Members of the U.S. Supreme Court press corps released a public letter Wednesday urging the court to stream audio of its opinions and oral dissents online. According to National Public Radio (NPR), the letter first was sent privately to Chief Justice John Roberts a year ago but no response has been received yet. Signatories include representatives from all major radio and television networks, newspapers and news agencies that cover the court, including NPR. Currently, when the court announces major decisions from the bench, only attorneys, public attendees and accredited press inside the courtroom hear the justices read summaries of their opinions. The letter argues that while the justices prefer the public read opinions in full, most people will not spend the hours required to do so. It adds that “in this era of misinformation, providing live audio of opinion announcements would allow the court to speak directly to the American people on issues of extraordinary importance.”

Nashville’s latest annual census of the city’s unhoused population found 2,180 people in shelters or living unsheltered on one night in January, a 4% increase from the previous year, according to WPLN. In contrast, homelessness nationwide rose by 18% over the same period. Each year, volunteers canvas the county during a single evening to conduct the “point-in-time” count. Metro officials noted that this year’s count occurred on a night with below-freezing temperatures, which led to the opening of additional shelter spaces and may have contributed to the higher total.

President Donald Trump has fired a third member of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors. Beth Geer, one of six people nominated to the board by President Joe Biden in 2023, was dismissed, according to a report TVA filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10. Trump previously removed Biden appointees Michelle Moore in March and Board Chair Joe Ritch in April. The board, now reduced to three members from its usual nine, will continue meeting to ensure TVA operations continue for its 10 million customers across seven Southeastern states, Knox News reports. Trump has not publicly given a reason for the firings or announced replacement nominees yet.

Members of the Tennessee legal community met for the second day of the TBA Annual Convention in Franklin today. The morning began with a Public Service Awards Breakfast featuring presentation of the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award to a group of private attorneys representing families from Nashville’s Covenant School, the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year to the executive directors of the state's three Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded organizations, the Law Student of the Year Award to recent Belmont University College of Law graduate David "Lee" Myers, and the 2025 CASA Volunteer of the Year to Amy Dorman with CASA Works Inc. in Tullahoma. At the annual Bench Bar Luncheon, Nashville lawyer Margaret Behm received the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award, while Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft received the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Following the awards, Nashville lawyer Ed Yarbrough, of counsel with Spencer Fane, gave the keynote address, highlighting the work of a dozen lawyers who went on to make great contributions to the profession by staying true to their convictions. He told attendees, "Integrity is the most important thing — the only thing that lets you make history." The afternoon continued with CLE programs on artificial intelligence and the most recent legislative session. The evening will wrap up with a reception. See pictures from today's events.

A webcast on June 18 will cover upcoming changes to Tennessee’s foreclosure law, including a reduction in the number of required newspaper notices for foreclosure sales and a new requirement to post all sales and continuances online. Hosted by David Anthony of Exo Legal PLLC and Amy Heaslet of the Tennessee Bankers Association, the webcast will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. and include a discussion on how to comply with the new regulations taking effect July 1. Presenters will also answer participant questions. For more information and to register, visit TBA website. 

In 2019, a Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner, Andre Bowen, of facilitation of first degree felony murder, attempted especially aggravated robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The trial court ordered him to serve an effective sentence of seventy-two years of incarceration. On appeal, this court affirmed his convictions and sentence. State v. Bowen, No. W2019-01210-CCA-R3-CD, 2021 WL 1400929, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Apr. 13, 2021), perm. app. denied (Tenn. June 15, 2021). The Petitioner unsuccessfully sought relief pursuant to a writ of error coram nobis. Bowen v. State, No. W2022-00229-CCA-R3-ECN, 2022 WL 17408878, at *3 (Tenn. Crim. App. Dec. 5, 2022), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Mar. 8, 2023). The Petitioner then filed a petition for post- conviction relief contending that he had received the ineffective assistance of counsel. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition as untimely, and the Petitioner appeals offering multiple grounds for a due process tolling of the statute of limitations. After review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s judgment.

Defendant, Fernando Ballard, appeals the trial court’s decision to fully revoke his probation. He contends that the trial court did not have authority to fully revoke his probation because there was insufficient evidence to find that Defendant committed a non- technical violation. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

This appeal arises from a petition to determine custody and establish parenting time. Following a two-day trial, the court ruled that the parents shall have joint legal custody of their two-year-old child and that the mother shall be the primary residential parent. The court also established a parenting schedule, pursuant to which the mother was awarded more parenting time than the father. The father appeals the designation of the mother as the primary residential parent and the allocation of parenting time. Finding no error, we affirm.

The 2025 TBA Annual Convention kicked off today at the Marriott Hotel in Franklin with meetings of the TBA House of Delegates and incoming section chairs, to be followed by a welcome reception and group dinners for attendees. Walk-up registrations are still available. For those who cannot attend in person, the Lawyers Lunch, scheduled for Friday, will be livestreamed on the TBA’s Facebook and YouTube channel. A full schedule of convention events and CLE programming is available on the TBA website.

Candidates who passed the February bar exam, along with others, were sworn in during a ceremony in Knoxville on Monday.  Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight E. Tarwater presided over the ceremony. See photos from the event here.