance of a protective custody order and an Amber Alert for a child in danger, the lawyer enabled her client to evade law enforcement by supplying her client with a burner phone and hiding the client and her child inside the lawyer’s own home. All of these acts were connected to judicial proceedings in which the lawyer was participating. After lengthy disciplinary proceedings, a Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel recommended disbarment, and on appeal the trial court agreed. The lawyer appeals to this Court. Here, the lawyer’s comprehensive efforts sought to intimidate judges and justice system officials, and to directly poison the well of justice. Her conduct is a grave dishonor as a lawyer and demands the most severe sanction. No judicial response short of disbarment would be acceptable. |
Williamson | Supreme Court | |
Bryiant C. Overton v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Bryiant C. Overton, appeals the denial of his petition for writ of error coram nobis. He contends that the circuit court abused its discretion by re-characterizing his petition as one for coram nobis relief, by dismissing the petition as time-barred, and by treating prior post-conviction proceedings as a procedural bar. Upon review, we affirm. |
Rutherford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Julie Ann Fleming v. David Fleming
This is an appeal from a divorce with no minor children. Appellant claims that the trial court erred in multiple ways when classifying and distributing the marital estate. Appellant has waived these arguments, however, by failing to comply with this Court’s briefing requirements. Appellant also asserts that the trial court erred in granting Appellee attorney’s fees when she did not request such an award in her complaint. Upon review, we determine that the trial court’s reasoning for awarding attorney’s fees over Appellant’s objection is unclear. We therefore vacate trial court’s judgment as to Appellee’s attorney’s fees and remand the matter for reconsideration in accordance with Rule 52.01 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. We affirm the remainder of the judgment. |
Williamson | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. John Skidmore, III
Defendant, John Skidmore, III, pleaded guilty to fourth offense driving under the influence (“DUI”) and was sentenced to two years suspended to probation after serving 150 days incarcerated. Following a hearing on a probation violation warrant, the trial court partially revoked Defendant’s probation, ordered him to serve one year and six months at 100 percent, and extended his probation for an additional year. Upon Defendant’s filing a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1, the trial court amended its prior revocation order and fully revoked Defendant’s probation. Defendant appeals and argues the trial court failed to place adequate findings on the record to justify its imposition of consequences for Defendant’s probation violation. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Benton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Michael Wayne Norton
A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Michael Wayne Norton, of aggravated |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee v. Awil Abdi
A driver appeals the circuit court’s decision that he violated an ordinance by committing careless driving. We affirm. |
Davidson | Court of Appeals | |
Javarius Deshawn Baugh v. State of Tennessee
A Davidson County jury convicted Petitioner, Javarius Deshawn Baugh, of first degree premeditated murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, for which he received an effective life sentence. Petitioner now appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, arguing that trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Joseph Eugene Chestnut, Jr.
The Defendant, Joseph Eugene Chestnut, Jr., was convicted by a Macon County jury of one count of first degree premeditated murder and four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of life imprisonment. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress the firearm seized during the warrantless search of his vehicle and that the evidence of premeditation is insufficient to support his conviction of first degree murder. Following our review and pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36, we remand for entry of a corrected judgment in Count One to correct a clerical error. Otherwise, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Macon | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Pamela Salas v. John David Rosdeutscher, M.D. et al.
The trial court granted the plaintiff’s motion to voluntarily dismiss her health care liability action against two defendants but retained jurisdiction to determine whether or not to award sanctions against the plaintiff’s attorneys. More than one year after the trial court entered the order of voluntary dismissal, but less than one year after the court entered an order on the sanctions issue, the plaintiff refiled her health care liability claims. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that the plaintiff failed to refile her action within one year from the date the order of voluntary dismissal was entered. The trial court denied the motion based, in part, on its determination that the one-year statute of limitations did not commence until the date the sanctions order was entered because the first action did not conclude until then. Because we have determined that the one-year statute of limitations commenced on the date the court entered the order of voluntary dismissal, we reverse the trial court’s decision and remand for entry of an order granting the motion to dismiss. |
Davidson | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Brian Phillips
This single appeal asks this Court to review the trial court’s sentencing and |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Travis Cohens
The Defendant, Travis Cohens, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of first degree premeditated murder, attempted second degree murder, reckless endangerment, two counts of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and convicted felon in possession of a handgun. He raises four issues on appeal: (1) whether the trial court erred in admitting evidence of his prior bad acts; (2) whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain his first degree premeditated murder conviction; (3) whether the trial court erred by failing to give a complete and accurate jury instruction as to the knowing and intentional mens rea; and (4) whether the prosecutor engaged in prosecutorial misconduct by misstating the mens rea to the jury during closing argument. We affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Sarah Elaine Smith
The Defendant, Sarah Elaine Smith, pled guilty to two counts of attempted aggravated assault and one count each of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury or death, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage in excess of $1,500, reckless driving, failure to exercise due care, and failure to maintain lane, for which the trial court imposed an effective sentence of one year of supervised probation. Following a restitution hearing, the trial court ordered the Defendant to pay $16,250 in restitution in installments of $200 per month. The Defendant appeals, arguing that the restitution award is unreasonable, that she will be unable to pay the full amount of the restitution award by the end of her probationary sentence under her current payment schedule, and that the trial court erred by failing to consider her financial resources and ability to pay the restitution award. Following our review, we reverse the trial court’s restitution order and remand for entry of a revised restitution order. |
Henderson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Annesha Jackson v. State of Tennessee
We conclude that the notice of appeal, filed pro se while represented by counsel, |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
AHA Mechanical Contractors, LLC v. Shelby County Board of Education
This appeal requires us to determine whether the trial court erred in granting Appellee/Shelby County Board of Education’s motion for summary judgment on its breach of contract claim against Appellant/Contractor. Because disputes of material fact and ambiguities arising therefrom exist, the trial court’s grant of summary judgment is reversed. |
Shelby | Court of Appeals | |
Hannah Louise Russell v. Tyler Patrick Russell
This appeal arises from a divorce case following a marriage of short duration. Husband |
Shelby | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. John Jay Starnes
John Jay Starnes, Defendant, was convicted following a bench trial of two counts of unlawfully and negligently placing a child in imminent danger in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-15-401(d)(2022). Defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying diversion and by imposing a split-confinement sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days, suspended to probation after service of thirty days in jail. Following a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Montgomery | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
ROSARIO MORA v. ALBERTO MORA
This is an accelerated interlocutory appeal as of right filed pursuant to Tennessee Supreme |
Washington | Court of Appeals | |
DANIEL JOSEPH WILLIAMS v. TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY
The petitioner filed a petition seeking judicial review of certain interlocutory decisions |
Knox | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Travarius Dewayne Houston
After a bench trial, the trial court convicted the Defendant, Trevarius Dewayne Houston, of two counts of assault against a law enforcement officer, one count of retaliation for past action, one count of theft of merchandise, and one count of resisting arrest. The trial court sentenced the Defendant to serve a total effective sentence of two years, suspended to a year of probation. On appeal, the Defendant asserts that: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions; and (2) the State committed prosecutorial misconduct during closing argument. After review, we reverse the trial court’s judgments in Count 1 and Count 3 and affirm the remaining judgments. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Ray Smotherman, II
In 2023, a Benton County jury convicted the Defendant, Kenneth Ray Smotherman, II, of |
Benton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Amory K. Collins
A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Amory K. Collins, of one count of burglary |
Knox | Court of Criminal Appeals |