Volunteers are needed for upcoming Wills for Heroes Clinics around the state. These sessions provide free wills and other end of life documents for first responders in Tennessee. The next clinics are scheduled for Jan. 9 at Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan in Knoxville, and Jan. 16 at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga. View the schedule of clinics and more information.

The Economist asserts the cash-bail system in American highlights racial inequalities and brings harm to thousands of Americans every year. “(The system) undermines the very purpose of a criminal justice system: identifying criminals, and punishing them appropriately,” the author writes. The article details a case in San Francisco, filed in October by Equal Justice Under Law, that challenges the city’s bail system.

The Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission approved a new model policy for officers responding to reports of sexual assault, Bartlett Express reports. The policy requires all state law enforcement agencies to use a specific protocol when conducting preliminary and continued investigations of rape or other sexually oriented crime. “(The policy) will also encourage more survivors to come forward and report the crime in the renewed hope that the perpetrator will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said. Agencies have until July 1, 2016, to adopt the model as written or create their own policy to meet the minimum standards outlined in the model.

The Knoxville Bar Association has announced its 2016 Calendar of events, including an upcoming KBA Bar Leaders Reception planned for Jan. 26.

Pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 51, this workers? compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers? Compensation Appeals Panel for a hearing and a report of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The trial court found that Employee suffered work-related injuries to both shoulders and awarded twenty percent permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. Employer argues that the trial court erred in finding that Employee suffered a work-related injury and contends that the award was excessive. We affirm the trial court?s judgment.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will conduct its “No Refusal” traffic safety enforcement campaign from Dec. 31 at 12:01 a.m. through Jan. 4, WATE reports. The state’s “no refusal” law allows officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers. Troopers will perform saturation patrols, seat belt, sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints.

Tennessee is “now one of the biggest hubs for GOP political activity in the country,” according to Politico. The state’s large amount of delegates available (58) in the upcoming March primary and expansive media markets are gaining Republican attention in the primary season. “I’m trying to remember the last time we were seeing this much attention in a Republican primary, this many people paying attention to Tennessee and Southern states,” said Tre Hargett, the secretary of state. “I can’t think of a time.”

The Defendant, Thomas George Headla, pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court for Sevier County to driving under the influence (DUI), a Class A misdemeanor. See T.C.A. § 55- 10-401 (2012) (amended 2013, 2015). The trial court sentenced the Defendant to eleven months, twenty-nine days suspended to probation after forty-eight hours in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant presents a certified question of law regarding the legality of the traffic stop. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Cumecus R. Cates (“the Defendant”) entered a global plea agreement to two Class B felony drug offenses and two Class C felony drug offenses and was sentenced to eight years for each Class B felony drug offense and three years for each Class C felony drug offense.

Lorenza Zackery (“the Petitioner”) pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a child. Subsequently, the Petitioner filed a Petition for Writ of Error Coram Nobis (“the Petition”) alleging “newly discovered evidence” in the form of an affidavit from the Petitioner stating that the victim testified in a 2009 juvenile court hearing that she had no sexual contact with the Petitioner until she was fifteen years old. The coram nobis court denied relief.