Nashville attorney Daniel Luther McMurtry died April 21 at age 55. McMurtry was born and raised in Nashville and earned his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law. He practiced law from 1997 until his death. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family requests that donations be made to an animal rescue organization of the donor’s choice.

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter died Thursday at age 85. Appointed in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, Souter gradually moved toward the court’s liberal wing and was part of the majority that upheld the essential holding of Roe v. Wade, which recognized a constitutional right to abortion, The Hill reports. He also sided with the court’s liberal justices on major issues including affirmative action and religion. Souter served on the court for more than 19 years before retiring in 2009. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he continued to hear cases on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by sitting by designation. “Justice David Souter served our court with great distinction for nearly 20 years,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.”

Dr. Helen Clawson Smith, known as Helen Claire by family and friends, died April 30 at the age of 94. Smith earned her undergraduate and Master of Education degrees from Memphis State University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Houston in 1972. She later earned a law degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. She spent her career in education, both in teaching and administration, and was instrumental in developing early childhood reading programs. After retiring in 1996, Smith volunteered as an ombudsman for the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, advocating for seniors in long-term care, and served on the board of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities. A small graveside gathering will be held on May 18 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.

Music industry attorney Joel A. Katz, a key figure in entertainment law, died April 18 at age 80. Katz was the founding chair of the media practice at Greenberg Traurig and played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of countless artists, producers and executives, according to MusicRow magazine. Over his career, he represented a wide-ranging roster of legendary clients. In 2021, he stepped down from Greenberg Traurig and joined Barnes & Thornburg. Katz earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee, which named its law library in his honor. Services were held last month in Georgia. Donations in his honor may be made to the Mayo Clinic.

Knoxville attorney Thomas Carl Cravens III died April 20 at age 75. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he earned his bachelor's degree and Master of Business Administration before going on to attend the University of Tennessee College of Law. Cravens was a partner at the law firm of Kennerly, Montgomery & Finley. He also co-founded World's Fair Beer, worked for real estate developer Walter Wise, and ran a travel agency with his wife. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 413 Cumberland Ave., Knoxville, TN 37902, the Billy Graham Association or a charity of the donor's choice. Services will be held on May 2 at 1 p.m. EDT at St. John's Cathedral. The family will receive friends following the service. Interment will be 3 p.m. at Highland Memorial Cemetery.

Clarksville attorney Brian Lee Hill died Dec. 23, 2024, at age 52. Hill was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and earned his law degree from the Appalachian School of Law. He represented clients in bankruptcy cases. A memorial service was held Jan. 10 at Allen Funeral Home in Hurricane, West Virginia. Online condolences may be made here.

Attorney and Dr. Robert Thomas Armour died April 14 at age 70 in Barbourville, Kentucky. Armour earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University and practiced law for several years before transitioning to a career in education. He began his teaching career in Memphis and later joined the faculty at Union College, where he taught until his retirement in 2020. During his there, he chaired the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences for over a decade, "guiding both students and faculty with wisdom and compassion," according to his obituary. Armour relocated to Kentucky after retirement but remained a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. A private gathering of family and friends will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Knox Funeral Home.

Charles Stephen "Steve" Weaver died April 12 at age 76. In his early years, he was a musician, songwriter, guitar instructor, entertainment agent and a member of several regionally popular groups based in Memphis. After graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1977, Weaver relocated to Atlanta and was an assistant professor and director of the Commercial Music/Recording Program at Georgia State University. He began his private practice in 1983, with offices in Memphis and Nashville, moving all offices to Nashville's Music Row in 1995. Weaver was a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association and Country Music Association, among others. Memorial gifts may be made to Alive Hospice of Nashville or Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. A private memorial will be scheduled at a later time.

Morristown attorney Gary E. Brewer died March 31 at age 79. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1969. Brewer was a member of the Hamblen County and Tennessee Bar Associations and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, where he served as president from 1988-1989. He was also a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Tennessee Appellate Court Nomination Committee from 1988 to 1992, and a member of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission from 1994 to 2006, serving as chairman for two of those years. Brewer was senior partner at Brewer & Terry PC in Morristown. A memorial will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT on April 19 in the East Chapel of Allen Funeral Home, 200 Jaybird Rd., Morristown 37814, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 3 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Hospice Serenity House, 421 N. High St., Morristown, TN 37814.

Dyersburg lawyer Charles “Bubba” Maurice Agee Jr., age 76, died March 25 at his home at Clover Creek Ranch in Hornbeak. A graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Agee launched his legal practice in 1976 in Dyersburg and spent his career in the courtroom as a plaintiff’s lawyer. He also held several elected offices, including alderman at large and city judge for the city of Dyersburg. A memorial service will be held April 12 at 4 p.m. CDT at Dyersburg Funeral Home, 420 US-51, Dyersburg 38024. The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. Memorial donations may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Protect Democracy or National Multiple Sclerosis Society.