News
July 11, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended Shelby County attorney Gerald D. Waggoner, Jr. from the practice of law in Tennessee for two years for violating disciplinary rules.
In 2017, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Mr. Waggoner for three years from the practice of law for removing client…
July 7, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an opinion today holding that Supreme Court Rule 13, which provides the procedure for administering funds appropriated by the Tennessee Legislature for assisting indigent litigants in capital cases, was constitutionally applied in the State’s case against Jessie…
June 29, 2023
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that persons who lose the right to vote in Tennessee because of a criminal conviction in another state must comply with requirements set forth in two different Tennessee statutes, both of which address voting rights, in order to regain…
Tennessee Supreme Court Holds Restitution Statute Does Not Require Trial Courts To Set Payment Terms
June 8, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court issued opinions in two cases holding that restitution orders in criminal cases need not contain payment terms or a payment schedule to be final and appealable. Orders for restitution only have to set the amount of restitution; and, if no payment time is set, then the…
June 8, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today adopted Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 55 – Use of Technology for Court Proceedings. The rule allows the use of teleconferencing, video conferencing, and other technology to conduct court proceedings remotely at the discretion of the trial or appellate court.
Over…
May 31, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court has three cases set for its June 1, 2023, docket. The first two cases will be heard in Nashville beginning at 1 p.m. CDT. The final case will be submitted on briefs. The cases will be livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page at: youtube.com/@TNCourts. The details…
May 25, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court held today that a cap imposed by the Division of TennCare on reimbursements to certain healthcare providers is a “rule” within the meaning of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act that should have been implemented through notice-and-comment rulemaking.
As part of a…
May 23, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court will hold oral arguments on May 24, 2023, before an accomplished group of Tennessee’s high school students at American Legion Boys State at Tennessee Technological University. The event is part of the Court’s award-winning SCALES program, which stands for Supreme…
May 23, 2023
In an opinion released today, a majority of the Tennessee Supreme Court held that the trial court in a healthcare liability action appropriately declined to require a defendant physician to opine on the defendant nurse-midwife’s performance outside of the physician’s presence.
In 2014, a child…
May 19, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed the termination of the parental rights of two parents whose infant son suffered multiple rib fractures while he was in their custody. The Court held that, under Tennessee law, the evidence did not support the trial court’s finding that the parents’ failure…
May 17, 2023
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court unanimously held that a trial court’s voluntary dismissal order in a governmental tort liability action could not be altered or amended because an amended complaint filed by the plaintiff rendered it of no legal effect.
Plaintiff George…
May 15, 2023
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the forgery convictions and sentences of five defendants that collectively filed more than 100 fraudulent financing statements on the Secretary of State’s website.
Defendants Ronald Lyons, James Michael Usinger, Lee Harold Cromwell,…
May 11, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court today upheld the premeditated first-degree murder and aggravated robbery convictions of Kemontea Dovon McKinney (“Defendant”) for the killing of Jonathan Outlaw in Robertson County. The Court found the Defendant’s statements to detectives were voluntary, as was the…
May 5, 2023
In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court extended its previous holdings with respect to civil defendants in Parrish v. Marquis, 172 S.W.3d 526, 531 (Tenn. 2005), and Himmelfarb v. Allain, 380 S.W.3d 35 (Tenn. 2012), and held that a criminal defendant can pursue a claim…
April 4, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court has three cases set for its April 5, 2023, docket. The first two cases will be heard in Jackson, Tennessee, beginning at 9 a.m., CDT. The final case will be submitted on briefs. The cases will be livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page at: youtube.com/@TNCourts…
April 3, 2023
The Tennessee judiciary is mourning the loss of former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice William Muecke Barker, who passed away on April 3, 2023, at the age of 81. Former Chief Justice Barker was from Chattanooga and spent 25 years on the judicial bench, 10 as a justice on the Tennessee Supreme…
March 21, 2023
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that the Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board did not act arbitrarily or capriciously by affirming the termination of Shelby County firefighter Paul Zachary Moss without hearing evidence of discipline previously imposed on other firefighters. This is the…
March 9, 2023
Attorney Dwight E. Tarwater was officially confirmed by the General Assembly as the newest justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Justice-designate Tarwater was nominated by Governor Bill Lee in January after a lengthy application process that included a public hearing. He will take the bench on…
February 16, 2023
Today, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed a decision of the Court of Appeals that had allowed a plaintiff to proceed with her claims of gross negligence and recklessness against governmental entities under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act. The Tennessee Supreme Court held that the…
February 2, 2023
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Dwight E. Tarwater to the Tennessee Supreme Court and Matthew Wilson to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Western Section.
“Dwight is a highly qualified attorney who will bring significant experience to the Tennessee Supreme Court,”…