Stay current with legal news in Tennessee. This page features the latest news for and about the Tennessee legal community, either produced by the Tennessee Bar Association or collected from news sources.
Laurence Revelle Dry Jr. died May 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 72. Originally from Minnesota, Dry earned his medical degree in 1966 from Northwestern University in Chicago. He took a job as a general/vascular surgeon in Oak Ridge but later decided to attend law school at the University of Tennessee. He earned his law degree in 1988 and practiced in Oak Ridge until his death. Visitation will be Friday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 212 N. Tulane Ave., in Oak Ridge. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Carleton College, Gift Accounting, One N. College St., Northfield, MN 55057 or to the Cemetery Fund care of Nina McClure, Bank of Jamestown, P.O. Box 6, Jamestown, KY 42629. The News Sentinel has this obituary
The East Tennessee Human Resource Agency recognized Hamblen County General Sessions Court Judge Joyce Ward at its quarterly advisory board meeting recently for her support and dedication to the agency and the Misdemeanor Probation Service. Ward intends to retire at the end of May. The meeting and party in her honor featured tributes and a presentation of a key to the city by the Morristown mayor. The Citizen Tribune has more
Tennessee companies could see a reduction in workers' compensation premiums later this year according to The Tennessean, depending on the outcome of complex negotiations over the rates doctors receive for treating workers' comp patients. Several business groups support the measure, saying that an overall rate reduction would help make Tennessee more competitive with neighboring states, but many in the health care community say cuts would hurt medical providers and even force some of them to stop treating patients. Gov. Bill Haslam chose not to tackle workers' compensation reform this year, but is exploring major changes. Many observers expect this will be a major issue for the legislature in 2013.
Congress has passed a bill authorizing a replacement judge in Jackson after U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge G. Harvey Boswell retires in July. Boswell handled cases in Jackson but reported to the court in Memphis. Until Congress passed the stalled bankruptcy judge bill, it appeared Boswell’s position would lapse. That would have meant more work and travel for the four judges in Memphis. Lack of congressional action on the bill also would have meant the loss of almost one-tenth of the nation’s 351 bankruptcy judges. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. Learn more in the Memphis Daily News
Hawkins County commissioners have appointed attorney Carroll Chris Raines to replace General Sessions Judge James “Jay” Taylor, who resigned May 1 after being charged with misconduct by the Court of the Judiciary. Raines prevailed over attorney John Anderson. He will hold the seat until county residents vote in the Aug. 2 general election. In that race Republican J. Todd Ross faces Democrat Terry Risner. Last July, commissioners appointed Taylor following the death of Judge David Brand. The Citizen Tribune has more
The Jackson-Madison County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division will host "Pour Your Heart Out for CASA" tomorrow, May 24, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Charlie Bulldog's in downtown Jackson to benefit Madison County CASA. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Admission includes appetizers and various types of wine to sample. Contact YLD President Terica Smith at (731) 426-1337 or terica@wtls.org for more information or to buy tickets.
Jamie B. Kidd has been named assistant director for Law School Administration at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Her responsibilities will include matters concerning human resources, accreditation, budgeting, academic regulations and other administration-related projects. A native of Huntsville, Ala., Kidd graduated from the law school in 2011. While a student, she served as chief justice of the Moot Court Board and as a member of the Law Review. The law school announced the hiring this week.
The Nashville Bar Association (NBA) will hold its spring memorial service tomorrow, May 24, at 11 a.m. in the Downtown Presbyterian Church. Chancellor Russell Perkins will preside and a reception at the church will follow. Attorneys to be memorialized are: Judge Elmer Davies, Marilyn Devine, James (Jim) Hill, Hugh Howser, Alfred Knight III, Harold Levinson, James Meyer, John Roberts, Judge Leon Ruben, Robert (Bob) Sullivan and Sonny West. Beginning this year, the NBA will hold two memorial services per year -– one in May and one in November. The services honor the memory of Nashville lawyers and judges who have passed away during the preceding period. Learn more on the bar's website
The 2nd Annual TBA Diversity Job Fair is set for Sept. 7-8 in Nashville. Building on the success of last year’s event, this year’s job fair will provide legal employers the opportunity to interview diverse 2L and 3L law students from law schools in Tennessee and surrounding states. More than 25 schools have already signed up. All legal employers in Tennessee are invited to take part, regardless of size or sector. Participants are asked to consider candidates for summer associate positions, clerkships and associate attorney openings.
Former U.S. Sen. Joseph Tydings, D-Maryland, wrote the Horse Protection Act when he served in the U.S. Senate from 1965 to 1971. With little funding, however, the act has not been widely enforced, as the Tennessean reports. Tydings said he hopes things are finally about to change, not only because of the release last week of undercover video showing soring and other abuses, but also because of federal prosecutors’ willingness to pursue violations of the act. Bill Killian, U.S. attorney for East Tennessee, and Jerry E. Martin, U.S. attorney for Middle Tennessee, are supportive. “If we get wind of soring, we are going to vigorously pursue the case," says Martin. Today in Chattanooga, Jackie L. McConnell, the horse trainer featured in the video, pleaded guilty to violating the act. He could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Neff said, but prosecutors are recommending probation.
Federal judges in the western U.S. circuit are catching flak from Congress for a meeting in Maui that could cost taxpayers more than $1 million, Fox News reports.
Davidson County Probate Court Judge Randy Kennedy indicated Monday that he may be willing to open at least portions of a conservatorship case involving actress Reese Witherspoon’s father. Kennedy set a June 1 hearing for arguments from the Tennessean and WSMV-Channel 4, which are both seeking to have the case opened to the public. On May 11 Kennedy ejected the news media from court and ruled that all files and proceedings involving Witherspoon would be closed to the public as his daughter sought to have him placed under a conservator. In an editorial, the Tennessean says the public's right to know is more important than privacy, and closing the proceedings was "an attempt to skirt the First Amendment."
In an editorial, the News Sentinel says that recent events regarding former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner are "positive steps for the integrity of the Knox County judicial system." The first step was when the state Supreme Court on May 15 released an order signaling its possible willingness to review three overturned murder convictions from Baumgartner's court stemming from a brutal double murder. The second step was when, on the same day, Baumgarter was arrested and arraigned in federal court on seven counts of failing to report felonious acts. "We are confident that justice, in the end, will be served," the paper says.
Two members of a sequestered jury -- a pediatrician and a nurse -- and the deputies escorting them saved a 6-year-old girl from drowing in a hotel pool last week in Memphis. Hearing screams for help from the girl's aunt, the jurors, Dr. Jara Best and Sheila Dalrymple, ran to help the girl who was floating face-down in the water. Deputy Amy Chaffin called for back-up, while another deputy escorted the rest of the jury members to their rooms. The little girl was transported to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in critical condition, but recovered quickly and was released on Sunday. WREG has the story
A former law student has won a bid in bankruptcy court to discharge nearly $340,000 in education debt because her diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome rendered her unable to repay the loans. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland last week found that Carol Todd, who attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, met the difficult burden of showing that she would suffer undue hardship if forced to repay her debt. Read about it in the National Law Journal
Award, won for 2nd year in a row, recognizes program for new lawyers
NASHVILLE, May 22, 2012 -- The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) won a Rich Media Impact Award last week for using technology to help new law school graduates find work during the recession. The award, given by Sonic Foundry -- a video management platform for academic, enterprise and event webcasting -- recognizes outstanding achievement in using rich media to improve awareness, education and outreach.
Greene County General Sessions court moved back a scheduled appearance by Rep. David Hawk to July 16 in a domestic assault case filed by his wife. The Greeneville Republican lawmaker had been scheduled to appear today. The five-term representative pleaded not guilty a day after the charge was filed March 18. The News Sentinel has more
Politico has a story on four former politicians who left office after each had "a dramatic press conference, a shame-filled public apology, a tearful spouse and the end of a promising political career." One is former Tennessee state Sen. Paul Stanley, who resigned in 2009 after news of an affair with his 22-year-old intern broke. Among his advice now is not to be alone "with someone of the opposite sex after 5 p.m. or after business hours. There's nothing good that can come of it."
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., wants to make it "absolutely clear" that the Lacey Act was not intended to seize instruments made of wood harvested before 2008. "I don’t want the musicians from Nashville who are flying to Canada to perform this summer to worry about the government seizing their guitars," he said, adding that he hopes to get a clear ruling from the Justice Department in a few weeks. If not, he says he'll introduce legislation to change the Lacey Act. Read more in the Chattanoogan
Chattanooga lawyer Lee Davis writes about a 6th Circuit case, United States v. David Earl Doyle, that concerns whether a defendant’s prior conviction for evading arrest is a “violent felony” for purposes of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). Read his column in the Chattanoogan
