Applicants are now being accepted to fill the chancery court seat in the 26th Judicial District, a vacancy that was created by the retirement of Judge James F. Butler. The 26th Judicial District includes Chester, Henderson and Madison counties. Applicants must be at least 30 years old, residents of the state for five years and current residents of the 26th Judicial District. Those interested should submit the Trial Court Vacancy Commission Application and send it to the Administrative Office of the Courts by noon CDT on June 17. The commission will consider all applicants at a hearing on July 21 at 9 a.m. CDT. The AOC’s website has more on the vacancy.  

Major General Albert Harvey will be honored this month with the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award from the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court. The award was recently renamed in honor of the late Judge Reeves, who was also the first recipient of the award in 2020. It will be presented during the Lawyers Luncheon at the TBA Annual Convention in Memphis. Harvey was chosen for his decades of leadership and service to the legal profession. He is a past president of both the Tennessee and Memphis Bar Associations and is the immediate past chair of the American Bar Association’s Senior Lawyers Division. Prior to his legal career Harvey was active duty in the United States Marines. He recently retired from the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of Major General. He is respected by his peers at the local, state and national levels and unquestionably displays the character and integrity required for this award.

The TBA welcomed newly licensed attorneys this morning at a virtual New Lawyer Q&A session. During the program, TBA YLD outgoing President Terica Smith, incoming YLD President Billy Leslie, YLD member Zack Smith and TBA staff fielded questions on TBA programs, CLE requirements, what the job market looks like for new admittees and more. Ceremonies to swear in all those who passed the February 2021 bar exam will be held on June 10 at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT and on June 11 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT.  

In 2020, Tennessee’s American Inns of Court and the Tennessee Bar Association partnered to create the Tennessee Professionalism Award to recognize and honor legal professionals who exemplify the qualities of civility, professionalism and excellence. The award is given annually and is presented at the TBA’s Annual Meeting. The inaugural award was presented to Chief Judge Pamela L. Reeves of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Judge Reeves, who died in September, was an active and contributing leader of both the Tennessee Bar Association and the American Inns of Court on the local and national levels. In recognition of Judge Reeves’ extraordinary contributions to the bench and bar in Tennessee, the Tennessee Bar Association and Tennessee’s American Inns of Court have renamed the Tennessee Professionalism Award the “Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award.” The TBA will be releasing the names of all award winners prior to the upcoming Convention and Annual Meeting in Memphis.

The Hamilton County Election Commission this morning received the official Writ of Elections to fill the vacancy in State House of Representatives District 29, Chattanoogan.com reports. The primary election to replace Rep. Mike Carter will take place July 27 with the general election following on Sept. 14. Petition pickups begin immediately with the qualifying deadline set for June 17 at noon EDT. The county commission is set to meet a week from today to consider an interim appointment. County Commissioner Sabrena Smedley said she plans to nominate Joan Carter, the widow of Mike Carter, for the post.

Hawkins County Sessions Court Judge Todd Ross is asking for an additional $3,000 in the 2021-22 county budget to insure and maintain an activity van for his Recovery Court program, but what he really wants is a halfway house for the court. Ross is hoping that dream may get a jump-start with some of the county’s federal stimulus funding, the Times News reports. The goal is to create a place for recovering addicts to live in community and support each other after leaving the recovery court. The county is slated to receive $11 million dollars.

Third Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Wright has notified the governor of his intent to retire effective Sept. 1, the Rogersville Review reports. Wright has served as circuit court judge since 2006. He previously served as the Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court judge from 1998 to 2006. Wright, who previously announced his intention not to seek reelection, cited his desire to travel to visit grandchildren as one of the main motivations for his decision to step down before his term ends. “Serving the State of Tennessee and the people of the Third Judicial District has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am so incredibly grateful to God and the people of Greene, Hawkins, Hamblen and Hancock counties for giving me the opportunity. I love my job but it is time for me to go,” he said.

Assistant District Attorney Blake Sempkowski has announced his candidacy for Hamblen County General Sessions Judge, Division II, the Citizen Tribune reports. A graduate of the University of Memphis School of Law, Sempkowski first practiced law with his father, Edward, in Morristown, handling a variety of civil, juvenile and criminal cases. In 2007, he began working as an assistant public defender. After 12 years, he was named to his current position as assistant district attorney for the Third Judicial District.

Prosecutor Caroline Knight is running for 13th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge, Part II, Tullahoma News reports. A Tennessee native, Knight has lived and worked in the district since 2008. She has served as an assistant district attorney general for 10 years and as a child crimes prosecutor for the last five years. Knight was licensed to practice law in 2006 and represented Upper Cumberland clients in domestic cases, adoption, property disputes and estate planning until 2011. She also has served as a hearing officer for the Crossville Housing Authority.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners is not planning to make a remote bar exam available to jurisdictions for the February 2022 exam, instead offering materials only for an in-person exam. The National Conference, which develops the three main bar exam components, has given states the option to choose between remote and onsite exams since October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Law.com has the story from the National Law Journal.