The Defendant, Sharod Demon Greer, was convicted by a jury of aggravated sexual battery and assault by offensive touching, for which the trial court imposed an effective sentence of twelve years’ imprisonment. On appeal, the Defendant contends that (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his aggravated sexual battery conviction because the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any touching of the victim was sexually motivated and (2) the trial court failed to consider the purposes and principles of sentencing when it imposed the maximum in-range sentence for aggravated sexual battery because it did not explain why the sentence was more justly deserved than a lesser sentence. After review, we affirm.

David Ellison, Defendant, was serving a six-year sentence on supervised probation when the trial court issued a violation of probation warrant for a positive drug screening. Defendant failed to appear, and a second violation of probation warrant was issued. After a hearing, at which Defendant was found to have violated conditions of his probation, the trial court ordered Defendant to serve four years of the sentence and revoked, reinstated, and restarted two years of probation, to be served consecutively to the four-year sentence. Defendant appeals the violation of probation. After a review, we determine that the trial court did not abuse its discretion.

A Maury County jury convicted Defendant, Ethan Allen Compton, of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days to be served on probation. On appeal, Defendant contends that Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-17-1307(f)(1)(A), which prohibits a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm, violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution on its face. Upon review, we conclude that Code section 39-17-1307(f)(1)(A) is constitutional on its face. Accordingly, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Ronald David Ballard, was convicted in the Henderson County Circuit Court of fifteen counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court merged all counts and sentenced him as a Range III, persistent offender to twenty-eight years in confinement for count one. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support the convictions because the State failed to show he constructively possessed the firearm. Based upon the oral arguments, the record, and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the Defendant’s convictions but remand the case to the trial court for sentencing on counts two through fifteen and for correction of the judgments pursuant to State v. Berry, 503 S.W.3d 360, 364 (Tenn. 2015).

The Petitioner, Geoffrey Paschel, appeals from the Knox County Criminal Court’s dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief from his convictions for aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, and interference with an emergency call and his eighteen- year sentence. On appeal, he contends that the post-conviction court erred by dismissing the petition that was unverified at the time of filing and, alternatively, that he is entitled to the petition’s reinstatement on the basis of due process and public policy. We affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

In this case involving termination of the mother’s parental rights to her child, the Shelby County Chancery Court (“trial court”) determined that one statutory ground for termination had been proven by clear and convincing evidence. The trial court further determined that clear and convincing evidence demonstrated that termination of the mother’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. The mother has appealed. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

Knox County Schools is appealing a ruling that found the district violated the rights of a middle school student with autism under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), according to the Knox News. The dispute centers on whether the student should remain at Farragut Middle School or be transferred to Ridgedale Alternative School for additional support. An administrative law judge ruled the district failed to provide the student with a free and appropriate public education, did not adequately address communication needs and violated disability protections by showing “deliberate indifference” to those needs. Court filings also reveal the student was physically restrained dozens of times during the school year. The case is now before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed concern Sunday about ongoing leaks of the court’s internal deliberations, saying the justices need space for “candid conversations” as they consider cases, Reuters reports. Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” Gorsuch said transparency is important but argued the court also must preserve private discussions that allow justices to work toward agreement. His comments follow a recent New York Times report detailing leaked memos related to the court’s 2016 action blocking former President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan. On the issue of public access to the court, Gorsuch pointed to the court’s live audio of oral arguments as an example of transparency and said the public can evaluate justices' views through the court’s written opinions.

The Shelby County Commission will fund a lawsuit over a new state law taking authority over Tennessee's largest school district. During a meeting on May 4, a resolution from Commissioners Mickell Lowery and Matthew Szalaj to give $200,000 from the county’s general fund to Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) was approved on an 8-3 vote. The county chose to fund the lawsuit due to MSCS not being able to, the Commercial Appeal reports. The district already passed a resolution that allows MSCS to hire an attorney to challenge the legislation, but a new state law bars school districts from using public dollars to fight state accountability efforts. That prohibition was signed into law on April 21, the same day MSCS voted to hire legal representation to challenge the takeover.

In recognition of Well-Being Week in Law and Mental Health Awareness Month, the TBA is offering a special CLE package featuring three hours of programming focused on attorney wellness, mindfulness and compassionate lawyering. The package includes sessions on preventing burnout, addressing bias in the legal system and fostering empathy in legal practice through programs such as “Thriving Under Pressure: Mindfulness Techniques to Prevent Burnout and Ensure Ethical Legal Practice,” “The Rookie Series: Compassionate Lawyering” and “Realign — Justice, Well-Being and the Law Addressing Bias.” The offering also coincides with National Treatment Court Month. The TBA has a foundational program on Tennessee’s recovery courts also scheduled. Learn more about that program on the TBA website.