News
September 1, 2022
Tennessee jurists from Mountain City to Memphis, from Supreme Court justices to general sessions judges, began new eight-year judicial terms today, September 1, 2022. The judges were elected or retained during the August general election. The previous judicial term ran from September 1, 2014 to…
August 2, 2022
Tennessee appellate courts recently livestreamed their 1,000th case, greatly improving accessibility and transparency in the court system. While the Tennessee Supreme Court began video recording oral arguments in October of 2018, these recordings were posted several days to weeks later. The first…
June 16, 2022
Court of Appeals Judge W. Neal McBrayer recently joined the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) Board of Directors.“Having participated in TISL as a college student, I know firsthand the benefits of the program,” said Judge McBrayer. “It's hands-on learning that encourages future…
May 10, 2022
Retired Court of Appeals Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr., passed away on May 7, 2022 at the age of 86. Judge Susano served on the Court of Appeals for over 25 years, taking the bench in 1994 and retiring in April of 2020. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest serving appellate judge in the…
Professor Jeffrey Usman Confirmed to Court of Appeals in Joint Session of Tennessee General Assembly
May 3, 2022
Professor Jeffrey Usman was confirmed to the Court of Appeals – Middle Section by a unanimous vote of the Tennessee House and Senate. He was appointed to the intermediate appellate court by Governor Bill Lee on March 28 after being recommended by the Governor’s Council for Judicial…
April 5, 2022
The Court of Appeals in-person oral arguments came full circle on March 11, by returning to Belmont University Law School. The previous in-person session was held on campus just over two years ago, March 4, 2020. Soon after, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the courts to transition to a virtual format…
March 28, 2022
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced appointments to three judicial positions across the state.The following Tennesseans have been appointed:Professor Jeffrey Usman– Court of Appeals, Middle DivisionJudge Tom Greenholtz– Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern DivisionJudge Kyle Hixson– Court of…
March 18, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments met today to consider five applicants for the imminent vacancy on the Court of Appeals Middle Section. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the Council selected the following applicants:Alexander Stuart RiegerJoycelyn A.…
February 28, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider five applicants when it meets to select nominees for the imminent vacancy on the Middle Section of the Court of Appeals after the Honorable Richard H. Dinkins elected not to file a declaration of candidacy for retention in the August…
February 2, 2022
“Do you think there should be an age limit for judges?” “Do you think the constitution is outdated?” “If you view a law as amoral, why do you uphold it versus go against it?” A group of 20 upper class University School of Nashville students had the opportunity to ask Tennessee Court of…
January 28, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments today filed amended notices for the imminent vacancies in the Court of Appeals Middle Section and Court of Criminal Appeals Eastern Section.The application deadline for the imminent vacancy in the Court of Appeals Middle Section is now 12:00 p.m. CST…
January 24, 2022
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications for the Court of Appeals vacancy created by the decision of the Honorable Richard H. Dinkins not to file a declaration of candidacy for retention in the August 2022 election. Any interested applicant must be a…
January 6, 2022
The Jackson, Nashville, and Knoxville Supreme Court Buildings will both be closed on Thursday, January 6, 2022, due to inclement weather conditions. Governor Bill Lee has also closed state office buildings across the state today. These closures include the Appellate Court Clerk's Offices.…
January 4, 2022
The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) awarded Carlos Yunsan, law clerk to Court of Appeals Judge Kristi Davis, the 2021 KBA Presidents’ Award at its Annual Meeting on Friday, December 10, 2021.The KBA Presidents’ Award recognizes outstanding performance and dedicated service on behalf of the KBA.…
November 8, 2021
Governor Bill Lee appointed two new members to the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments, which manages the application process, interviews candidates, and makes a recommendation to the governor for vacancies in the Tennessee appellate courts, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, or the…
October 13, 2021
U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw welcomed to Nashville a banquet hall full of female judges from across the United States and far-off corners of the world to the 43rd Annual National Association of Women Judges Conference (NAWJ), where attendees celebrated women’s suffrage while learning…
June 23, 2021
The new Tennessee State Library & Archives is a treasure trove for judges and attorneys searching for historical information related to court cases, legislative history, or personal records that may be applicable to specific projects and problems. The new building opened in April on the…
April 6, 2021
One of the state’s most admired and respected jurists, former Court of Appeals Chief Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr., now has a permanent place in a prominent Tennessee courtroom.
A portrait of Judge Susano was unveiled recently in the Knoxville Supreme Court building where he heard countless cases…
March 2, 2021
Several Tennessee Supreme Court justices and intermediate appellate judges joined other state leaders in a processional as the three State of Tennessee constitutions made their way to the new State Library and Archives on Bicentennial Mall. The three priceless documents were meticulously moved by…
February 26, 2021
All judges have stories to tell about the people, places, and experiences that helped them get where they are. Given the level of ability and achievement that it takes to reach the bench, those stories often share common ingredients that are predictors of success: a robust work ethic, strong…