Knoxville attorney John Thomas “Tommy” Baugh died last week at age 83. Baugh earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law in 1965 and practiced for more than 55 years, forming close friendships with many colleagues throughout his career. A celebration of life will be held Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. EST at Rose Funeral & Cremation – Mann, 6200 Kingston Pike, Knoxville 37919. Donations in Baugh’s memory may be made to the Fannin County Historical Museum, 411 West First St., Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513.

The TBA will host its 2025 Environmental Law Forum on Dec. 5 in Nashville, offering a full day of programming for lawyers and environmental professionals. The annual event will cover nuclear energy concerns, recent state and federal developments, brownfields and other timely issues shaping the practice area. Speakers include Payton Bradford of the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, Katherine Barnes Cohn of Bradley, John Dawson of Bass, Berry & Sims, Ellery Richardson of K&L Gates and Ashley Strittmatter of United Cleanup Oak Ridge. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

Calling all early birds! The TBA is launching a new series in December that will bring lawyers compelling CLE webcasts from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. CST. The Sunrise Series will begin Dec. 2 with “College Mascots and Legal Ethics: Lessons from the Sidelines,” during which legal educator Stuart Teicher will use tigers, eagles and other college icons to explore what mascots can teach lawyers about loyalty, character and protecting clients. The second installment will air on Dec. 9 with “Good Lawyers Gone Bad: Ethics Lessons from True Lawyer Slime and Crime.” This true-crime-with-coffee session, again with Teicher, will examine real attorney misconduct, why lawyers sometimes go off the rails and the ethics rules that can keep them grounded. Make plans now to get your day started with a CLE boost and watch for more topics coming soon!

The TBA is inviting members to share their lighthearted or inspiring stories about helping clients, spreading goodwill or finding moments of gratitude during the holiday season. Selected stories may be featured in an upcoming episode of BarBuzz as we reflect on the lighter side of lawyering and celebrate TBA’s accomplishments from the past year. Submit your reflections by email to TBA Communications Coordinator Azya Thornton.

On Nov. 18, the TBA Appellate Practice Section will host a free webinar titled "Application Granted: Strategies for Seeking Permission to Appeal Under Tenn. Rule of Appellate Procedure 11." The session will provide guidance for lawyers seeking permission to appeal a civil or criminal case to the state Supreme Court. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, court staff attorneys Elizabeth Ryan and Edmund Sauer, and experienced appellate practitioners Brennan Wingerter and Kristine Roberts will share best practices, lessons learned and practical advice for getting an application granted. One hour of general CLE credit is available for a $50 processing fee. Contact TBA staff member Jarod Word at jword@tnbar.org with questions regarding CLE credit.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will be holding its inaugural Mock Trial 101 on Jan. 17, 2026, at the Putnam County Justice Center located at 401-409 E Spring St., Cookeville 38501. The program will run from 8:30-11:45 a.m. CST and is open to students in 9th-12th grades, teachers and/or coaches who are interested in learning more about mock trial.  Hamilton County Chancellor Jeffrey Atherton will teach three sessions, while members of the TBA YLD Board and law students from the 2026 Diversity Leadership Institute class will work with students. The goal of the training is to provide guidance and assistance to schools in the Upper Cumberland area who already have a mock trial team as well as those who wish to start a team. View a flyer for more information and register here to attend this free event. For questions email TBA staff member Laura Labenberg.

The Defendant, Gary Douglas Craigo, Jr., appeals his Sumner County Criminal Court convictions of aggravated rape and extortion, for which he received an effective sentence of twenty-nine years’ incarceration. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence for each of his convictions. Discerning no error, we affirm.

In this termination of parental rights case, Appellant/Father appeals the trial court’s termination of his parental rights to the minor children on the grounds of: (1) abandonment by failure to visit; (2) persistence of conditions; and (3) failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody of the children. Because the record shows that Father’s failure to visit was not willful, we reverse the trial court’s termination of Father’s parental rights on that ground. We affirm the trial court’s termination of Father’s parental rights on the remaining grounds and on its finding that termination of Father’s parental rights is in the children’s best interests.

Shelby County courts have declined extra judges to help with the increased caseload created by the Memphis Safe Task Force. According to the Commercial Appeal, on Oct. 31, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris sent a request to the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for additional help with what he described as "never-before-seen capacity" in the county's judicial system. On Nov. 12, Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Bivins wrote to Harris that Senior Judges Mark Ward and Roy Morgan were available to assist through a standing order that is effective through the end of the year, and which could be extended if necessary. However, Bivins also noted that the county General Sessions Court had declined assistance, telling the AOC that its dockets were under control. According to The Daily Memphian, Bivins wrapped up his communication stating: "the Court is ready to provide additional judicial resources in addition to these senior judges, should the courts of Shelby County advise that such assistance is needed."

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday that full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would be restored by Monday, The Hill reports. “We immediately last night began moving out, making sure that the program continues unabated starting once the government reopened, and hopefully by the end of this week most will receive it, at the very latest on Monday,” Rollins said during an appearance. Two lower courts had directed the Trump administration to reinstate partial benefits, while one judge ordered full benefits to be paid for the month of November, NPR reports. The administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block that ruling, which it did. On Wednesday, lawmakers advanced a stopgap bill to fund much of the government through Jan. 30, 2026, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.