News
July 12, 2016
Chief Justice Sharon Lee’s statement on the passing of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Robert E. Cooper, Sr.: The entire judicial family is saddened by the passing of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice Robert E. Cooper, Sr. and extends condolences to his family, friends…
July 7, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that defendants who have entered a guilty plea cannot seek relief from that plea using a statutory procedure that the Court says is intended by Tennessee law only for those who have been found guilty at trial.At issue is error coram nobis, a procedure defined…
July 6, 2016
The Supreme Court has affirmed the convictions and sentences of death for Howard Hawk Willis for killing two East Tennessee teenagers and dismembering one of them. In 2010, a Washington County jury convicted Mr. Willis of two counts of premeditated murder and one count of felony murder in the…
June 30, 2016
From The Mountain Press:SEVIERVILLE -- The state judiciary is working on several ways to modernize and make courts more accessible, including efforts to put courts online so attorneys can e-file complaints and other court documents, and a task force looking at how to improve access for indigent…
June 24, 2016
The Supreme Court has ruled that a man convicted in Memphis of aggravated assault is entitled to a new trial because the prosecution did not properly elect an offense for the jury to consider.The case of Michael Smith involves an alleged violation of an order of protection by Mr. Smith, who was…
June 16, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court was recognized for its SCALES Project as the 2016 recipient of the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education.
The award was presented Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the annual Bench Bar Luncheon, a joint program with the Tennessee Judicial Conference…
June 9, 2016
UPDATE: See photos from the day here.Declaring summer is officially here, Chief Justice Sharon Lee and Tennessee Bar Association President William L. Harbison, have issued a joint proclamation announcing Seersucker Day for the legal community on Thursday, June 16.That date marks the annual Bench…
May 31, 2016
Lipscomb University will host the Tennessee Supreme Court this week as part of the American Legion Auxiliary’s Volunteer Girls State program, which gives high school female leaders the opportunity to experience and learn about civic engagement.The Court will hear two cases at the session on campus…
May 19, 2016
For the sixteenth year in a row, the Tennessee Supreme Court will hold oral arguments before 600 high school students next week at American Legion Boys State in Cookeville.The Court session is just one element of weeklong programs students participate in to learn through firsthand experience how…
May 12, 2016
The Supreme Court’s Indigent Representation Task Force will make stops in Johnson City and Knoxville as it continues its listening tour across the state to hear from anyone interested in sharing thoughts about representation for those who are accused of a crime and unable to afford an attorney.The…
May 10, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld a White County man’s DUI conviction, ruling that the officer who approached a man’s parked vehicle for a welfare check acted consistently with federal and state constitutional principles and within his community caretaking function.Kenneth McCormick was…
May 10, 2016
A marker was recently placed just inside the doors of the Tennessee Supreme Court Building in Nashville, officially noting the building’s place on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2012. The Nashville architectural firm of Marr and Holman…
May 9, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reversed a Court of Appeals decision concerning the cleanup of a landfill that has been discharging pollutants into a Maury County lake. From 1981 to 1993, ACC, LLC operated a landfill in Maury County, Tennessee, where it disposed of aluminum recycling wastes…
May 2, 2016
Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee said Monday she could sum up the state of the judiciary in one word: Great.
Of course, she went on to use a few more words to give details to several hundred Rotary Club members who attended Monday’s weekly meeting at the Wildhorse Saloon in…
April 27, 2016
The location for the first stop of the Indigent Representation Task Force statewide listening tour has been moved to the Vasco Smith Building in Memphis. It previously was scheduled to be in the Criminal Justice Center.The details for Thursday’s listening tour stop:Thursday, April 28, 2016 3:00 p.m…
April 26, 2016
More than 1,000 people packed the house in Mifflin, Tennessee Monday, April 25 for Justice Roger A. Page’s ceremonial swearing-in with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
The overflowing crowd in the small rural town heard remarks from the governor, Justice Page, as well as several other judges and local…
April 20, 2016
The Indigent Representation Task Force has announced a series of statewide listening tours to hear from those interested in sharing their thoughts on indigent defense in Tennessee. The first two stops will be next week in West Tennessee.The Task Force will convene in Memphis on April 28 and again…
April 19, 2016
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Nashville Friday in several criminal cases and one civil case. Oral arguments will begin at 9:30 a.m. for the three morning cases and, after a break, will resume at 1 p.m. for the remaining two cases.The cases the Court will hear:State v.…
April 18, 2016
Governor Bill Haslam will ceremoniously administer the oath of office tonewly appointed and confirmed Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page on Monday, April 25 in Mifflin, the community in Chester County where he was raised.Justice Page’s parents have lived in Mifflin since 1954. He was…
April 18, 2016
Things have come a long way from the days when Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee was the only female attorney in her county. However, there’s still a lot of opportunity for women to grow their role in the legal profession overall.That was the theme of the Tennessee Lawyers’…