Judge Lisa Niddifer Rice is the first woman to win a seat as Criminal Court Judge of the 1st Judicial District. Judge Rice has 27 years of experience as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. WYCB spoke with Rice about her achievement and the significance of taking her new role. "I think that my experience on both sides of the courtroom is more important than gender, but as female attorneys we have great role models in the judiciary to look to in this area.” she said.

Anthony “Tony” Craighead has been named the deputy district attorney for the 7th Judicial District, Knoxnews reports. Craighead is a prosecutor with 22 years of experience, including as an interim district attorney general. The Anderson County vacancy opened up when District Attorney Dave Clark's assistant, Sandra Donaghy, was elected Criminal Court judge in the 10th Judicial District.

Judge Keith Siskin of Division III of the Circuit Court for Rutherford and Cannon Counties has been elected as Presiding Judge of the 16th Judicial District. The Presiding Judge is responsible for assigning cases to the other judges in the district, and for taking any actions necessary to correct any condition adversely affecting the administration of justice in the district. "I want our courts to be the most open, fair, and efficient courts in the State of Tennessee,” Siskin said in a press release.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women (TLAW) announced its support for Amendment 2 to the Tennessee Constitution that will be on the November general election ballot. The amendment would continue the current system of gubernatorial appointment of appellate court judges, while adding legislative confirmation. Election Day is Nov. 4. Early voting begins on Oct. 15.

The defendant, Troy James Keith Reynolds, appeals his Blount County Circuit Court jury convictions of burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools, claiming that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions. Because the judgment in count two erroneously reflects a conviction of Class C felony theft, we remand that judgment to the trial court for entry of a corrected judgment reflecting a conviction of Class D felony theft. In addition, we remand for correction of other clerical errors in the judgments.

Lessor sued lessees for failure to pay rent and received a default judgment in general sessions court. Lessee appealed to circuit court and filed a counterclaim for failure to maintain the premises and make repairs. The trial court found for lessor. Lessees appealed. Due to the lack of a transcript or a proper statement of the evidence, we must affirm.

The State appeals the Campbell County Circuit Court’s grant of post-conviction relief from the Petitioner’s convictions for aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor and his effective ten-year sentence. The State contends that the trial court erred by granting the Petitioner relief because he failed to establish by clear and convincing evidence that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel.

In this divorce action, Mother asserts that the trial court erred in designating Father as primary residential parent and in allocating sole decision-making authority to him, in the distribution of marital property, and in failing to seal her medical records at trial. We modify the distribution of marital property in part; in all other respects we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Unmarried parents of two children sought to modify a Permanent Parenting Plan. Mother also sought to collect a child support arrearage owed by Father. The trial court modified the residential parenting plan without conducting a best interest analysis. The trial court also declined to add statutory interest, as requested by Mother, to the child support arrearage owed by Father. Mother appealed certain aspects of the trial court’s judgment and sought attorney’s fees incurred on appeal. We affirm in part, reverse in part, vacate in part, and remand.