The CLE Performer Stuart Teicher is back with three new ethics webcasts on July 17! Shakira, Secrets and Scandals: Attorney Ethics and the World of Offshore Deals begins at 9 a.m. CDT, followed by Five Ways to Use Chat GPT Safely in the Practice of Law at 10:15, and wrapping up with The Office: What Michael Scott Teaches About Lawyer Professionalism at 11:30. Join your colleagues and earn one, two or three ethics credits.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission has received applications for two vacancies in the 30th Judicial District. The applicants for the criminal court judge vacancy are Jahari M. Dowdy, Lora D. Fowler, Raymond J. Lepone and Kenya N. Smith. The applicants for the circuit court vacancy are William Christopher Frulla, C. Scott Jones and Mitzi H. Pollard. A public hearing for these candidates will be held July 16 and 17 at 9 a.m. CDT in the Historic Courtroom (Room 325) at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687 with questions. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward nominations for each position to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. To view the applications, visit the AOC's website.

In 2024, the Defendant, Dana Kelly Teasley, pleaded guilty to eighteen counts of theft and fraud-related charges, and the trial court sentenced her to an effective sentence of twelve years of probation. On appeal, the Defendant asserts that the trial court erred when it imposed consecutive sentences. After review, we affirm the trial court’s judgments.

The Defendant, John Allen Hessmer, was convicted by a Smith County Criminal Court jury of possession of .5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to sell or deliver, a Class B felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor; and driving while in possession of methamphetamine, a Class B misdemeanor. The Defendant raises the following issues on appeal: (1) whether the trial court erred in excluding photographs relating to his passenger, Natasha Jordan, in violation of the Defendant’s due process rights to present a defense; (2) whether the trial court erred in preventing a defense witness’s testimony about her knowledge of Ms. Jordan; (3) whether the trial court erred in excluding impeachment evidence relating to an arresting officer’s employment history in violation of the Defendant’s right to confront witnesses against him; (4) whether the State violated State v. Ferguson, 2 S.W.3d 912 (Tenn. 1999), for failing to preserve the patrol vehicle video recording of the Defendant’s traffic stop; (5) whether the Defendant is entitled to a resentencing hearing due to the trial court’s admission of a video recording at sentencing of the Defendant that was not beforehand disclosed by the State; (6) whether the trial judge erred by not recusing himself; and (7) whether the cumulative effect of the various alleged errors rendered the Defendant’s trial unfair. Based on our review, we affirm the Defendant’s convictions. However, pursuant to State v. Berry, 503 S.W.3d 360, 364 (Tenn. 2015), we remand for the trial court to enter a corrected judgment in count three to reflect that the sentence imposed for the Defendant’s misdemeanor conviction of possession of methamphetamine while driving was merged into the felony possession of methamphetamine conviction in count one.

The tenants appeal from the judgment in this action involving a lease with a purchase option for real property. We vacate the attorney fee award to the landlords. We affirm the trial court’s order in all other respects.

This appeal stems from the trial court’s granting of Appellee’s petition for an order of protection against Appellant. We do not reach the merits of Appellant’s argument because her brief does not comply with Rule 27 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure and Rule 6 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals of Tennessee—most notably by failing to include a statement of issues presented for review. This appeal is therefore dismissed.

This appeal concerns a homeowner’s attempt to vacate an arbitration award entered after a dispute arose regarding the homeowner’s contract with a construction company to build a deck on the homeowner’s property. We have determined that the trial court properly confirmed the arbitration award and that the contractor waived any argument that the trial court erred by not awarding the company its attorney’s fees at the trial level. However, we remand the matter to the trial court for a determination of the contractor’s reasonable appellate attorney’s fees.

A new study by the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service finds the Shelby County Jail is facing severe overcrowding, understaffing and facility disrepair, and may need nearly 1,000 additional beds over the next 20 years. The 177-page report, presented to the Shelby County Commission on June 11, details extensive deferred maintenance issues, including broken escalators that delay emergency medical response, and inadequate medical and intake facilities. The study, requested by Sheriff Floyd Bonner, also outlines three options for expanding or replacing the jail, including building a new facility near Shelby Farms or at the former Firestone factory site. According to the Commercial Appeal, recommendations emphasize consolidating services for men, women and juveniles, and improving booking and release operations to meet Tennessee standards and better accommodate a projected 4.3% regional population increase by 2045.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection on May 29 paid a claim filed against Knox County attorney Melvin Jacob Werner in the amount of $100,000. The fund also directed Werner to reimburse it for the costs. The Fund for Client Protection was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reimburse individuals for losses caused by dishonest conduct by attorneys. The fund is operated by a board, which meets quarterly to consider claims. In September 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court amended Rule 25 to require the fund to notify the Tennessee Bar Association of claims paid. News releases also are posted online.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday announced the appointment of Jeff Holmes as interim commissioner for the Tennessee Department of General Services (DGS), effective today. Holmes will succeed Matt Van Epps, who stepped down on June 10 to pursue a new venture after serving in multiple roles in the Lee administration. Van Epps was appointed commissioner of DGS in September 2024. He previously held multiple roles within the Lee administration, including deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office, assistant director of procurement and contracts with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and assistant commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services. Holmes most recently was the director of planning and programming at Tennessee Board of Regents, and previously served as Tennessee’s 76th adjutant general, supervising Tennessee’s Military Department which includes the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Tennessee State Guard. Read a press release from the governor's office.