News
August 31, 2021
The investiture and swearing-in ceremony for incoming Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger A. Page scheduled for this week has been postponed until later this fall. As is customary, Justice Page will take the oath privately and become the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court on…
August 26, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an Order that reinforces the authority of judges statewide to respond to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, including requiring facial coverings in their judicial districts or courtrooms. The Court strongly encouraged judges to consider implementing a…
August 24, 2021
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page has been elected Chief Justice by his colleagues for a term that begins September 1, 2021. Justice Page succeeds Justice Jeff Bivins, who has served as chief justice since September 2016.“It is an honor to serve as chief justice and a responsibility…
August 16, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld a decision of a Board of Professional Responsibility Hearing Panel denying an attorney’s petition seeking relief from costs associated with his disbarment proceedings. This case stems from a petition of discipline filed against Knoxville attorney Loring…
August 2, 2021
In a unanimous opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the economic loss doctrine applies in fraud actions where the parties are sophisticated commercial entities and the claim is based solely on alleged misrepresentations or nondisclosures about the quality of the goods…
July 8, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit that had been refiled after it previously was dismissed before going to trial. The Court held that the prior dismissal did not prevent refiling the lawsuit because that dismissal had not resolved the lawsuit on its merits.…
June 30, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today held that a general contractor may be required to pay a $300-per-day penalty under Tennessee law for its failure to pay a subcontractor for work completed on a Nashville construction project. Applying Tennessee’s Prompt Pay Act, the Court reversed the trial court’s…
June 17, 2021
The trial judges from across Tennessee recently paid tribute to Chief Justice Jeff Bivins for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chief justice is the head of the judicial branch. Since March 2020, the Supreme Court has issued ten Orders related to the pandemic that included…
June 15, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an interim rule for the special three-judge panels passed in the General Assembly in May. The interim rule is available here.
June 11, 2021
Taking an oath to uphold the constitutions and conduct oneself with honesty, fairness, integrity, and civility is the final step in a long journey to becoming an attorney. For this year’s newest crop of Tennessee lawyers, the journey was particularly arduous as the global pandemic brought in-person…
June 3, 2021
One of the highlights of the year for the Tennessee Supreme Court is holding a SCALES (Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students) program at Tennessee American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Volunteer Girls State each spring, a day filled with photos with the justices…
June 2, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has determined that the Tennessee statute that limits noneconomic damages in a personal injury action to $750,000 is a single cap for all claims asserted in the personal injury action. The cap, therefore, does not apply separately to a spouse's loss of consortium claim.…
June 1, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed a decision that applied a residential-use-only restriction to subdivision lots that were sold before the restriction was created. The Court held that the individuals who recorded the restriction lacked the authority to restrict the use of land they…
June 1, 2021
The TNCourts website launched a new history and milestones feature today in honor of Tennessee's 225th anniversary of statehood. The multimedia elements review the court system's history dating back to the early days of statehood in 1796 through the present. The material also includes many "firsts…
May 28, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has two cases set for its June 3, 2021 docket. These cases will be heard using livestream video conferencing and will be livestreamed to the TNCourt's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/TNCourts/featured. The first case will begin at 9 a.m. and the second…
May 14, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued an Order that will continue to ease the current restrictions on in-person proceedings. Today’s Order reduces the required space between people in the courtroom from six to three feet; lifts any courtroom capacity limits still in effect; and lifts the facial…
April 27, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has one case set for its April 28, 2021 docket. This case will be heard using livestream video conferencing. It will be livestreamed to: https://www.youtube.com/user/TNCourts/featured at 9 a.m. CDT/10 a.m. EDT. The details of the case are as follows:Steven Kampmeyer et…
April 26, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a general contractor has no private right of action against an insurance company for a violation of a Tennessee statute requiring the insurance company to include the contractor as a payee on the insurance payment to the property owner. …
April 16, 2021
The Tennessee Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence for Michael Dale Rimmer, convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend in 1997. This was Mr. Rimmer’s second conviction for the crime, after his original conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered.The night of February 7, 1997, Ricci…
April 13, 2021
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider six applicants for the circuit court vacancy in the 14th judicial district, which includes Coffee County. This vacancy was created by the retirement of the Honorable L. Craig Johnson, effective May 12, 2021.The applicants are:Robert T. CarterJason…