The plaintiff, in his capacity as the executor of the decedent’s estate, commenced this action for breach of a stock purchase agreement against the decedent’s former business partner and the business that they owned together. The agreement comprised two documents: one requiring an initial lump-sum payment of $1 million, and one requiring payment of “$8,000.00 per month for 96 months and two new automobiles with lease payments or purchase payments not to exceed $1,500.00 per month for 96 months.” The decedent also signed a handwritten note in which he agreed to forgive “all debts” if the former business partner honored “all agreements for 1 (one) year after [the decedent’s] death.” The plaintiff later moved for summary judgment based on evidence that the defendants made only 17 monthly cash payments and only 114 of the vehicle payments. In response, the defendants asserted that they made a lump sum payment of $40,000 “in full satisfaction of the debt” before the decedent’s death. The defendants also argued that the debt was forgiven pursuant to the handwritten note. Regardless, the defendants maintained that there was no evidence of missed payments. The trial court granted the motion in part, finding it undisputed that the defendants made only 17 payments. The court also found that the plaintiff was entitled to an award of his attorney’s fees and costs under a “Hold Harmless and Indemnity” clause in the purchase agreement. But the court found a dispute of material fact on whether the defendants breached their obligation to make all car payments. At trial, the defendants moved for a directed verdict due to the plaintiff’s alleged failure to prove damages. The trial court granted the motion because there was no evidence that the defendants missed any car payments. This appeal followed. We affirm the judgment in all respects except for the award of attorney’s fees, which was based on an incorrect interpretation of the contract.

This appeal follows our remand in Acute Care Holdings, LLC v. Houston Cnty., No. M2018-01534-COA-R3-CV, 2019 WL 2337434 (Tenn. Ct. App. June 3, 2019) (hereinafter “Acute Care I”). The dispute involves the alleged breach by Houston County of a Letter of Intent pertaining to the purchase of a hospital in Erin, Tennessee. On remand, the trial court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Acute Care Holdings, LLC (“Acute Care”), by granting its motion for partial summary judgment on the basis that Houston County breached the Letter of Intent. Thereafter, the trial court entered an Agreed Final Judgment awarding Acute Care a judgment of $1,218,062.63 and prejudgment interest of $730,036.65. This appeal followed. Finding no error, we affirm.

Tennessee voters will see new language on primary election ballot applications, which will require them to declare they are a bona fide member of the party whose primary they are voting in, Knox News reports. The language comes from an existing 1972 law, though it is now being highlighted on the ballot application. Every year before voters cast a ballot in person or by mail, they will have to sign a statement saying they are a member of the party in whose primary they're voting. The Tennessee Secretary of State's office in October instructed county election officials to highlight the statement that must be signed before voters can receive a ballot, Knox County elections administrator Chris Davis tells the paper.

Week of April 13, 2026 - April 17, 2026

Gov. Bill Lee last week signed into law a measure (SB2118/HB2498) that bars TennCare from covering any gender transition treatments, surgeries or hormone therapies. Those already undergoing gender transitions may continue to receive care covered through TennCare through March 31, 2027, if a physician deems that stopping the treatment would be harmful. And TennCare will continue to cover treatments for congenital conditions, early puberty, disease and physical injuries. A 2024 law banned the Tennessee Department of Correction from using state funds to offer hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgeries for inmates. Lawmakers banned gender transition treatments for minors in 2023, a law that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025 after a yearslong legal challenge. The Tennessean has more on the new law.

Nashville yesterday celebrated its first Z. Alexander Looby Day, which will be marked each April 19 to commemorate the prominent attorney and civil rights activist. On April 19, 1960, the home of Looby, who was a sitting city councilmember, was bombed. That led to a march of 4,000 people to City Hall, where student activist Diane Nash confronted then-mayor Ben West about segregation. Davidson County historian Dr. Learotha Williams Jr. led the effort to establish the day to recognize Looby and his legacy. At an event yesterday, he read the mayor’s proclamation designating the day in what is now known as Diane Nash Plaza. He also noted the significance of reading the proclamation on the Public Square, a place where African Americans were once bought and sold, and where Native Americans passed through on the Trail of Tears. The Nashville Banner has more on the event. Also yesterday, the city marked the 4th annual Diane Nash Commemorative March according to WSMV.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law recently dedicated the Pamela Reeves Institute for Professional Leadership. Seventeen past TBA presidents — including Reeves' husband Charles Swanson — were on hand to celebrate the renaming of the institute. According to the school, the renaming was made possible through the generosity of the Larry Wilks Distinguished Practitioner in Residence George “Buck” T. Lewis and his wife Malinda. Lewis is a co-founder of the institute, which helps students identify and develop their leadership skills, professional values and career path through interdisciplinary programming. Reeves was a 1979 graduate of the law school and became the first woman to serve as both district judge and chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Prior to joining the bench, she was a respected mediator in private practice and served as TBA's first female president from 1998-1999. See photos from the event.

Programming at TBA’s 2026 Convention kicks off June 11 at 9 a.m. EDT with Catherine Sanders Reach, director of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Center for Practice Management. Every legal tech vendor has an AI pitch, but is your firm actually ready to buy? This session will cut through the hype with a problem-first approach to technology purchasing. Reach will cover how to audit current technology for gaps and redundancies, calculate real ROI on the tools already owned, and build a framework for evaluating new products. Reach has spent over two decades helping legal professionals integrate technology into their practices. She has been with the North Carolina Bar Association since 2018. She previously was director of the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center and director of law practice management and technology at the Chicago Bar Association. Check out all the CLE planned for Convention and register today!

In the latest edition of Voices of the YLD, Brian Mounce shares his views in Too Many Laws, Too Little Liberty as it relates to the complexity of criminal law. Would the Framers believe in Cicero's view of "The more laws, the less justice?" Brian Mounce is currently an attorney at Burch, Porter & Johnson. He will join Memphis Law as an assistant professor in the fall. Mounce is TBA YLD’s publication chair and the YLD TBA HOD representative for the West Tennessee. Email bmounce@gmail.com if you are interested in submitting a piece for Voices of the YLD.

Christen Clark was charged with six counts related to drug trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine and also firearm possession. He pled guilty to all six counts while represented by Owen Kalis, who withdrew from the practice of law eleven days later due to pending disciplinary action. See In re Resignation of Kalis, 236 N.E.3d 263, 264 (Ohio 2024); Ohio S. Ct. R. Gov. Bar VI, § 11(A)–(C). Clark subsequently moved to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that his plea was not knowing, voluntary, and intelligent due to ineffective assistance of counsel. The district court held that there was not a “fair and just” reason for withdrawal under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(d)(2)(B) and that the court’s plea colloquy rendered the plea sufficient under the Due Process Clause. Clark timely appealed. For the reasons set forth below, we VACATE the district court’s denial of Clark’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea and REMAND the case for the district court to hold an evidentiary hearing on Clark’s claims.