Sean Williams, a prison escapee indicted in connection with multiple counts of state and federal child sex charges as well as rape charges, has been captured in Florida after a month-long manhunt, KnoxNews reports. Williams had escaped from a transport van while being moved from Kentucky to the U.S. District Court in Greeneville. His alleged crimes and arrest have become the subject of several lawsuits in Johnson City, where he lived and worked.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications for the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy that will be created by the retirement of Justice Roger A. Page effective Aug. 31, 2024. Interested applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 35 years of age, have been a resident of the state for five years and are currently a resident of Tennessee’s Eastern or Western Grand Division. Applicants must complete the designated application and submit it to the Administrative Office of the Courts by noon CST on Dec. 11. Get full application instructions on the court's website. The council will meet on Jan. 4-5 to hold a public hearing and interviews for the vacancy. Additional details about that meeting will be released soon. Questions about the process should be directed to Assistant General Counsel John Jefferson.

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Daryl Hall, one half of the iconic music duo Hall & Oates, has sued and obtained a restraining order against John Oates. Though much of the suit and the order remain under seal, the AP reports that Hall is trying to stop Oates from selling his share in the joint venture Whole Oats Enterprises LLP to a management company. Hall argues the sale would violate a business agreement the two had forged. The suit was filed in Nashville on Nov. 15. Chancellor Russell Perkins issued a temporary restraining order the next day. The case is set for a court hearing on Thursday.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has unveiled a proposal that would require lawyers to certify that they either did not rely on artificial intelligence (AI) programs to draft briefs or that humans reviewed the accuracy of any text generated by AI in their filings. The court’s proposed rule appears to be the first by any of the nation's 13 federal appeals courts aimed at regulating the use of generative AI tools by lawyers appearing before it, Reuters reports.

The Knoxville Chamber of Commerce recently recognized the law firm of Kramer Rayson LLP for 75 years of service to East Tennessee. The firm, comprised of 27 attorneys with offices in Knoxville and Oak Ridge, celebrated the milestone anniversary at the Neyland Stadium West Club earlier this year with a number of area dignitaries and many of its clients, friends and staff in attendance. Managing Partner Jackson G. Kramer says the firm attributes its longevity and success to the “hard work and loyalty of our attorneys and staff throughout our years of service.” Read more in a news release from the chamber.

Artificial intelligence is changing how law is practiced, but not always for the better, says The Washington Post. A recent deep dive into the issue includes the story of several lawyers who used ChatGPT to help write legal briefs, only to find later that a number of citations to lawsuits were fabricated by the bot. One young associate in Colorado acknowledged his mistake and reported it to the court, which referred to him to the state’s disciplinary body. He was later fired from his firm. In Los Angeles, a court fined a law firm that used AI to write a legal brief. The firm blamed a young associate, who resigned. Experts tell the paper these issues will only expand as “stressed-out lawyers turn to chatbots to write tedious briefs.” The paper looks at the promises and pitfalls of AI for the future of the legal profession.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a petition for reinstatement filed by Elizabethton lawyer Amy D. Williams. On Sept. 5, Williams filed a petition seeking reinstatement. The Board of Professional Responsibility informed her that she had outstanding obligations and was not in good standing with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. On Oct. 2, the court filed an order advising Williams to satisfy outstanding obligations by Nov. 17 or her petition would be dismissed without prejudice. The court now reports that Williams did not satisfy her obligations by the deadline.

The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday reinstated the Tennessee law license of Maryland attorney Seoyoung Kim. The court took the step after Kim filed a reinstatement petition. Kim had been placed on inactive status on Oct. 20, 2017. The Board of Professional Responsibility informed the court that the petition was satisfactory. The court made the reinstatement retroactive to Oct. 30.

Appellant appeals the denial of his motion to recuse the trial judge on the grounds that the trial judge refused to explain the reasons other judges recused from the case, refused to hear evidence of misconduct against an attorney involved in the case, and allegedly ruled erroneously in several respects. Because we conclude that an ordinary person knowing all the facts known to the judge would not question the judge’s impartiality, we affirm.