Shamone Davis, Defendant, was convicted of four counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, one count of attempted statutory rape by an authority figure, and three counts of sexual battery by an authority figure for events that involved his stepdaughter. As a result of the convictions, Defendant was sentenced to an effective sentence of thirty years. Defendant appeals, arguing that he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial, the trial court improperly admitted testimony of several witnesses, the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction for attempted statutory rape by an authority figure, and his sentence is excessive. After a thorough review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Petitioner, Darren Brown, appeals from the Shelby County Criminal Court’s summary denial of his petition for a writ of error coram nobis from his conviction for first degree premeditated murder, for which he received a sentence of life imprisonment. He contends that he is entitled to equitable tolling of the statute of limitations and that he is entitled to relief on the merits of his petition. We affirm the judgment of the coram nobis court.

Because the order from which the appellant has filed an appeal does not constitute a final appealable judgment, this Court lacks jurisdiction to consider this appeal.

Petitioners attempted to terminate the parental rights of the child’s biological father on the grounds of abandonment by failure to visit and support. The trial court found that neither ground had been proven but proceeded to find that had grounds for termination been proven, it would be in the child’s best interest for the biological father’s parental rights to be terminated. Although we affirm the trial court’s finding that the biological father proved that his failure to visit was not willful, we reverse the trial court’s finding as to the ground of abandonment by failure to support. We also affirm the trial court’s finding that termination is in the child’s best interest.

March 30, 2026 - April 3, 2026.

U.S Rep. David Kustoff and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at supporting rural and low-income area hospitals by adjusting the Medicare Area Wage Index, which affects payments based on local and national labor market wages, the Commercial Appeal reports in a round-up of recent news. The bill, cosponsored in the House by Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama and in the Senate by Mark Warner of Virginia, seeks to address funding disparities that often leave rural hospitals competing for staff with higher-paying urban centers. “Access to health care should not depend on a person’s ZIP code,” Kustoff said, while Sewell noted the bill would help prevent hospital closures that force patients to travel farther for care, limit maternity services and reduce access to longtime doctors. The measure would allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to better account for challenges facing hospitals in underserved communities according to the sponsors. Read more in a release from Blackburn's office.

East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (ETLAW) will host its annual Tennessee Supreme Court Luncheon on May 6 at 11:15 a.m. EDT at the Hilton Knoxville in downtown Knoxville. The event will feature lunch and programming, during which members of the Tennessee judiciary will be recognized. In addition, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly M. Kirby, who served on the Tennessee Court of Appeals from 1995 to 2014 before joining the Supreme Court in 2014, will offer remarks reflecting on her decades of service. Kirby announced last fall she would retire on June 30 of this year.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned Tennessee state lawmakers that ending Ballad Health’s state-approved hospital monopoly without immediate competition could raise health care costs. The legislation in question would end Ballad’s Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) agreement in 2028, lifting restrictions on the 20-hospital chain in Tennessee and Virginia. A second bill would eliminate a law allowing hospitals to block competitors through a Certificate of Need (CON) process in 2030, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The FTC said the two-year gap could “undermine” the lawmakers’ goal of increasing competition. The monopoly, created in 2018, has faced scrutiny for failing to meet benchmarks on infection rates, mortality, emergency room wait times, and patient satisfaction. FTC officials said the proposed timeline could be the “worst possible outcome for patients” by limiting oversight while still restricting competition. Ballad Health officials said they will defer to lawmakers on future policy decisions.

The state House of Representatives on March 26 passed a bill that would make it a felony for state or local officials to disclose “confidential” immigration enforcement information, sending the measure to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk, the Tennessean reports. HB2506/SB1464, sponsored by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, aims to protect law enforcement officers by keeping their names, contact information and operational details — including dates, times and strategies — confidential. Proponents say the bill safeguards officers’ safety without preventing protests or citizens from filming immigration enforcement. Opponents argue it could be used to limit public oversight and hinder recording of officers. The measure passed by a 70-19 vote in less than two minutes according to the paper. Companion legislation passed the Senate on March 9.

The chief executive officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will retire July 1, according to Knox News. Don Moul, who has served as CEO since April 9, 2025, notified the utility’s board of directors of his decision on April 3. Moul joined TVA in 2021 as chief operating officer and became its fourth CEO in April 2025 following the retirement of Jeff Lyash. He continued to serve as operations chief during his tenure, which is the shortest of any TVA CEO in modern history, according to the paper. Since his appointment, Moul has faced criticism from the Trump administration and Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty about the utility’s leadership and the pace of its nuclear project development.