The New York Times profiles several emerging technologies across the country that are improving access to legal aid. The article also explores how attorneys can use the online tools to make the legal process faster and more accurate, sometimes providing resources that can be helpful for attorneys who do not have expertise in a particular field. 

The Defendant-Appellant, June Ann Wascher, entered a guilty plea to driving under the influence (DUI) in exchange for an eleven-month and twenty-nine day probationary sentence, after service of forty-eight hours in jail. As a condition of her plea, Wascher reserved a certified question of law challenging the denial of her motion to suppress, which was based upon an alleged unconstitutional seizure. Following our review, we reverse and vacate the judgment of the trial court and dismiss the case.

The Defendant, Sammie Lee Taylor, was convicted in 1994 of first degree felony murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated robbery, and aggravated sexual battery and received an effective sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole plus sixty-two years. In 2015, the Defendant filed a motion pursuant to Tennessee Criminal Procedure Rule 36.1 requesting the correction of the judgment. The trial court summarily dismissed the motion for failure to state a colorable claim.

The Defendant, Delarris Jones, also known as Cedrick Jones, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of attempt to commit second degree murder, a Class B felony; aggravated assault, a Class C felony; employing a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, a Class C felony; possessing a firearm as a person convicted of a felony involving the use of violence, a Class C felony; and possessing a firearm as a person convicted of a felony drug offense, a Class D felony. See T.C.A. §§ 39-13- 210(a)(1) (2014) (second degree murder); 39-13-102(a)(1)(iii) (Supp.

The Defendant, Terry Butler, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of tampering with evidence, a Class C felony, three counts of official misconduct, a Class E felony, and two counts of official oppression, a Class E felony. The trial court merged the three counts of official misconduct and sentenced the Defendant to an effective four years to be served on five years? probation.

Nearly 10 percent of federal judgeships are vacant, according to the Washington Post. The number of unfilled judgeships is nearly twice as high as the number of vacancies at this point of President George W. Bush’s presidency. But the report notes that while some judges and lawmakers believe the situation is a “judicial emergency,” a spokeswoman for the Judiciary Committee chairman called it a “made-up crisis.”  

Randy Spivey, attorney and Academic Director of Lipscomb's Institute for Law, Justice, and Society, will host a panel on June 11 following a performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird” at Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre. The panel will include appellate attorney Donald Capparella, attorney Billye Sanders and Judge Richard Dinkins. 

A case argued last week before the Tennessee Supreme Court challenged a state law that bars inmates who have past-due court fees from filing new cases. David Veile of the firm Schell & Davies argued the case on behalf of Reginald D. Hughes, an inmate whose appeal of a parole denial was dismissed because he owed hundreds of dollars in fees. Veile added Hughes “was denied access to justice because of two reasons: He is indigent and he is incarcerated.” Assistant Attorney General Michael Polovich argued that the law is in place to keep inmates from filing “frivolous lawsuits,” The Tennessean reports.  

Judge Monte Watkins today denied a request by Brandon Vandeburg’s defense team that asked the state to give them all of the digital media collected during the 2013 rape. Attorneys for Vandenburg, a former Vanderbilt football player, said they wanted their forensic expert to argue against what detectives found. Watkins has yet to rule on the defense team’s additional request to call an expert witness in case Vandenburg's sobriety comes into question, WSMV reports. Jury selection in Vandenburg's retrial is scheduled to begin this week in Memphis.