TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 20, 2025

Former state Rep. Robin Smith is asking a Nashville federal judge to grant her probation and remove a $7,500 fine previously imposed on her in light of pardons for her two co-defendants. A motion filed with federal Judge Eli Richardson argues that Smith “should be resentenced to a term of probation and have the fine reduced to $0 in order to mitigate the manifest injustice that will result from Ms. Smith being the only one of the three conspirators to face criminal sanctions.” The other two individuals involved in the case, former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former chief of staff Cade Cothren, received presidential pardons earlier this month. Smith is due to report to federal prison on Jan. 5, 2026, to begin serving an eight-month sentence. Chattanoogan.com has the story.