The Associated Press reports child sex offenders are the largest category of inmates in U.S. military prisons and that their crimes and how much time they spend in prison are often shielded by an “opaque system of justice.” Court records are released only after “many Freedom of Information Act requests, appeals and fees,” according to the AP. "It's not as if there are child sex crimes being swept under the rug somewhere," Air Force Col. Chuck Killion, director of the Air Force judiciary, said.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich’s attempt to open Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) files on the shooting of Darrius Stewart involves both issues of public access to records and who can intervene in the case, the Daily News reports. "If the Memphis Police Department had investigated this, the public could have access,” Weirich argues. “The public has the right to know.”

NPR reports on Tennessee’s new “fetal assault” law, which punishes pregnant women who abuse drugs. The article features two mothers: one who sought help for her addiction because of the law and another who says the law scared her away from seeking pre-natal care.

“Did a judge cross the line with an alleged domestic abuse victim in court?” is the opening line in a WATE news story questioning recent comments from Knox County Judge Chuck Cerny. After an alleged assault victim spent the night with the man accused of attacking her, Cerny threatened the victim with contempt and accused her of using her hormones, not her brain, to think. “No one seems to understand the level of danger that abusers pose," victim's rights advocate Amy Dilworth said after listening to the judge’s comments. "The level of brainwashing that they put in place and that victims can’t just leave."

The Coffee County Courthouse Security Committee is looking to improve courthouse safety following an inmate’s escape from his holding cell during a recent appearance in General Sessions Court, Tullahoma News reports. “Our communication is not necessarily the best in this building,” Heather Hinds Duncan, a committee member, said. “For example, when the person escaped on the first floor, we didn’t know it for 15 minutes. Had we known it immediately, the whole building could have gone on lockdown.”

Tennessee’s court clerks donated $25,000 to Alzheimer’s Tennessee raised through their participation in the inaugural statewide Purple Day Out. “We clearly surpassed our goal of raising $15,000 the first year,” Blount County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher said in The Daily Times.

The Chattanooga City Council approved $3.7 million for a new city complex that will house the Family Justice Center, the Children’s Advocacy Center and other organizations serving victims of abuse, The Times Free Press reports. The complex, expected to open in October 2016, will be located on Eastgate Loop and replace a temporary structure now there.

Tennessee has the country's 16th best tax code for business, according to the 2016 State Business Tax Climate Index released today by Tax Foundation. "Increasingly, elected officials and economic development offices are using their states' index scores to promote business relocation because they recognize that a good score on the index is a valuable proxy for the state's overall competitiveness,” Jared Walczak, Tax Foundation policy analyst, said. Read more from Nooga.

Retired Shelby County Circuit Court judge Karen R. Williams was honored last week with a portrait unveiling at the courthouse. Approximately 150 state and federal judges, attorneys and others attended the unveiling ceremony in Memphis. The portrait will be placed in the Division III Courtroom.

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker today received the Chattanooga History Center’s 2015 History Makers Award, Nooga reports. The award included a portrait bust of the Republican senator. "I loved my days at Chattanooga City High School … and being mayor of this city was the greatest honor of my life. I loved it more than you can imagine,” Corker said.