In a case involving dissenting shareholders forced out of a closely held Nashville corporation, the Tennessee Supreme Court has overruled its prior case law and adopted a standard that allows trial courts to use modern methods to determine the “fair value” of the dissenting shareholders’ stock. The court overruled a 1983 case that required courts to only use the "Delaware Block" method of valuation and adopted a more open approach. However, in the case at hand, Athlon Sports Communications, Inc. v. Stephen C. Duggan et al., the Supreme Court remanded it back to the trial court, as the lower court and other parties may have been operating under the mistaken assumption that Delaware Block was the only valuation method that was available to them.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously held that after the expiration of the one-year statute of limitations, a plaintiff cannot amend her health care liability suit to substitute a health care provider to which the plaintiff had not given pre-suit notice as required by state law. The Tennessee Health Care Liability Act requires a plaintiff with a potential health care liability claim to give pre-suit written notice at least 60 days before filing a lawsuit to each health care provider that will be named as a defendant. When a plaintiff complies with the pre-suit notice requirement, the one-year statute of limitations for the filing of claims is extended by 120 days. A court can dismiss a lawsuit if the plaintiff fails to give pre-suit notice to a health care provider before filing suit. Pre-suit notice to a defendant encourages the investigation, negotiation, and possible settlement of a health care liability case before the plaintiff files suit.

In State vs. Minor, the Tennessee Supreme Court clarified when a new legal ruling issued after a criminal trial should be applied to a case retroactively and what standards an appellate court should apply to decide whether the new rule affords a defendant relief. The court concluded the law had changed between the time of Minor’s trial and appeal, so the law at the time of his appeal controlled. The majority opinion was written by Justice Cornelia A. Clark, with a separate concurring opinion written by Justice Sharon G. Lee.

The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled today that Davidson County must hold a special election for Nashville mayor in May, instead of the original date of Aug. 2, The Tennessean reports. The unanimous ruling overturns decisions from both the Davidson County Election Commission and a lower court. Fourteen candidates qualified to run to replace former Mayor Megan Barry, who resigned last month, but the Supreme Court’s ruling means that a new qualifying deadline will be set for Thursday, allowing more candidates to potentially enter the race. The election date has not been set yet, but will likely take place sometime between May 21 to May 25.