AOC Press Releases

(11/26/2003)

Marble Plaques to Bear Names of All Tennessee Appellate Judges

The names of 213 Tennessee appellate court judges who served since 1796 when the state was founded are etched in gold on donated imported black marble plaques to be unveiled at a 2 p.m. public ceremony Dec. 12 at the Supreme Court Building in Nashville.

The Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society and the Frist Foundation provided funds for the plaques, which were designed by state architect Mike Fitts and etched in Tennessee. The plaques will hang in the Hall of Justice, or foyer, at the Supreme Court Building, 401 7 th Ave. North.

The Historical Society, a non-profit organization created in 1995 by volunteers wanting to preserve the court's history, also has produced a book, "A History of the Tennessee Supreme Court." Copies provided by the Frist Foundation are being donated to every high school library in the state.

"Until the Historical Society was formed, there were very limited and scattered sources of information about the history of the Supreme Court and the other appellate courts in Tennessee," said Executive Director Gil Campbell. "The legal system has played - and continues to play - a vital role in the state. It is important to gather and preserve its history."

Courts included on the plaques are the Supreme Court, with 77 members from 1835 to the present; the Court of Appeals with 59 members from 1925 to the present; the Superior Court of Law and Equity, with 12 members, including Andrew Jackson, from 1796 to 1809; the Court of Errors and Appeals, with 13 judges from 1810 to 1835; the Court of Chancery Appeals, with 4 judges from 1895 to 1907; the Court of Civil Appeals, with 14 judges from 1907 to 1925; and the Court of Criminal Appeals, with 34 judges from 1967 to the present.

Campbell said nearly 40 former and present members of the three existing appellate courts - the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals - will attend the ceremony.

500 to Attend State's First Methamphetamine Conference

Judges, law enforcement officials, medical professionals and advocates for children and crime victims are among more than 500 Tennesseans registered to hear Gov. Phil Bredesen, First Lady Andrea Conte, Reps. Lincoln Davis and Zach Wamp and more than 50 speakers and panelists Dec. 1-3 at the state's first annual Methamphetamine Conference. (Conference Program)

Issues ranging from Drug Endangered Children to HIV Risks Related to Meth Cases will be discussed when participants gather at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. Sponsors for the conference, "Methamphetamine Response: A Multidiscipline Approach to Protecting Tennessee Communities," include the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The conference will focus on issues such as Methamphetamine 101, Emergency Room Response, Foster Care and Meth and Prosecution Strategies. Speakers also will address how to conduct meth investigations and medical issues of concern to judges handling the drug cases.

Speakers and panelists include TBI agents, doctors, Department of Children's Services representatives, prosecutors, local law enforcement officials, judges, victims' rights advocates and educators.

The number of meth lab seizures in Tennessee climbed from 128 in 1999 to 752 in fiscal year 2002-2003. The drug also has taken an increasing toll on children and families. Between January 2002 and July 2003, more than 500 children were removed from Tennessee homes where methamphetamine was manufactured.

(11/25/2003)

Nine Grants Awarded to Assist Self-Represented Litigants

Parents with custody and visitation legal issues, but without resources to hire attorneys, will be among self-represented court users benefiting from nine grants awarded statewide through the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

As part of a move to improve access to justice for pro se – or self-represented – litigants, the AOC, using federal grant funds, has awarded a total of $280,186 based on applicants’ written proposals. Recipients are Community Legal Center in Memphis; Community Mediation Services in Anderson County; Legal Aid of East Tennessee; the Memphis Bar Association; Southeast Legal Services in Hamilton County; Sumner County Juvenile Court; Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee serving Montgomery and Robertson counties; Mediation Services of Putnam County; and Weakley County Juvenile Court.

“The number of people using the court system without the benefit of legal counsel is increasing, not only in Tennessee, but across the nation,” said Connie Clark, administrative director of the courts. “Attorneys continue to be very generous with their programs providing free and reduced price legal services, but they cannot completely fill the need. With the help of several committees, including lawyers, judges and others, we are exploring how courts can meet the needs of those who, for whatever reason, are self represented. The initiatives proposed by these grant recipients will move us toward that goal.”

Proposals selected for the grants include establishing pro se clinics; providing information about the courts; assistance with parenting plans; facilitating mediation; providing legal forms; sponsoring workshops for pro se litigants; and making available attorney assistance. Grant awards ranged from $7,500 to $54,070.

Efforts to create programs for self-represented litigants were launched earlier this year when the AOC, using a $20,000 State Justice Institute grant, hosted a pro se summit for judges, lawyers, court clerks, pro se litigants and court personnel. Participants identified major barriers encountered by pro se court users and offered suggestions for removing them. A Pro Se Committee and subcommittees are studying the suggestions and also looking at initiatives other states already have in place.

“There are many excellent programs operating in other states, which will be a great help to us as we decide what reasonably can be done in Tennessee,” Clark said. “We are exploring several for which there will be no cost, such as using the court system website to provide forms and information, and also are looking at others we may not be able to accomplish yet. We have gotten a lot done in a short period of time and will continue to move as quickly as we can to ensure equal access to justice for everyone, including those who are self-represented.”

Kennedy to Fill Davidson County Division VII Circuit Court Position

Governor Phil Bredesen today announced that Nashville attorney David "Randy" Kennedy will fill a position in the 20th Judicial District, Division VII Circuit Court. The position was vacated by Judge Frank Clement, Jr., last month when he was appointed by Bredesen to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Middle Section. Division VII is designated to hear all probate cases in Davidson County, as well as other civil cases.

Kennedy has practiced law in Nashville for 25 years. He began his career as an attorney with Lancaster & Farmer, Attorneys. He worked in various capacities in solo practice or with associations of attorneys until 1997, when he became managing and senior attorney with Kennedy & Brown.

"I am honored to have been chosen to serve in the Circuit Court and I'm prepared to carry out the duties of this important position with the highest degree of fairness and integrity," said Kennedy.

"I consider it a great privilege to have been chosen to serve." Kennedy, 53, holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Murfreesboro, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Nashville School of Law. He is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the Tennessee Bar Association. He served as Metro Councilman for the 13th District from 1989 to 1995, and has served on the Metro Charter Revision Commission since 1996. From 1996 to 1997, he served as vice chairman of government relations and community affairs and executive committee member for the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce.

He was selected to the Class of 1993 "Fellows" of the Nashville Bar Association, and in 1986 was elected chairman of the Tennessee Bar Association's General Practice Section. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the President's Advisory Council for MTSU and the National Eagle Scout Association.

Kennedy's Division VII Circuit Court appointment will become effective upon taking the oath of office. He will stand for election in 2004 for the remainder of Clement's unexpired term. There will then be an election for a full eight-year term in 2006. This marks Bredesen's eighth judicial appointment since taking office January 18.

(11/24/2003)

Judge Cupp Receives Scholarship for Educational Program

Criminal Court Judge Robert E. Cupp of the 1^st Judicial District, including Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties, was recipient of a State Justice Institute (SJI) scholarship to attend a five-day course dealing with punishment.

“Psychology and Practice of Punishment,” sponsored by the American Academy of Judicial Education, focused on the justification and purposes of punishment. The course also appraised new attempts to understand punishment. Topics included restorative justice, the character of mercy, shaming punishments and the death penalty. Cupp and other participants at the West Yellowstone, MT, conference took part in theoretical discussions and addressed practical problems in judging.

The State Justice Institute was created by federal law in 1984 to award grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts, facilitate better coordination between state and federal courts and assist with solutions to common judicial system problems. SJI has awarded approximately $120 million to support more than 1,000 projects.

(11/21/2003)

Shelby County Judges Complete Judicial Academy

Chancellor Arnold Goldin and General Sessions Judges Phyllis Gardner and Gwen Rooks, all of Shelby County, have completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Goldin, Gardner and Rooks were among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the academy in Nashville. Gov. Don Sundquist appointed Goldin last year; Gardner was appointed in 2002 by the Shelby County Commission and was later elected; and Rooks also was elected in 2002.

Courses for judges elected or appointed since the last academy in 2000 included transition from bar to bench; dealing with stress; docket control; civil and criminal jury instruction; how to handle juries; reversals; contempt of court; and judicial writing. They also completed courses on workers compensation; ethics; evidence; criminal law; procedure, search warrants and sentencing; domestic relations; and Supreme Court Rule 13 dealing with the appointment of attorneys for indigent defendants.

Chancellor Steve Stafford of Dyersburg was dean of the academy. Courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges, including state Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Allen Glenn, Circuit Court Judge Robert Childers and Criminal Court Judge James Beasley, Jr., all of Memphis. Other West Tennessee instructors included Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe Riley of Ridgely and Circuit Court Judge Creed McGinley of Savannah.

Four Davidson County Judges Complete Judicial Academy

The four judges most recently appointed to the bench in Davidson County have completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Chancellors Claudia Bonnyman and Richard Dinkins and Criminal Court Judges Monte Watkins and Mark Fishburn were among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the Nashville academy. Watkins and Fishburn were appointed Aug. 27 by Gov. Phil Bredesen to two new positions created by the legislature. Bonnyman and Dinkins were appointed Sept. 17 to fill a new position and a vacancy created by the retirement of Chancellor Irvin Kilcrease, Jr.

Circuit Court Judge Steve Stafford of Dyersburg served as the academy’s dean. Courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges, including Criminal Court Judges Cheryl Blackburn and Steve Dozier and Circuit Court Judge Tommy Brothers, all of Nashville. Other instructors from Middle Tennessee were Cornelia Clark, administrative director of the courts and a former Circuit Court Judge, of Franklin, and Circuit Court Judge Don Ash of Murfreesboro.

Chancellor James Butler Complete Judicial Academy

Chancellor James Butler of the 26^th Judicial District, including Madison, Henderson and Chester counties, has completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Butler, of Jackson, was among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the academy in Nashville. Gov. Phil Bredesen appointed Butler to the bench in June to fill a vacancy created by the death of Chancellor Joe Morris.

Chancellor Steve Stafford of Dyersburg was dean of the academy. The courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges including Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Allen Glenn, Circuit Court Judge Robert Childers and Criminal Court Judge James Beasley, Jr., all of Memphis. Other West Tennessee instructors included Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe Riley of Ridgely and Circuit Court Judge Creed McGinley of Savannah.

Judge James Hunter Completes Judicial Academy

General Sessions Judge James Hunter of Sumner County has completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Hunter was among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the academy in Nashville. He was appointed by the Sumner County Commission to succeed Judge John Wesley Jones, who retired June 30.

Chancellor Steve Stafford of Dyersburg served as the academy’s dean and current and former Tennessee judges taught the courses.

Judge George Sexton Completes Judicial Academy

Circuit Court Judge George Sexton of the 23^rd Judicial District, including Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties, has completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Sexton, of Dover, was among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the academy in Nashville. Gov. Phil Bredesen appointed Sexton to the bench in February to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Allen Wallace, who took senior judge status.

Circuit Court Judge Steve Stafford of Dyersburg served as the academy’s dean and current and former Tennessee judges taught the courses.

Judge Larry B. Stanley Completes Judicial Academy

Circuit Court Judge Larry B. Stanley of the 31st Judicial District, including Van Buren and Warren counties, has completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Stanley, who also serves as chancellor in the district, was among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the academy in Nashville. He was elected to his position in 2002, succeeding Judge Charles Haston, who retired.

Chancellor Steve Stafford of Dyersburg was dean of the academy. Courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges.

Judge Hicks Completes Judicial Academy

Circuit Court Judge Ross H. Hicks of the 19^th Judicial District, including Montgomery and Robertson counties, has completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.

Hicks was among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the Nashville academy. Gov. Don Sundquist appointed Hicks in 2002 to fill a vacancy created by the death of Judge James Walton.

Chancellor Steve Stafford of Dyersburg served as the academy’s dean. Courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges, including Criminal Court Judges Cheryl Blackburn and Steve Dozier and Circuit Court Judge Tommy Brothers, all of Nashville. Other instructors from Middle Tennessee were Cornelia Clark, administrative director of the courts and a former Circuit Court Judge, of Franklin, and Circuit Court Judge Don Ash of Murfreesboro.

Chancellor Forgety Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Chancellor Telford E. Forgety, Jr., of New Market has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should be retained in office or removed.

Forgety, who serves the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties, is one of six new members appointed to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Other members appointed by the state Judicial Council are Chancellors Howell N. Peoples of Hamilton County, the 11^th Judicial District, and Carol L. McCoy of Davidson County, the 20^th Judicial District; Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of Shelby County, the 30^th Judicial District; and Henrietta Grant, manager of community relations for the Knoxville Utility Board. Nashville attorney John Day was appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Terms of the new members are for six years.

The 12-member commission, created by the General Assembly, evaluates the performance of incumbent appellate court judges and makes recommendations to voters either “for retention” or “against retention.” By state law, the five Supreme Court justices, 12 members of the Court of Appeals and 12 members of the Court of Criminal Appeals are evaluated every eight years and re sults are published in newspapers across the state.

All judicial terms in Tennessee are eight years. When a mid-term vacancy occurs on an appellate or trial court, the state Judicial Selection Commission interviews applicants and recommends up to three candidates to the governor, who appoints a new judge to fill the unexpired term until the next August general election.

John Day Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Attorney John A. Day of Nashville has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should be retained in judicial office or removed.

Day, appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder, is one of six new members of the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Also appointed to six-year terms were Chancellors Telford Forgety, Jr., who serves the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties, Howell N. Peoples of Hamilton County, the 11^th Judicial District, and Carol L. McCoy of Davidson County, the 20^th Judicial District; Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of Shelby County, the 30^th Judicial District; and Henrietta Grant, manager of community relations for the Knoxville Utility Board. All of the new members except Day were appointed by the Tennessee Judicial Council.

The 12-member Judicial Evaluation Commission, created by the General Assembly, evaluates the performance of incumbent appellate court judges and makes recommendations to voters either “for retention” or “against retention.” By state law, the five Supreme Court justices, 12 members of the Court of Appeals and 12 members of the Court of Criminal Appeals are evaluated every eight years and re sults are published in newspapers across the state.

Knoxville Woman Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Henrietta Grant of Knoxville has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should retain their judicial offices or be removed.

Grant, manager of community relations at the Knoxville Utility Board, is one of six new members appointed to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Other members appointed by the state Judicial Council are Chancellors Telford E. Forgety, Jr., who serves the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties; Howell N. Peoples of Hamilton County, the 11^th Judicial District; and Carol L. McCoy of Davidson County, the 20^th Judicial District; and Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of Shelby County, the 30^th Judicial District. Nashville attorney John Day was appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Terms of the new members are for six years.

Chancellor McCoy Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Chancellor Carol L. McCoy of Nashville has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate court judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should be retained in office or removed.

McCoy, of the 20^th Judicial District, Davidson County, is one of six new members appointed to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Other members appointed by the state Judicial Council are Chancellors Telford E. Forgety, Jr. of the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties, and Howell N. Peoples of the 11^th Judicial District, Hamilton County; Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of the 30^th Judicial District, Shelby County; and Henrietta Grant, manager of community relations for the Knoxville Utility Board. Nashville attorney John Day was appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Terms of the new members are for six years.

Judge McLin Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of Memphis has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate court judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should be retained in office or removed.

McLin, of the 30^th Judicial District, Shelby County, is one of six new members appointed to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Other members appointed by the state Judicial Council are Chancellors Telford E. Forgety, Jr. of the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties, Howell N. Peoples of the 11^th Judicial District, Hamilton County, Carol L. McCoy of the 20^th Judicial District, Davidson County, and Henrietta Grant, community relations manager at the Knoxville Utility Board. Nashville attorney John Day was appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Terms of the new members are for six years.

Chancellor Peoples Named to Judicial Evaluation Commission

Chancellor Howell N. Peoples of Ooltewah has been appointed to the commission responsible for evaluating state appellate court judges, including members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, and recommending to voters whether they should be retained in office or removed.

Peoples, who serves the 11^th Judicial District, Hamilton County, is one of six new members appointed to the Tennessee Judicial Evaluation Commission. Other members appointed by the state Judicial Council are Chancellors Telford E. Forgety, Jr. of the 4^th and 5^th Judicial Districts, including Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier and Blount counties, and Carol L. McCoy of the 20^th Judicial District, Davidson County; Criminal Court Judge J.C. McLin of the 30^th Judicial District, Shelby County; and Henrietta Grant, manager of community relations for the Knoxville Utility Board. Nashville attorney John Day was appointed by Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Terms of the new members are for six years.

(11/19/2003)

Memphis Chancellor Marking Adoption Month With Special Event

For at least part of the day on Monday, Nov. 24, there will be none of the usual opposing sides, arguments and adversarial proceedings in Chancellor Arnold Goldin’s Shelby County courtroom. In honor of National Adoption Month, at 9:30 a.m. the chancellor will finalize adoptions of at least five children, including some who have spent part of their young lives in foster care.

“I will have a ceremony for this occasion,” he said. “Adoptions always are the greatest part of my job because everyone leaves happy. It’s just a wonderful way to start the week.”

National Adoption Month in November and Adoption Day, Nov. 22, were designed to facilitate the adoption of foster children and bring attention to their plight. Across the nation, attorneys, judges, foster care professionals and child advocates join forces to encourage the adoptions of children needing permanent homes.

Last year, 1,350 children were adopted as a result of Adoption Day events in 34 cities nationwide. Approximately 542,000 children currently reside in foster care environments in the United States, including 10,000 in Tennessee. Of those, approximately 126,000 nationwide and 1,000 in Tennessee are available for adoption.

Goldin said in some cases, parents have voluntarily given up their children, but many others have had their parental rights terminated by the courts because of child abuse or neglect. Only about 25 percent of foster children eligible for adoption will wind up in permanent homes.

In recent years, Tennessee courts have experienced an increase in adoption filings and finalizations. In fiscal year 1997-98, chancery and circuit courts statewide disposed of about 2,300 adoptions. Last fiscal year nearly 2,900 adoptions were granted by the courts. And, during 2002, 965 children in foster care were adopted in Tennessee.

(11/17/2003)

National Adoption Day Has Special Significance for Chancellor

While most Tennessee judges are enjoying a day away from work on Saturday, Nov. 22, Chancellor Thomas (Skip) Frierson is opening his Morristown courtroom doors. In honor of National Adoption Day, Frierson will be at the Hamblen County Courthouse at 10 a.m. to finalize the adoptions of children.

“If anyone is interested in having their children’s adoptions finalized, I’d love to do them,” he said.

Frierson, the father of two adopted children, said he has been spreading the word among attorneys who handle adoptions that he will be available for families who want to take the final step in the legal process. His own children, 9-year-old daughter Reagan and 5-year-old son Parker, are the inspiration for his decision to conduct the Saturday adoption ceremonies.

“Handling adoptions is very special,” he said. “It’s comforting to know that children are being placed in loving, safe and secure homes. It’s nice on those days when everybody’s happy. My wife Jane and I have been so blessed and we’re thankful to have had an opportunity to become parents in this way.”

The Frierson family includes children adopted in the United States and from a Russian orphanage.

“We started the process the first time around in 1993,” Frierson said. “We went through Holston United Methodist Home for Children in Greeneville. “In August of 1994, we got a phone call and were told they had a little girl who was six weeks old. We were ecstatic. They called on Tuesday and were on our doorstep with our new daughter on Friday morning.”

The Friersons took custody of the baby immediately and started the legal proceedings for adoption. Then, in 1998, the family decided it was time to add a new member – a sibling for Reagan. But, they learned it could take up to five years to adopt a baby domestically, so they contacted Catholic Social Services to find out about the possibility of a foreign adoption. After completing the background checks and paperwork, the couple waited for a call telling them they would be going to Russia to bring home the baby son they had seen only in a video and a few snapshots.

“We were in Russia for 18 days,” Frierson said. “Parker, who was 10 months old, was in an orphanage in Podolsk. He had dysentery, but when we got back home he proved to be very healthy. He gained six pounds in the first five weeks.”

The family celebrates their adoptions every year at a picnic in Asheville, N.C., with other families who have adopted children – an event Frierson described as “a special fun time.” The two Frierson children know they were adopted and Parker knows he was born in Russia.

“We do hope one day we can go to Russia and he can see where he was born. If they wish to pursue gaining information about their birth parents, we will assist them with that,” Frierson said. “We get calls now from prospective adoptive parents who want to learn about the process. We are so pleased with both of our experiences that we really recommend adopting children”

National Adoption Day was designed to facilitate the adoption of foster children and bring attention to their plight. Across the nation, attorneys, judges, foster care professionals and child advocates join forces to encourage the adoptions of children needing permanent homes.

“Last year, 1,350 children were adopted as a result of Adoption Day events in 34 cities nationwide,” Frierson said. “Approximately 542,000 children currently reside in foster care environments in this country, including 10,000 in Tennessee. Of those, approximately 126,000 nationwide and 1,000 in Tennessee are available for adoption.”

He said in some cases, parents have voluntarily given up their children, but many others have had their parental rights terminated by the courts because of child abuse or neglect. Only about 25 percent of foster children eligible for adoption will wind up in permanent homes, he said.

“In recent years, Tennessee courts have experienced an increase in adoption filings and finalizations,” the chancellor said. “In fiscal year 1997-98, chancery and circuit courts statewide disposed of about 2,300 adoptions. Last fiscal year nearly 2,900 adoptions were granted by the courts. And, during 2002, 965 children in foster care were adopted in Tennessee.

(11/12/2003)

Application Deadline Set for Shelby County Circuit Judge Position

Attorneys wanting to succeed Circuit Court Judge Robert A. Lanier in Shelby County, the state’s 30^th Judicial District, have until Jan. 26 to submit their applications, Cornelia Clark, administrative director of the courts, said Wednesday. Lanier is retiring effective Dec. 31 after a judicial career spanning more than 21 years.

“Judge Lanier is a valuable member of the judiciary and has dedicated more than two decades to public service,” Clark said. “His contributions to the justice system have been numerous.”

A Jan. 26 deadline has been set for the Administrative Office of the Courts to receive applications from attorneys interested in the position. Applications are available from the Administrative Office of the Courts, Suite 600, Nashville City Center, 511 Union Street, Nashville, TN 37219 . Information concerning the application process also is available on the website.

The 17-member Judicial Selection Commission will meet in Shelby County Feb. 13 to conduct a public hearing and interview applicants. A time and location for the meeting will be announced.

As required by state law, the commission will submit up to three names to Gov. Phil Bredesen who will appoint the new judge to fill Lanier’s unexpired term. The position will be on the ballot in 2004, the next August biennial election, and again in 2006 for a full eight-year term.

(10/29/2003)

Conference of Court Clerks Elects Officers

New officers have been elected to represent the state's 207 court clerks. Officers of the Tennessee Conference of Court Clerks were chosen by the membership during a Chattanooga meeting of the County Officials Association of Tennessee. Clerks in all 95 counties are responsible for maintaining court dockets and records and handling administrative matters.

Officers elected to serve one-year terms are President Kay Solomon Armstrong, clerk and master in Greene County; President-Elect Janet Williams, clerk and master in Lewis County; Treasurer Heather Duncan, Circuit Court clerk in Coffee County; Secretary John Fine, Circuit Court clerk in Rhea County; East Tennessee President Rhonda Reagan, Circuit Court Clerk in Grainger County; Middle Tennessee President Charlotte Broyles, clerk and master in Coffee County; and West Tennessee President Jimmy Moore, Circuit Court Clerk in Shelby County.

(10/23/2003)

Supreme Court Appoints Catalano Appellate Court Clerk

Mike Catalano, associate solicitor general in the Office of the State Attorney General, has been appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court as Appellate Court Clerk effective Jan. 1.

Catalano, 49, has been with the Office of Attorney General since 1980. He will succeed Cecil Crowson, who is retiring after a 23-year career with the judicial system, including a decade as appellate court clerk. The Supreme Court chose Catalano from 27 attorneys who applied for the position.

“We had a difficult decision because there were so many outstanding and qualified candidates,” Chief Justice Frank Drowota said. “Mike Catalano's experience, though, makes him the ideal choice to fill this important position and we are looking forward to working with him.”

As appellate court clerk, Catalano will oversee offices and staffs in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson, where the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals hear cases. The clerk's offices handle dockets, appellate court filings and administrative matters. The clerk is appointed by the Supreme Court to a six year term.

Catalano graduated from Memphis State University in 1976 Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in political science. He attended the University of Tennessee College of Law and graduated in 1978. He worked as a staff attorney for the executive secretary of the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1979 - 1980. Besides his present position, he has been an assistant attorney general and deputy attorney general in the Office of Attorney General. In 1987, Catalano served as a Supreme Court Fellow for the National Association of Attorneys General in Washington, D.C. He has litigated numerous cases on behalf of the state in both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels.

(10/02/2003)

100 Hamblen County Students Participate in Court of Appeals CASE Project

Lawsuits by an elderly widow against her grandson and by a man whose horse and mule drawn wagon slipped off a bridge are among four cases Hamblen County students will hear Oct. 14 as part of an educational program initiated by the Eastern Section of the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

Judge Charles Susano will preside over the three-judge panel, which also includes Court of Appeals Judge Michael Swiney and Special Judge William Inman. The 100 students and their teachers from Morristown Hamblen High Schools East and West will hear oral arguments beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Chancery Courtroom at the Hamblen County Courthouse in Morristown.

“The CASE Project, which is an acronym for Court of Appeals Affecting Student Education, gives young Tennesseans an opportunity to see first-hand how the court system operates at the appellate level,” Swiney said. “It is designed to educate them about the judicial branch of government in a manner that will interest them because it involves actual cases and real life legal issues.”

As part of the CASE Project, law clerks who work for the appellate judges will go to the schools the week before oral argument to brief the students about the appellate process and the cases they will be hearing. When the cases are decided by the court, in four to six weeks, copies of the written opinions will be furnished to the students. Law clerks also will return to the schools to debrief students and answer questions.

Issues in the cases include a claim by an elderly widow that her grandson breached an oral contract to provide her with life-time care in exchange for her property; a claim that the state negligently designed, approved and maintained a defective road resulting in an automobile accident with severe injuries; a dispute over unpaid invoices; and a suit against Carter County claiming a horse and mule drawn wagon slipped off a bridge because the bridge was defective and dangerous.

Besides attending the court session, students and teachers will join the court, local judges and attorneys for lunch hosted by the Hamblen County Bar Association.