The defendant, Brian Michael Jarrett, pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, two counts of incest, and one count of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor, and the trial court imposed an effective sentence of twenty-eight years’ incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the defendant argues the trial court erred in imposing partial consecutive sentences. After reviewing the record and considering the applicable law, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Lionel Vashon Champion, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of possession with intent to sell .5 grams or more of cocaine, a Class B felony; possession with intent to deliver .5 grams or more of cocaine, a Class B felony; use or unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor; two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm with the intent to go armed during the commission of a dangerous felony, Class D felonies; four counts of unlawful possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony drug offense, Class C felonies; unlawful possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a crime of violence, a Class C felony; and eight counts of unlawful possession of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony having previously been convicted of a felony drug offense, Class D felonies. See T.C.A. §§ 39-17-417 (Supp. 2022) (subsequently amended) (possession of a controlled substance), 39-17-425 (2018) (possession of drug paraphernalia); 39-17-1324 (Supp. 2024) (armed dangerous felonies); 39-17-1307 (Supp. 2022) (subsequently amended) (carrying or possession of weapons). The trial court sentenced the Defendant, a career offender, to serve an effective sentence of forty-two years, eleven months, and twenty-nine days. On appeal, the Defendant contends that (1) the trial court erred in admitting evidence of the Defendant’s incoming and outgoing text messages, (2) the court erred in permitting a witness to read one of the text messages to the jury, and (3) the court erred in denying the motion for a new trial. We affirm the trial court’s judgments.

The Petitioner, Kevin Leon Brazelton, Jr., appeals the denial of his petition for post- conviction relief, maintaining that his attorney at trial was ineffective. Following our review of the record, we remand the judgment of the post-conviction court for further findings concerning the timeliness of the petition.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission has received five applications for a vacancy in the 20th Judicial District following the retirement of Judge Phillip R. Robinson on Oct. 17. The 20th Judicial District covers Davidson County, and the circuit court seat will be assigned domestic relations cases. Applicants for the vacancy are Audrey L. Anderson, Bethany P. Glandorf, Harold E. Rushton, Morgan E. Smith and John R. Wilks. A public hearing for the position will be held Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. CDT at the Nashville School of Law, 4013 Armory Oaks Drive, Nashville 37204. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward nominees to Gov. Bill Lee for consideration. For more information, contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is seeking attorney volunteers to help commemorate Constitution Day by leading one-hour classroom programs on the U.S. Constitution at three Knoxville elementary schools. The programs will be held Sept. 19 at Fountain City Elementary from 8 to 9 a.m. and South Knox Elementary from 1 to 2 p.m., and Sept. 26 at Dogwood Elementary from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. All times EDT. Organized by the KBA Barristers School Outreach Committee, the interactive sessions will include videos, activities and Q&A opportunities with students. No prior teaching experience is required, and all materials will be provided. Attorneys interested in volunteering can reach out to co-chairs Grace Ewell or Hannah Clyde.

Democratic candidates for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District pitched their platforms to voters at a Fairview forum on Sept. 7. The four candidates — state Reps. Bo Mitchell, Vincent Dixie and Aftyn Behn, and political strategist Darden Copeland — spoke to about 70 people inside the Fairview Recreation Complex gymnasium. They commented on the Trump administration’s proposals to deploy the National Guard in Democratic-led cities and expressed support for comprehensive immigration reform and immigrant communities. All also pledged to hold regular town halls if elected. The Nashville Post has the story.

The City of Memphis has contracted with a private company to install 30 new traffic cameras to target speeders, primarily in 15 school zones. According to the Daily Memphian, beginning Sept. 30, the cameras will be used to issue warnings to drivers who are speeding in those 15 areas, officials said. On Oct. 30, the grace period will end, and citations will begin with violators being mailed a ticket for $50. The cameras will be installed at 15 different locations. A 2015 state law classifies citations from unmanned cameras as nonmoving violations, meaning they carry no license points, insurance consequences or credit impact. City officials say the goal is to encourage safer driving, particularly in school zones and S curves, despite the limited penalties.

The American Bar Association (ABA) and American University Washington College of Law will host a virtual program, “On the Docket: Looking Ahead at the New Supreme Court Term,” on Sept. 25 from noon to 1:20 p.m. EDT. Panelists will preview major issues before the court when it reconvenes in October, including state bans on transgender athletes in sports, voting rights, campaign finance laws, the death penalty, state regulatory authority, challenges to conversion therapy and redistricting in Louisiana. The event will feature Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law; Gregory G. Garre, partner at Latham & Watkins; William W. Berry III, professor at the University of Mississippi Law School; and Boston Globe columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Stephen Wermiel, a professor at American University Washington College of Law, will moderate. Register here.

A Chattanooga man on Wednesday was sentenced to 24 months in prison for transmitting interstate threats. In 2024, Garry Lebron Hayes, 45, left voicemails that included death threats and violent language directed at two members of Congress. Hayes pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Collier in Chattanooga, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Collier also ordered Hayes to serve one year of supervised release following his prison term. Prosecutors argued for the maximum sentence allowed under the guidelines, stressing the need to protect public officials from threats of violence.

Georgia lawyer Sarah Medley Smith was reinstated to the practice of law on Sept. 4. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that Smith has been on inactive status since Dec. 17, 2019. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that Smith’s petition for reinstatement was satisfactory, and she had met all requirements for reinstatement.