A joint convention of the General Assembly confirmed Kyle Hixson’s nomination to the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 5. According to Crossville News, Cameron Sexton, speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, praised the confirmation, noting Hixson’s experience and approach to the law. Hixson is a Crossville native and judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. He was nominated to the post in January by Gov. Bill Lee to replace Justice Holly Kirby, who is retiring at the end of June. Lee had previously appointed Hixson to the state Court of Criminal Appeals in 2022 after he had served two years as a criminal court judge according to the Tennessee Journal. Hixson graduated from the University of Tennessee and the University of Tennessee College of Law.

The TBA will host its 30th Annual Labor & Employment Law Forum in Nashville on May 1. The day will begin with a case law update, followed by a discussion of accommodation law and the post-pandemic workplace as well as a judicial panel featuring judges from across the state. After lunch, sessions will cover FTC non-competes and trade secrets, wage and hour issues, and an ethics session covering sexual harassment and assault. Attendees can earn up to five general and one dual CLE hours. Section members receive a discount on registration. Not a section member yet? Join here!

In the latest edition of Voice of the YLD, President-elect Jennifer Sneed-Perry reflects on five quotes that have profoundly influenced her life and career. Each quote offers insight into the values, perspective and leadership principles that have shaped her journey in the legal profession. At a time when divisions and disagreements can feel especially pronounced, these words serve as powerful reminders of the importance of professionalism, empathy and respect. By embracing the lessons behind these quotes, lawyers can strive to practice with greater grace, civility and integrity in their interactions with clients, colleagues and the courts. Sneed-Perry is a director and in-house counsel for ALSAC-St. Jude in Memphis. We would like to hear from you! Email bmounce@gmail.com if you are interested in submitting a piece for Voices of the YLD.

This is an appeal from an order denying relief under Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 60.02. Because the appellant did not file his notice of appeal within thirty days after entry of the order as required by Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a), we dismiss the appeal.

A father filed several documents in the Juvenile Court for Madison County (the “trial court”) seeking, inter alia, parenting time with his minor child. The trial court dismissed the father’s petition, and the father filed a timely appeal to this Court. Because the father’s brief fails to comply with the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure addressing briefing, father waives any issues purportedly raised. This appeal is dismissed.

A music publisher sued a musician for breach of contract. The musician, saddled with legal fees related to this litigation, eventually filed for bankruptcy and claimed certain musical works as his own intellectual property during the bankruptcy proceedings. The parties settled by agreeing that ownership rights to a subset of the musician’s songs would be transferred to the publisher. Subsequently, the publisher contacted a licensing agency in pursuit of royalties, claiming ownership of more songs than were actually provided for under the settlement. The musician objected to the licensing agency, asserting that the publisher misrepresented the breadth of works it obtained in the settlement. This led to a second lawsuit with the music publisher asserting breach of contract against the musician. The musician filed a counterclaim against the publisher in this second lawsuit, asserting that the publisher’s communications with the licensing agency amounted to tortious interference with the musician’s existing and prospective business relationships. The publisher sought to dismiss the musician’s counterclaim under the Tennessee Public Participation Act (TPPA). The trial court dismissed the publisher’s TPPA petition. The publisher appeals the denial of its TPPA petition. We affirm.

The employer challenges the trial court’s interlocutory order requiring it to provide a panel of neuro-ophthalmologists. The employee was involved in an accident while working as a commercial truck driver for the employer, resulting in multiple injuries. He was referred to a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist for several of his complaints, and that specialist opined that the employee should be evaluated by a neuro-ophthalmologist for his reports of blurred vision. The employer denied the referral due to insufficient information regarding the cause of the alleged blurred vision. The trial court, in a decision on the record, ordered the employer to provide a panel of neuro-ophthalmologists. The employer appealed. Having carefully reviewed the record, we affirm the trial court’s order and remand the case.

March 2, 2026 - March 6, 2026.

On March 6, the Tennessee Supreme Court removed the disability inactive status for Davidson County lawyer Sornavidya Saba Sankar, who has been placed on this status on Aug. 8, 2025. The court also noted that Sankar would not be reinstated but would remain on inactive status pending resolution of any disciplinary proceedings.

Johnson County lawyer Harvey Randolph Fallin was suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court on March 9 after the court found that he failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. A temporary suspension typically remains in place until the board determines final resolution of the matter.