This is a termination of parental rights case. The trial court terminated the parental rights of the parents to two children, finding that there was clear and convincing evidence as to both parents regarding the ground of severe child abuse and that termination of the parents’ rights was in the children’s best interest. Having carefully reviewed the record, we affirm.

In this appeal, the employer asserts the trial court erred by failing to address in its compensation order the employer’s potential entitlement to an offset against permanent partial disability payments arising from the employee’s anticipated future social security benefits. The employee was not receiving social security benefits at the time of maximum medical improvement or as of the date of trial. In addition, the employee asserts the trial court erred by limiting the employer’s liability for unpaid medical expenses to the amounts mandated by Tennessee’s medical fee schedule and by not awarding attorneys’ fees on the amount of unpaid medical expenses to be paid by the employer. After careful consideration, we conclude the issue of a potential social security offset is not ripe for adjudication, and we affirm the trial court’s order in all other respects and certify it as final.

The Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) has officially moved into its new building, located at 155 Lafayette St. in Nashville. TJC's new home is the organization's first permanent location in its 27-year history. An open house celebration will be announced in the coming weeks and TJC's annual Hall of Fame Gala will be held Oct. 26.

A three-judge panel declined Friday to issue a temporary injunction on a new law banning teacher advocacy organization dues from being voluntarily deducted from paychecks, reports the Tennessean. The law will go into effect amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Tennessee Education Association, three local teacher associations and two Tennessee teachers. The dues provision was included in a general assembly budget bill aimed at raising the statewide teacher pay rate. Friday's ruling held that including the payroll deductions prohibition in the teacher pay bill does not violate the single-subject requirement for legislation under the Tennessee Constitution.

A three-judge panel yesterday denied Metro Nashville’s emergency request to renounce new state-appointed members to Nashville International Airport's governing board, reports the Tennessean. The judges said Metro waited too long to file its grievance and had unfairly accused airport leaders of wrongly complying with the new law signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 19. Mayor John Cooper has not made the two appointees allotted to his administration. The Nashville airport board appointed by Cooper voted in July to seek outside counsel in its lawsuit against the state over who controls the Nashville International Airport and the smaller John Tune Airport. The suit is scheduled for hearing on Oct. 6.

Tennessee Democrats yesterday announced an eight-stop bus tour to begin next week in Memphis and finish in Nashville for the start of the special legislative session, reports WKRN. House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said the tour is meant to encourage public debate about meaningful gun control ahead of the session. Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, noted that "this is not new. The statistics are not new ... What is new is the opportunity to turn tragedy into policy action.” The state is receiving public comments in advance of the special session via this form. 

The Bristol Motor Speedway today requested a pause on a proposed deal to renovate the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, until the next mayor and council take office, reports the Tennessean. The proposal was unlikely to reach a final vote this term and would necessitate calling a special meeting this month to meet the requirement of three readings to pass. Bristol expressed confidence that the deal will move forward under the next mayor and council, though the community remains divided. Neighbors near the track have expressed concern over noise and quality of life issues that would come with the increased traffic for racing events. 

Federal judicial officials warned that pending appropriations legislation in Congress would have "detrimental impacts ... on the administration of justice and the functioning of the federal courts if enacted," reports Reuters. In letters made public today, the Judiciary Conference expressed deep concern that the current proposed allocations could force elimination of hundreds of jobs, including in federal public defender offices and for probation and pretrial services as well as cutbacks to cybersecurity improvements. Though the current bills would give the court system a modest overall increase in funding, it is less than the judicial branch's requested 8% increase.

The state Supreme Court reinstated the license of Tennessee attorney Jeremy Bland effective July 28, after Bland completed requirements of the BPR.

The American Bar Association (ABA) named Alpha M. Brady as the association’s new executive director last month. Brady, the first person of color to lead the ABA, has been serving as interim executive director since the departure of former Executive Director Jack Rives in March. She joined the ABA staff in 1988 and rose through the ranks at the association before being named deputy executive director in 2022. “During our search, we evaluated many outstanding candidates," Search Committee Chair Palmer Gene Vance II said. "Alpha Brady, with her long history within the ABA and her abundant talents as a leader, stood out as clearly the best.”