Incumbent Judge John H. Gasaway III, Chief Deputy Assistant District Attorney Daniel Brollier and attorney Ben Dean are vying for the Division III Circuit Court judge position in the 19th Judicial District. Gasaway was elected in 1990 and has been on the bench for almost 24 years. Brollier, who previously practiced civil law, served as an interim judge and has been a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office since 1996. Ben Dean, who has been practicing law for nine years and is a local attorney, has never run for a political office but said he ran to see changes in Division III. The Leaf Chronicle has more on each candidate.

The Chattanooga Bar Association announced it is endorsing Amendment 2, the Chattanoogan reports. “The Chattanooga Bar Association Board of Governors voted to support the amendment and the association has endorsed the Yes on 2 campaign led by Governor Bill Haslam, former Governor Phil Bredesen and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson," CBA Executive Director Lynda Hood said. The amendment would allow the governor to appoint judges to the Tennessee Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.

Merriel Bullock-Neal has been named recipient of the 5th Annual Unity Day Award for Community Service, the Leaf Chronicle reports. The Clarksville-Montgomery County Unity Day Awards unite the community and celebrate the accomplishments of those in leadership who serve and help make a difference. Bullock-Neal is a practicing attorney, licensed school psychologist and special educator, as well as a Supreme Court Rule 31 mediator. She has donated countless hours in defense of special needs children and low-income youth.

The Tennessee Appeals Court ruled yesterday that the city of Memphis can move ahead with plans to annex Southwind because a recently enacted moratorium on annexation by the state legislature does not apply to the earlier annexation decision. In the ruling, the court specifically overturned a December 2013 ruling by Chancellor Walter Evans granting an injunction preventing the city from annexing the area until the moratorium expired. The Memphis Daily news has the story.

A federal judge in Kentucky on Tuesday struck down the state’s ban on gay and lesbians who want to wed, SCOTUS Blog reports. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II concluded that allowing such new marriages would not diminish anyone else’s rights “to any degree.” Heyburn based his decision solely on a need for equality, refusing to rule that same-sex couples have a “fundamental right” to marry. He took his cue on the second point from Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s majority opinion a year ago, in United States v. Windsor. The ruling continued the unbroken string of recent decisions by federal trial judges — since joined by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit — nullifying state bans on same-sex marriage.

The Claiborne Children’s Center (CCC) has received a Community Partnership Program grant from the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) to its expand programming and allow DCS to regain its presence in Claiborne County, the Claiborne Progress reports. The old Juvenile Detention Center has been used to house the offices of the CCC but the limited space did not provide adequate room for the Center to expand its programs and projects inside the county. The new center is expected to open in July.

A complaint filed in Shelby County Chancery Court on Tuesday alleges longstanding violations of due process in the juvenile court system of Shelby County. The complaint argues that people with business before the court have the right to have their cases heard before the elected judge, and claims the judge has declined to hear cases, passing that responsibility on to appointed magistrates. The juvenile court responded, saying it handles approximately 50,000 cases each year and that state laws do authorize Juvenile Court Judge Curtis Person to appoint magistrates who have the power of trial judges. News Channel 5 has more.

Stephen Crump has been appointed district attorney general for the 10th Judicial District by Gov. Bill Haslam, WATE reports from the Associated Press. Crump replaces Steve Bebb, who submitted his resignation in May after serving the district for nearly 40 years as district attorney general, criminal court judge and assistant district attorney general. The 10th Judicial District includes Bradley, McMinn, Monroe and Polk counties.

Twenty-third Judicial District Attorney General Dan Alsobrooks yesterday announced that he will retire effective Aug. 31 after 36 years in public service. There will be a reception for Alsobrooks on July 17 from 5-7 p.m. at the Clement Railroad Museum in Dickson. The public is invited to stop by and talk with Alsobrooks and his family about his years of service. The Tennessean has more.

The Hamilton County Election Commission is facing a lawsuit from Lt. Corliss Cooper regarding same-sex benefits to city employees, WDEF News 12 reports. Cooper’s lawyer Stevie Phillips said the recent event leading up to and the changes in the ordinance for domestic partner benefits for city employees are in violation of both the Open Meetings Act and Chattanooga's City Charter. "The Hamilton County Election Commission held a meeting at the last possible minute without notice to the public,” said Phillips. “The City Charter requires that the entire ordinance be printed on the ballot without alteration.” Election Commissioner Chris Clem said that is not true, and that the commission gave 48 hours notice and notified the media, the city and the petitioners of the meeting.