This is an appeal from a final decree of divorce. The wife primarily challenges the trial court’s decision to deny her alimony. Finding no error or abuse of discretion, we affirm the trial court’s decision.

The appellants seek to challenge the settlement agreement by which the action was dismissed as well as the trial court’s summary judgment rulings entered earlier in the litigation. We dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.

At its recent spring meeting, the TBA Board of Governors voted to fill two vacancies on the board. Filling the open seat for the Western Grand Division governor will be Geoffrey Lewis, associate general counsel at Memphis Light, Gas & Water. Lewis previously was in private practice and an assistant city prosecutor for the City of Memphis. He also serves in the TBA House of Delegates and as co-chair of the Leadership Law program. Filling the open seat of 7th District governor will be Joshua Dougan with Dougan Law and Mediation in Jackson. Dougan previously was active with the Young Lawyers Division, assisting with the Wills for Heroes program and serving on the Mock Trial Committee. He recently transitioned from the 26th Judicial District Attorney’s office to his own private practice. Both will take office at the board’s June meeting to be held conjunction with the TBA Annual Convention.

Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday approved a $100 million state disaster fund intended to provide assistance to local governments and individuals when Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid falls short, Fox 43, reports. The bill, SB2232/HB2543, now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk. The measure would establish the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund. The fund, administered by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, would provide grants and low- or no-interest loans for eligible recovery costs. Bill sponsor Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray, said the fund is intended to address smaller-scale disasters that do not meet Federal Emergency Management Agency thresholds. The legislation also outlines eligibility requirements for local governments and individuals, including proof of need and residency. Lawmakers raised questions about whether the funding will be sufficient and debated provisions such as the lawful residency requirement for aid, but the bill ultimately passed with broad support in both chambers. The governor proposed the fund in March.

Don't forget to renew your Tennessee Bar Association membership for 2026-2027? Online renewal is now open to continue your access to TBA Today, the Tennessee Bar Journal, three free hours of CLE, resources for starting and building a new firm and free legal research tool, as well as savings on a range of products and services. Be sure to check out TBA's new pro bono portal, solo health insurance plan and expanded discounts on travel. Attorneys not participating in the TBA's firm billing program can log in and renew through their MyTBA dashboard. The TBA membership team will be working with firm administrators for those participating in firm billing so check with your firm administrator if you have questions about that process.

A Nashville man who has spent nearly two decades in prison for a 2005 murder he maintains he did not commit is awaiting a final decision from Gov. Bill Lee after the Tennessee Board of Parole recommended his exoneration. According to the Tennessean, Thomas Clardy was convicted of first-degree murder but has long asserted his innocence, a claim his attorneys and supporters — including the Tennessee Innocence Project — persuaded a majority of the board to support in February. The board’s recommendation is nonbinding, leaving Lee to determine whether to formally exonerate Clardy. In interviews, Clardy described a mix of relief and frustration as he continues to wait in prison, having previously been released for nearly two years before an appellate court reversed that decision in 2025.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed a request from three former Memphis police officers charged in Tyré Nichols’ death, which would have allowed them to conduct discovery into alleged disparaging comments by then U.S. District Judge Mark Norris. According to the Daily Memphian, the men — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith — were seeking to overturn U.S. District Judge Sheryl Lipman's ruling on discovery, which she rejected when she granted new trials to the former officers. In documents filed this week, the 6th Circuit said it lacked jurisdiction to consider the cross-appeals, noting defendants cannot challenge interlocutory decisions in that manner. It did, however, say that the former officers may raise their arguments at a later stage. Meanwhile, the government's appeal of Lipman's ruling granting a new trial is still pending before the court.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings has launched a Medical Office Buildings Team to serve clients in the medical real estate market, the Nashville Post reports. The team will be led by Nashville-based real estate partners Robert Leonard and Elizabeth Sauer, along with Dallas-based counsel Lawrence McFarland. Composed of real estate and health care attorneys, the group will advise clients on regulatory requirements, zoning laws and health care-specific compliance issues, and provide counsel on medical office building projects and the formation of investment vehicles. The team also will structure joint ventures, assist with financing and work with borrowers and lenders. “Our robust team of health care real estate attorneys regularly assists clients with medical real estate assets that not only serve as premier investment opportunities, but also as vital continuum-of-care delivery hubs,” Leonard said in a press release.

A new study finds that earning a law degree increases graduates’ earnings by an average of 59%, trailing only medicine and pharmacy degrees, Reuters reports. Average income rose from about $55,500 before law school to more than $132,500 after graduation. The study also found that higher-ranked law schools tend to produce greater financial returns, aligning with American Bar Association data showing elite institutions send more graduates into large law firms with starting salaries of about $225,000. After accounting for the relatively high cost of law school, researchers found a law degree still yields a 41% earnings boost.

The Knoxville Bar Foundation recently announced it will award grants to local law-related projects and programs in June, continuing a longstanding effort that has distributed more than $600,000 in funding since its inception. Individual grants typically are $5,000 or less, and applications are due by April 30. Funding may not be used for operating costs or endowments. The foundation encourages interested organizations to apply and learn more on its website.