The Claiborne Commission on Monday evening approved the controversial $11.5 million expansion of the Claiborne County Jail. The expansion will double the bed count in the jail and allow the jail to house state inmates in an effort to reduce overcrowding, Claiborne Progress reports. Circuit Court Judge John McAfee has expressed concerns about the “lack of public disclosure” for the expansion via letters to County Mayor Jack Daniels. “If we decide to expand our jail, we obligate multiple generations for the costs of housing state inmates that, by law, we are not required to house,” McAfee wrote.

Deloy and Sharon Miller, founder of Miller Energy Resources, filed a lawsuit against former president and CEO Scott M. Boruff. The couple claims Boruff borrowed $6 million from them and has not repaid it. The company, formerly of Knoxville but now based in Houston, is going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in Alaska. Read more form the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in Knoxville in the direct appeal of Lemaricus Davidson, the man sentenced to death for his role in the 2007 murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. Davidson was sentenced to death by a Knox County jury after he was convicted of of multiple charges in 2009, including two counts of first degree murder and three counts of aggravated rape. The Court will also hear an appeal from Thomas William Whited, who contends he should have not have received a 22-year sentence after he was charged for secretly recording videos of his 12-year-old daughter and her minor friends as they got undressed. The oral arguments are open to the public and will begin at 10 a.m. EST at the Supreme Court building, 505 W Main St.

The issues in this case bring into sharp focus the question of whether or not the successful litigants below are entitled contractually to an award of attorney?s fees and expenses against the losing side, i.e. the plaintiffs. This litigation began in 2010 when Kathleen Barrett and her husband, Gerald Barrett, filed suit against three LLCs2 and three individuals. The gravamen of the complaint is related to the purchase of, and the planned construction of a house on, a lot in a subdivision.

Appellant, Joshua Johnson, stands convicted of facilitation of attempted first degree murder, employing a firearm during the attempted commission of a dangerous felony with a prior dangerous felony conviction, unlawful possession of a weapon, and aggravated assault. He received an effective sentence of twenty-six years.

Former husband filed a post-divorce petition seeking to hold former wife in contempt for her failure to pay and hold former husband harmless for indebtedness on the marital residence as required by the parties? marital dissolution agreement. The trial court held former wife in contempt for her failure to pay, granted former husband a judgment of $2010.00 for the amount he paid in an attempt to keep the debt current, ordered former wife to sell the marital residence, and awarded former husband attorney?s fees.

Nancy F. Brown (Plaintiff) was walking through and contemplating the rental of a house owned by Nancy Mercer-Defriese and Spencer Defriese (Defendants) when she tripped over a three-inch threshold or step in the doorway between two rooms. She brought this premises liability action, alleging the step was an unreasonably dangerous and defective condition that caused her fall and resulting injuries. During the jury trial that followed, Plaintiff and Defendants presented the testimony of experts.

Barry Trent, the Executor of the Estate of Dennie Lamar Trent, appeals the order of the Chancery Court for Hawkins County (“the Trial Court”) finding and holding that the claim against the estate filed by Brenda Jefferson for an unpaid $50,000 debt as evidenced by a note is valid. We find and hold that the evidence does not preponderate against the Trial Court?s findings, and we affirm.

Because the order appealed is not a final judgment, we must dismiss this appeal for lack of jurisdiction.