A Nashville resident is seeking an expedited ruling by the Tennessee Supreme Court after a special three-judge panel of state court judges found Tennessee state Senate district boundaries to be unconstitutional. Attorneys for Francie Hunt filed a request yesterday, Tennessee Lookout reports. Simultaneously, a West Tennessee resident is appealing the panel’s finding that the House redistricting plan was constitutional. The challenge by Trenton resident Gary Wygant also seeks an expedited ruling. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is opposing both motions. His office says Hunt has no standing to sue, while Wygant fails to show “good cause” to suspend the normal schedule since a new House map is not needed. The panel of state judges gave the General Assembly until Jan. 31 to redraw the Senate lines.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases this week at the University of Tennessee at Martin as part of its SCALES program. The event on Wednesday will feature arguments in Robert L. Trentham v. Mid-America Apartments, LP et al. and Pharma Conference Education, Inc. v. State of Tennessee. Sessions will be livestreamed starting at 9 a.m. CST on the court’s YouTube page. SCALES, which stands for Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students, educates high school students about the Tennessee legal system and the functions of the judicial branch.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications for the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy that will be created by the retirement of Justice Roger A. Page effective Aug. 31, 2024. Interested applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 35 years of age, have been a resident of the state for five years and are currently a resident of Tennessee’s Eastern or Western Grand Division. Applicants must complete the designated application and submit it to the Administrative Office of the Courts by noon CST on Dec. 11. Get full application instructions on the court's website. The council will meet on Jan. 4-5 to hold a public hearing and interviews for the vacancy. Additional details about that meeting will be released soon. Questions about the process should be directed to Assistant General Counsel John Jefferson.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page has notified Gov. Bill Lee that he will retire at the end of August. Page was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2016, and served as chief justice from 2021 to 2023. During that time, he helped secure substantial funding to implement enterprise e-filing for the court system, improving efficiency and data collection and analysis. Page also promoted access to justice and pro bono service, and encouraged greater transparency and efficiency in the judiciary with live streaming of appellate arguments. “Justice Page has made a huge contribution to Tennessee's justice system, first as a trial judge handling both civil and criminal cases, then on the Court of Criminal Appeals and now on the Supreme Court," Chief Justice Holly Kirby said. “He is thoughtful and deliberate, and he brings wisdom and common sense to the serious issues we must decide.” Read more about Page’s career from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order today amending Rule 17, which provides for a uniform judgment document to be used in all trial courts of record for convictions in all cases falling within the Tennessee Criminal Sentencing Reform Act of 1989. Due to recent statutory changes, the uniform judgment document requires revisions, and the court has adopted an amended and updated document, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2024. Read the order.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday soliciting comments on a proposed change to Rule 9, section 16, which prescribes the procedure for complaints against members of the Board of Professional Responsibility, district committee members and disciplinary counsel. If adopted, these proposed amendments would replace Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9 section 16 in its entirety. The deadline for submitting written comments is Dec. 12.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously held that a property owner using his home as a short-term rental did not violate homeowner association restrictions requiring homes be used for “residential and no other purposes.” However, the court also held that the property owner’s short-term rentals do violate later amendments to the restrictions that impose a minimum lease term of 30 days. Read more about the decision or access the full court opinion.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order Monday designed to resolve a discrepancy between the word limitation provisions of Tenn. R. App. P. 30(e) and its own rules. The order amends Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 46, sec. 3.02(a)(1) to comport with the provisions of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. The amendment took effect upon filing of the order.

The State Building Commission has approved funding for selecting a designer and construction manager for renovations at the structures currently housing the Tennessee Supreme Court and former state library, the Nashville Post reports. Department of General Services Commissioner Christi Branscom told the commission that with the opening of a new state library, there is an opportunity to combine the two structures “to house more administrative offices of the court’s divisions.” Branscom said the project will preserve the historic elements of both buildings while providing a more modern and functional space. The plan includes additional office space and parking and an evaluation for a secure access corridor between the buildings.

The Tennessee Supreme Court heard four cases today in Nashville and had two more cases on its docket that will be submitted on briefs. All of the cases presented today will be available on the court’s YouTube site. You can read details of the six cases on the court’s website.