Defendant, Christopher Joseph Riley, was convicted by a jury of felony murder by aggravated child abuse (count one), felony murder by aggravated child neglect (count two), two counts of aggravated child abuse (counts three and five), reckless endangerment (count four), aggravated child neglect (count six), and two counts of child abuse (counts seven and eight). Defendant was sentenced to a total effective sentence of life imprisonment plus forty-eight years. On appeal, Defendant claims the trial court erred in failing to require the State to make an election of offenses at the close of the proof, and that the trial court improperly imposed consecutive sentences. Following our review of the record, the briefs of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Appellant filed this accelerated interlocutory appeal under Rule 10B of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. Because the trial court has not entered an order on Appellant’s motion for recusal, there is no order for this Court to review. Appeal dismissed.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Task Force for American Democracy will hold the second in a series of listening tour events this Friday in Detroit. The session will feature ABA leaders, local officials and legal scholars. The event, titled “Taking the Next Step: Ensuring Trusted Elections and Civics for Michiganders,” will address vital election integrity issues and the need to support poll workers. The event will be livestreamed from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EDT from Wayne State University Law School. A recording also will be made available after the event. Register at abademocracytaskforce@gmail.com.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined with other state attorneys general to support the federal “Laken Riley Act,” which would require the detention of undocumented individuals arrested for larceny, burglary, theft or shoplifting; defend Montana’s law banning TikTok in the state unless the app separates from its parent Chinese company; and express concerns over proposed legislation in Maine that, according to Skrmetti, would “interfere with other states enforcing their state laws restricting childhood gender transition if those laws differed from Maine law.” Read more about these issues at the links above.

It's not too late to join colleagues online for the TBA's final installment of the Law Tech Lunch & Learn Series this Friday. The program, featuring Memphis lawyers, will focus on how AI impacts attorneys. The first session will include attorneys Greg Siskind and Zack Glaser, who will provide an introduction to AI and how it can be incorporated into the practice of law. The second session will feature Siskind and Lucian Pera discussing ethical considerations around AI. The live webcast will begin at noon CDT and offer registrants the opportunity to earn two dual CLE hours.

Franklin attorney and TBA YLD President-elect Sean Aiello announced the members of his 2024-2025 YLD board this week. Those members serving on the executive committee are:

• Sean Aiello — President
• Alex McVeagh — President-elect
• Jennifer L. Sneed — Vice President
• Ross Smith — Secretary
• Darius Walker Jr. — Treasurer
• Zack Walden — East Tennessee Governor
• Alix Rogers — Middle Tennessee Governor
• Faith Watson — West Tennessee Governor
• Quinton Thompson — Immediate Past President
• Billy Leslie — Past President

Other elected positions are:

• District representatives: Caroline Rogers (1), Amanda Howard (2), Mari Jasa (3), Alexandra Jones (4), Mary Frances DeVoe (5), Amber Vargas (6), Morgan Hanna (7), Grace Burnett (8), Savannah Quintero (9), Jack Wagster (10), Charles Ferguson (11), Shelby Combs (13) and Rod Watson (14)
• TBA House of Delegates: Logan Threadgill, Princess Rogers and Brian Mounce
• ABA YLD representative: Alex McVeagh

Beyond service to its members, the YLD provides multiple programs a year across the state including expungement clinics, essential documents for essential workers, debt relief, immigration and pro bono service clinics. The YLD also sponsors the Tennessee State High School Mock Trial competition — the largest public service project for the TBA. Aiello appointed the following TBA members to various committees to undertake the significant public and membership initiatives of the YLD.

• Diversity Committee: Jennifer Safstrom, Brande Boyd and Cole Harrell-Morris
• Membership Committee: John Murphy, Paul Estep, Alexander Bunn, Billy Leslie, Samantha Ellis, Kristen Walker, Julie Chapman, Patrick Morrison, William Ross and Lee Bussart
• Publications Committee: Lorne Hiller and Ginny Blake
• Mock Trial Committee: Ashley Tipton, Michael Holmes and Zack Walden
• Public Service Committee: Savannah Oliver and Matt Knable
• Long Range Planning Committee: Jennifer Sneed, Cole Harrell-Morris, Patrick Hillard, Melody Shekari, Ariel Anthony, John Wilks and Amanda Howard

Join us in Nashville on May 15 for the TBA's annual Business Law Forum. The day will begin with an interesting dual credit session for business lawyers which offers observations on professional responsibility and ethics using characters, transactions and business dealings from HBO Max's Succession. Next, we will hear from Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti who will offer an overview of important cases and developments that effect the practice of law, consumers and private business in Tennessee. After lunch, attendees will take a deep dive into the much discussed Corporate Transparency Act. The last session of the day will take a look at the nonprofit and for-profit legal entities comprising the business of OpenAI (the developer of ChatGPT). A casual networking reception will occur at the end of the program. Register now!

As the chair of the TBA Business Law Section, I want to thank you for being a member of the section and supporting our work. Over the past few years, the section has emphasized providing top-notch learning opportunities for business law practitioners at our annual Business Law Section Forum. Past forum videos can be found in the TBA CLE course catalog. 

Our section has been instrumental in providing valuable feedback on pending legislation to the Tennessee General Assembly. Our executive council members’ insights and expertise have been crucial in shaping these discussions. Over the years, our collective efforts have contributed significantly to the legislative process. Our executive council members also regularly publish insightful content in the TBA Business Law Section Connect email newsletter and collaborate with the Tennessee Secretary of State’s offices on new initiatives or addressing members’ concerns.

In addition to our legislative work, I am excited to announce this year’s TBA Business Law Forum will be held in Nashville on May 15. These events have always been a platform for learning and networking, and this one promises to be no different. We are finalizing a lineup of esteemed speakers who will share their knowledge and experiences, providing valuable insights into various business law topics. Registration is open, and we will announce the topics and agenda in the near future. 

Our executive council consists of a diverse group of active practitioners and academics from different regions across Tennessee. We highly value open communication within our section, so please share your ideas, questions or concerns regarding business law matters with me or any other member of the council. A list of all executive council members can be found here.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

—Alex Davie, TBA Business Law Section Chair

TBA members can get their legal technology and law practice management questions answered at tbapmc@affinityconsulting.com. This email address is specifically for TBA members and will be answered by Affinity consultants for expert advice on best practices, technology, management and process. For more resources for managing and protecting a law firm visit the TBA's Law Firm in a Box.

When the time comes to retire or move on, attorneys have responsibilities both to their clients and to their state’s oversight authority to make sure that clients are not left “in the lurch.” How should you go about winding down or merging a practice? Get started with resources from the TBA's Law Firm in a Box. The materials in the “Winding Down A Firm” section will start you down the right path and make certain that vital considerations are not overlooked.