The Defendant, Constance Monieka Every, was convicted by a Knox County Criminal Court jury of assault by extremely offensive or provocative contact, a Class B misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct by making unreasonable noise, a Class C misdemeanor. See T.C.A. §§ 39-13-101(a)(3) (Supp. 2024) (assault); 39-17-305(b) (2018) (disorderly conduct). On appeal, the Defendant contends that: (1) the indictment was insufficient to provide notice of the charged offenses, (2) the evidence is insufficient to support her convictions, and (3) the trial court erred in not instructing the jury on self- defense. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

In 2020, a Hardeman County jury convicted the Petitioner, Lavonte Douglas, of first degree felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery, and the trial court sentenced him to an effective sentence of life. The Petitioner appealed, and this court affirmed his conviction and sentence. State v. Douglas, No. W2020-01012-CCA-R3-CD, 2021 WL 4480904, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Sept. 30, 2020), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Feb. 28, 2023). The Petitioner filed a timely petition for post-conviction relief, amended by counsel, alleging that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel failed to: object to hearsay statements; request in writing a curative jury instruction; and give a closing argument. He further contended that the cumulative effect of these errors entitled him to post-conviction relief. The post-conviction court denied his petition after a hearing. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.

The Petitioner, Gregory Bonds, entered a guilty plea to seven offenses, for which he received a concurrent twelve-year term of imprisonment. The Petitioner subsequently filed a pro-se petition seeking post-conviction relief from his convictions, alleging that trial counsel was ineffective for allowing him to enter an agreement with the State for an illegal sentence. The Petitioner alleged that his sentence was illegal because the employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony offense was ordered to be served concurrently with other offenses in direct contravention of the law. The post- conviction court summarily dismissed the petition for failure to state a colorable claim for relief. On appeal, the Petitioner argues: (1) the post-conviction court erred in failing to hold an evidentiary hearing for his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel; and (2) that he did not knowingly, voluntarily, or intelligently enter the plea agreement. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her child. The juvenile court found clear and convincing evidence of two statutory grounds for termination: abandonment by failure to support and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody. It also determined by clear and convincing evidence that termination was in the child’s best interest. After a thorough review, we agree and affirm.

This is a dispute between two brothers concerning the current ownership of real property their father owned at the time of his death. The plaintiff, contending the brothers are tenants in common because their father died intestate and they are his only heirs, seeks to partition the real property formerly owned by their father. The defendant contends he is the sole owner because he had an oral agreement with his father pursuant to which he would be bequeathed the property upon his father’s death in exchange for moving to his father’s property to work the farm and care for his father, which he claims to have done in reliance on the agreement. Thus, the defendant asserted a counterclaim by which he seeks specific performance of the oral agreement, a declaration that he is the sole owner of the property, and dismissal of the partition petition. Relying on the theories of equitable estoppel/estoppel in pais, the defendant also contends that the plaintiff may not assert a defense based on the statute of frauds, Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-2-101(a)(4). The trial court found that the defendant failed to establish a contract to make a will or devise property, and it also held that the alleged oral agreement was too vague to be enforced, that the defendant failed to fulfill his obligations under the agreement, and the agreement was unenforceable based on the statute of frauds. Thus, the court ruled that the parties jointly own the property as tenants in common, dismissed the defendant’s counterclaim and designated the order as a final judgment pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 54.02. This appeal followed. We affirm.

Members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division recently participated in Balancing the Scales: Voices of First-Gen Lawyers — a panel discussion designed to provide advice and insight to first-generation law students and young lawyers. The panel, moderated by TBA YLD Middle Tennessee Governor Alix Rogers, features YLD board members Raven Austin, Morgan Hanna, Cole Harrell-Morris, Lorne Hiller and Chicoya Smith as they share their journey to the legal profession. Topics discussed include: what it means to be a first-generation lawyer; what they wish they had known at the beginning of their careers; and what pitfalls need to be avoided. Check out their unique, yet relatable stories in this on-demand recording on TBA's YouTube account.

August 11, 2025 - August 15, 2025.

The state attorney general’s office has issued subpoenas seeking abortion-related information from four Tennessee hospitals as part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging the state’s abortion ban, The Tennessean reports. The subpoenas, filed earlier this year, request broad information including the number of abortions performed, policies and guidelines under the law, and documents and communications relating to abortion care. A protective order bars the information from being used outside of the lawsuits. The hospitals have objected to the subpoenas, citing patient privacy laws and other concerns. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by a group of Tennessee women, argues their lives were endangered after they were denied emergency abortions under the state's ban. They say the law is vague and that physicians are refusing to perform medically necessary abortions out of fear of legal repercussions. The case is scheduled for trial next year.

Federal Public Defender (PD) Kelley Henry said Byron Black’s defibrillator did not activate during his Aug. 4 execution by lethal injection, Nashville Banner reports. Witnesses to the lethal injection said Black lifted his head off the gurney during the execution, groaned and said, “Oh, it’s hurting so bad.” It will be eight to 12 weeks before Black’s autopsy and toxicology reports are available, but Henry warned that the question of what was causing pain may go unanswered. The lethal dose of pentobarbital administered to Black should have rendered him unresponsive within seconds. Her team plans to submit public records requests to gather more information but a state motion to stay all proceedings would prohibit such discovery into the pentobarbital used. A hearing on the state’s motion is set for Aug. 22.

The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) has filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court seeking access to records from a May immigration sweep in Nashville that led to about 200 arrests, Axios Nashville reports. The group claims the Tennessee Highway Patrol, which worked with federal immigration and homeland security agents on the operation, failed to release all requested records, denied the existence of some documents, and delayed producing video footage. TIRRC argues the actions violate the Tennessee Public Records Act, which ensures public access to information about state government operations.