The Defendant, Camden A. Miller, pled guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a victim under the age of thirteen and was sentenced to serve an effective sentence of twenty years. Thereafter, the Defendant filed a motion pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1, seeking to have his aggregate sentence declared illegal because it contravenes his status as a Range I, standard offender. The trial court summarily dismissed the motion, and the Defendant appealed to this court. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgment of the trial court.

In response to a May 7 lawsuit filed by special prosecutor and Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty Wamp to remove Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert from her position, a Memphis judge has set two court dates. The Daily Memphian reports that Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson has scheduled the ouster trial for Aug. 31, but has set a hearing for June 25 to determine whether Halbert should be suspended pending the trial's outcome. If the outcome of the hearing is that Halbert remains clerk at least up to the August trial, Wamp and the prosecution could also change how they present their case. “The standard is very, very high for removal. We have to make sure we have the proof for both the suspension hearing and the trial,” Wamp said. Darrell O’Neal, representing Halbert, has filed a motion to dismiss the case saying that "mere negligence" is not grounds for dismissal and Halbert is being targeted politically.

The petitioner, James E. Johnson, appeals from the Davidson County Criminal Court’s summary dismissal of his pro se motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

John Milton Arledge (“Arledge”) filed a complaint seeking to quiet title to property he purported to own and the ejection of Darl Smith (“Smith”) from the disputed property. Smith filed a motion for summary judgment, which the Warren County Circuit Court (“the Trial Court”) granted. Arledge appeals. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

A Rutherford County jury convicted the defendant, Vernice Darlene Farrar, of three counts of first-degree felony murder, one count of especially aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated burglary, and three counts of fraudulent use of a debit card, for which she received an effective sentence of life imprisonment plus twenty-five years. On appeal, the defendant contends the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support her convictions for first-degree felony murder during the perpetration of a kidnapping, especially aggravated kidnapping, and fraudulent use of a debit card. She also contends that the trial court erred in affirming her convictions as the thirteenth juror and that her sentence was excessive. After reviewing the record and considering the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Corbin Rashard Arrington, pled guilty to the offense of aggravated assault resulting in death and reserved sentencing issues for the trial court’s consideration. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court denied the Defendant’s request for judicial diversion and imposed a sentence of six years to be served in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his request for judicial diversion or alternative sentencing. Upon our review, we respectfully disagree and affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel has appointed retired federal judge Bruce Guyton as deputy chief to oversee the department's Office of Professional Standards, reports the Knoxville News Sentinel. Noel created the position after an internal survey showed widespread dissatisfaction with communication from leadership, paths to promotion and that nearly every Black employee had experienced discrimination. Guyton, who has filled the role on an interim basis since July 2023, is tasked with creating, instilling and enforcing standards of conduct. Before taking on the interim deputy chief role, Guyton was a U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee for 20 years until he retired in 2022.

The Chattanooga Bar Foundation recently announced its class of 2024 Fellows. They are Cathy Dorvil with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel; Ellie Hill with Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway; Laura Ketcham with Miller & Martin; Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Rob Philyaw; Carrie Brown Stefaniak, law clerk for Judge Curtis L. Collier with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Kara West, Chapter 13 trustee for the Southern Division of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Chapter 12 trustee for the entire Eastern District of Tennessee. Read more about the new fellows from Chattanoogan.com.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch on Thursday announced a multi-state lawsuit challenging a new rule recently announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that redefines the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Under the new rule, covered entities found to be non-compliant risk losing significant federal funding, including state Medicaid funding designed to assist low-income individuals, as well as exposure to civil liability from private lawsuits. The suit argues that the rule, among other impacts, will require medical providers to perform surgeries and administer hormone drugs without regard for a doctor’s medical judgment. It also argues that HHS overstepped its authority in making the change.

Davidson County Probate Court will hold a legal name change docket in observance of Pride Month on June 28 at 1:30 p.m. CDT in Courtroom 608. Davidson County residents over age 18 are eligible. Download this form and follow the instructions on page 1 to participate.