More than 30 potential elected officials have picked up petition papers from the Putnam County Election Commission, the Herald-Citizen reports. Packets became available Nov. 22 and must be filed by Feb. 20 for the candidates to make it onto the primary ballot. County positions up for voting during the nominating election include general sessions court judge, parts I and II; circuit court clerk; and — for the first time in eight years — all 13th Judicial District offices: circuit court judge, parts I and II; chancellor; criminal court judge, parts I and II; district attorney general; and public defender.

The YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee recently kicked off its inaugural Legal Challenge with a breakfast event. District Attorney General Torry Johnson is chairing the effort, which seeks to engage the broader legal community in Nashville to become more aware of violence against women. Attendees included Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark and Mayor Karl Dean. The Nashville Business Journal has more on the event, starting on page six of this slideshow.

13th Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Leon Burns has  announced that he will retire in 2014 after serving over 38 years on the bench — longer than any other judge currently in the Tennessee Judicial Conference. Reflecting on his long career to the Harold Citizen, Burns offered a bit of advice for his successor: “Be careful that you don’t think too highly of yourself and get carried away with your position,” he said. “Treat people with the respect that anybody’s entitled to, regardless of who they are and what they’ve done. ... Do the best you can in deciding what to do according to the law — according to what you’re supposed to do.”

Complaints of bias in school textbooks are leading to several proposals that will likely be introduced in the upcoming legislative session, the Tennessean reports. Senate Education Committee Chair Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, plans to introduce a bill to give more weight to public input in the approval of textbooks. Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, plans to propose legislation that would create an online site for parents, community members and educators to submit textbook reviews and analysis. Finally, Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, has suggested potential changes to the composition of the state textbook commission — the 10-member group of educators that reviews and approves state textbooks. Nine of the current members are appointed by the governor.

After his previous guilty-pleaded convictions were vacated, petitioner, Bruce Reliford, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery charges and was found guilty by a jury of felony murder. Following an unsuccessful direct appeal and denial of discretionary review by our supreme court, he filed the instant petition for post-conviction relief.

A Putnam County jury convicted the Defendant, Christopher Lewis, of second degree murder, and the trial court imposed a fifteen-year prison sentence. On appeal, the Defendant contends that: (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction; (2) the trial court erred by denying the Defendant’s motion to sequester the jury; (3) the trial court erred by admitting photographs of the body of the deceased; and (4) the trial court erred by allowing certain witness testimony. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

A Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner, Derrick Johnson, of first degree murder and aggravated assault. The trial court imposed a life sentence for the first degree murder conviction, with a consecutive six-year sentence for the aggravated assault conviction, to be served in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The Petitioner appealed, and this Court affirmed the judgements of the trial court. State v. Derrick Johnson, No. W2008-02070-CCA-R3-CD, 2010 WL 3623619, at *10 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Jackson, Sept. 20, 2010) perm. app.denied (Tenn. Feb. 17, 2011).

The Defendant-Appellant, Kevin Anthony Graham, entered a guilty plea in the Hawkins County Criminal Court to the charged offense of theft of property valued at $10,000 or more but less than $60,000, a Class C felony, and requested that the trial court grant him judicial diversion or an alternative sentence. The trial court subsequently sentenced Graham to three years’ incarceration. On appeal, Graham argued that the trial court erred in denying (1) judicial diversion and (2) an alternative sentence.

Appellant, Tina B. Carroll, pleaded guilty to promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, a Class D felony, and received a two-year sentence, suspended to supervised probation. A violation of probation warrant was subsequently filed, alleging that she had violated her probation by testing positive for narcotic drugs and marijuana. Appellant now argues that one of the laboratory reports was admitted in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-311(c)(1) and that there is not substantial evidence to support the trial court’s ruling.

The petitioner, Anita Kay Broughton, appeals the denial of her petition for post-conviction relief. The petitioner was convicted of first degree premeditated murder and received a sentence of life with the possibility of parole. On appeal, she contends that she received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. Specifically, she contends that trial counsel was ineffective by failing to pursue a defense of diminished capacity despite ample proof that the petitioner suffered from a mental condition. She also challenges the accuracy of the post- conviction court’s order denying relief.