An investiture ceremony for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille McMullen will be held at 2:30 p.m. July 30 in the City Council Chambers, Lobby Level, at City Hall, 125 N. Main St. in Memphis. Governor Phil Bredesen, who appointed McMullen to the bench in June, will participate in the ceremony. A reception, sponsored by the National Bar Association, will follow in the Hall of Mayors.
Bredesen Announces Appointments to Tennessee Appellate Courts.
State Court of Appeals Judge J. Steven Stafford of Dyersburg has been named chairman of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, a philanthropic organization that administers a fund supporting law-related public projects and also honors attorneys who have distinguished themselves professionally.
The Foundation oversees and administers IOLTA, an acronym for Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, which was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1984. With funds from IOLTA, the Foundation provides grants to organizations in Tennessee that offer direct legal services to the indigent and to organizations that improve the administration of justice. The funds also provide scholarships to students at state-supported law schools.
Click here to read the entire press release.
21st Judicial District
Circuit Court Vacancy
Pursuant to the provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 17-4-101 et seq., notice is hereby given that the Judicial Selection Commission soon meet to initiate the process of filling the vacancy in the 21st Judicial District Circuit Court created by the resignation of Judge Robert E. Lee Davies. Applicants must reside in Williamson, Hickman, Perry or Lewis counties.
Any member of the public, both lay and attorney, shall be entitled to attend the public hearing, to express, orally or in writing, suggestions of possible nominees and/or such citizen's approval of or objections to any suggested nominee for the judicial vacancy. Any licensed attorney may appear and make a statement, oral or written, in support of such attorney's own nomination.
All interested candidates should submit a completed Applicant Questionnaire and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) background application to the Commission for its consideration. Both applications are available on our website at: http://www.tncourts.gov/. Applicant Questionnaires and TBI background applications should be submitted to the Administrative Office of the Courts, Suite 600, Nashville City Center, 511 Union Street, Nashville, TN 37219, by no later than Friday, August 8, 2008, however, the Commission encourages all candidates to submit applications as early as possible. Fingerprinting also will be a requirement of each candidate. Dates, times and location for fingerprinting will be announced at a later date.
Each candidate must submit the original (unbound) and nineteen (19) copies (stapled or bound and printed on front and back) of the Applicant Questionnaire in order to have his/her name placed on the list of candidates for the judgeship vacancy for which he/she is applying. Please submit only the original background application. No copies are needed of this document.
Applicants must adhere to the requests of the commission. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in disqualification.
The commission will consider a TBI background check on each applicant which includes, among other sources of information, an Equifax credit report. If there is negative information in that report, it will be considered by the commission and may be discussed with the applicant in the interview process. Applicants are well advised to obtain and review a copy of their Equifax credit report prior to applying.
The Commission is committed to the goal of a diverse judiciary and encourages all qualified attorneys to apply for any judicial vacancy for consideration without regard to race, ethnicity or gender.
If you require an accommodation and/or have special needs because of a qualified disability, have questions, or need additional information, please contact Sarah Bradley or Libby Sykes at the Administrative Office of the Courts at (615) 741-2687.
This the 18th day of July, 2008.
Chief Justice William M. Barker will remain on the state Supreme Court until Sept. 15, two weeks later than his original retirement date, so the court will have its full five members for a Knoxville docket on Sept. 3, he said.
“When I notified the governor in early May of my intended retirement on Sept. 1, I had hoped that would allow enough time for the selection process to be completed before the court heard cases in Knoxville,” he said. “However, the Judicial Selection Commission will not be able to meet until Aug. 18 to evaluate applicants for the Supreme Court and recommend three names to the governor. That close time frame, coupled with the Labor Day holiday, convinced me that I need to be available to sit with the court.”
Barker said he discussed the decision with the governor’s office and “he agrees with my decision to postpone my retirement for two weeks.”
Click here to read entire press release.
Supreme Court Vacancy
Pursuant to the provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 17-4-101 et seq., notice is hereby given that the Judicial Selection Commission meet on Monday, August 18, 2008, in Legislative Plaza, Hearing Room 12, Nashville, TN, to initiate the process of filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by the retirement of Chief Justice William M. Barker. Applicants must reside in either the eastern or western grand divisions.
Any member of the public, both lay and attorney, shall be entitled to attend the public hearing in hearing room 12 at 8:30 a.m. CDT, to express, orally or in writing, suggestions of possible nominees and/or such citizen's approval of or objections to any suggested nominee for the judicial vacancy. Any licensed attorney may appear and make a statement, oral or written, in support of such attorney's own nomination.
The application deadline of June 20, 2008, at 4:30 p.m. CST, has passed. The following people have applied:
Paul Campbell, III
Campbell and Campbell
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Vance W. Cheek, Jr.
Special Counsel, MLT Management, LLC
Johnson City, Tennessee
Sharon G. Lee
Court of Appeals Judge
Knoxville, Tennessee
John Westley McClarty
Sole Practitioner
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Nancy Miller-Herron
TN Claims Commissioner, Western Division
Dresden, Tennessee
R. Culver Schmid
Attorney, Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C.
Knoxville, Tennessee
D. Bruce Shine
Law Offices of Shine & Mason
Kingsport, Tennessee
The Commission is committed to the goal of a diverse judiciary and encourages all qualified attorneys to apply for any judicial vacancy for consideration without regard to race, ethnicity or gender.
If you require an accommodation and/or have special needs because of a qualified disability, have questions, or need additional information, please contact Sarah Bradley or Libby Sykes at the Administrative Office of the Courts at (615) 741-2687.
This the 20th day of June, 2008.
The Tennessee Court System provides this site as a
public service, offering convenient public access to court reports, court
information, and employment opportunities in the court system, as well as
Tennessee Appellate Court opinions. Information posted on this site is believed
to be accurate, but is not guaranteed.
ADA Court Accessibility Information
Special Interest
Click here for information on the book/CD-ROM prices, available discounts and shipping costs.
Click here to go directly to the Order Form.
The Court of the Judiciary was created by the legislature to investigate and, when warranted, act on complaints against judges. Members are appointed by multiple appointing authorities, including the Supreme Court. The appellate court clerk serves as clerk to the Court of the Judiciary.
Items of interest to the Judiciary and Bar. Final report on this legislative session, compiled by the AOC.
In October 2008, all of state government will implement a new human resources system. Click here for information about Project Edison and how it will change how you access your personal and benefits information.
The Tennessee Bar Foundation, through the IOLTA (Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Accounts) program, provides grant awards to organizations that provide direct civil legal services to the indigent or that seek to improve the administration of justice. Applications for those grants, to be paid during 2009, will be available on Friday, August 1, 2008, on the Foundation’s website: www.tnbarfoundation.org.
Completed applications must be returned by United States Postal Service, postmarked no later than midnight, Friday, September 5, 2008. For more information, contact the Foundation at info@tnbarfoundation.org or call 615.242.1531 or 800.634.2516.
Filed: July 1, 2008
ORDER
On January 18, 2007, the Court adopted Rule 49, Tenn. Sup. Ct. R., to provide for continuity of operations of the Tennessee appellate courts in the event a natural or other disaster were to occur in the State. At its meeting on March 7, 2008, the Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure approved for recommendation to the Court a proposed new rule providing a similar continuity-of-operations plan for the Tennessee trial courts. After reviewing and considering the new rule recommended by the Advisory Commission, the Court has determined that Rule 49 should be amended to incorporate provisions governing the continuity of operations in the state trial courts in the event of a disaster.
Click here to see the order and new text of Rule 49.
ORDER Filed: June 27, 2008
The Tennessee Bar Association petitioned the Supreme Court of Tennessee to amend Rule 21 Section 3.01 by changing the mandatory continuing legal education deadline from December 31 to June 30.
Click on the links to see the following:
Proposed Order with Amendment A (PDF)
Petition to Change Dates for CLE Compliance (PDF)
TBA Memo in Support of Petition (PDF)
Exhibit A to TBA Petition - Proposed Rule 21 Redline (PDF)
Rule 21 Comments (PDF)
The Court is considering the adoption of a new Rule of the Supreme Court governing the appointment of guardians ad litem for minor children in divorce and post-divorce proceedings. The Court hereby solicits written comments from judges, lawyers, bar associations, members of the public, and any other interested parties, concerning the proposed new rule. The deadline for submitting written comments has been extended to July 31, 2008. Written comments should be addressed to:
Mike Catalano, Clerk
Tennessee Appellate Courts
100 Supreme Court Building
401 7th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37219-1407
Click here to see the Rule (PDF).
Click here to view comments (PDF).
As many court clerks and judges know, the legislature made a significant change to TCA Section 36-3-617 during the last legislative session. The new version prohibits the taxing of costs or filing fees to any person who petitions the court for an Order of Protection. This is because the bill that was passed states that "no PETITIONER shall be required" to pay these costs (click here to view the Tennessee House of Representatives discussion of the intent of this bill). The bill became effective on May 28, 2008.
Filed: June 20, 2008
Click here to see Order and proposed rules.
Pursuant to the requirements of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 17-4-201, the Judicial Evaluation Commission is pleased to present its 2008 report and addendum. The reports contain the evaluations and recommendations on retention for appellate judges who will appear on the August 2008 ballot for retention election. The judges who will appear on the August ballot are: Supreme Court Justice Gary R. Wade, Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch, Jr., Court of Appeals Judge Andy D. Bennett, Court of Appeals Judge Richard H. Dinkins, Court of Appeals Judge Steve Stafford, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr., and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille R. McMullen.
Access and Visitation Grant
Self-Represented Litigants Initiatives
The Administrative Office of the Courts will have funds available through the Access and Visitation Grant for the development or continuation of initiatives that will aid self-represented litigants in accessing the Tennessee court system regarding child support issues. The initiatives must address the needs of divorced or never married parents and focus on services to help them resolve any or all issues concerning parenting and visitation in child support cases or cases involving child support issues. These initiatives may include but are not limited to any of the following: self-help centers, pro se clinics, unbundled legal services, and mediation programs.
Proposals must be submitted by August 4, 2008.
Supporting documents, in PDF format:
To see the Funding Notice, click here.
For a copy of the Proposal Application, click here.
An amendment to Supreme Court Rule 13 has been adopted allowing
attorneys to assign the processing and submission of attorney reimbursement
claim forms to the AOC by a third-party billing agent. Links are provided
below for the order and the new assignment form.
Order
Uniform
Assignment of Payment Form
November 24 & 25, 2008
Nashville, Tennessee
Click here for more information.
Annual Report of the Tennessee Judiciary
2006-2007
A CD version of the annual report, including the statistical section, also is available from the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Pursuant to TCA §40-35-210(6)(b), the Administrative Office of the Courts is to provide statistical information as to sentencing practices for similar offenses in Tennessee. The provided statistics are meant as an advisory guideline in sentencing. The addition of advisory guidelines was established in the Criminal Sentencing Reform Act of 2005, which was brought about following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Blakely v. Washington, 124 S.Ct. 2531 (2004).
These reports may be reached by choosing Information, Criminal Sentencing Statistics from the menu on the left.
In addition to serving as a resource for judges and lawyers, the Tennessee Supreme Court Libraries in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson also are open to the public. The three law libraries have a total of about 125,000 volumes and, in Nashville, some material is available on CD. Also in Nashville, the library has computer terminals for patrons to use.
Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time Monday through Friday. Material cannot be checked out and can only be used in the libraries.
Addresses and other information about the libraries can be found here.
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