This is an interlocutory appeal as of right, pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 10B, filed by the ward’s son, Paul Milem, seeking to recuse the trial judge in this case. Having reviewed the petition for recusal appeal filed by Mr. Milem, and finding no error, we affirm.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has announced that it is extending the franchise and excise tax filing and payment deadlines to June 17 for businesses impacted by the December 2023 storms. This extension will automatically apply to any businesses in the designated disaster area. The department also says it will approve extensions for other types of taxes on a case-by-case basis for these taxpayers. Learn more about this benefit. In addition, Tennessee residents impacted by these storms are potentially eligible for sales tax refunds on items such as home appliances, home furniture and home building supplies. Read more about applying for those benefits.

Ogletree Deakins has named Nashville attorney Liz Washko as the firm’s new managing shareholder. Washko, who led the Nashville office from 2010-2018, is the first woman to serve in the role. She replaces Matt Keen, who served in the position for eight years. For more than three decades, Washko has represented management in a wide variety of employment matters. She co-founded the firm’s Pay Equity Practice Group in 2016 and served as co-chair until her appointment as managing shareholder. Read more in a release from the firm.

The Petitioner, Mickey Edwards, appeals from the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief for his jury trial convictions for four counts of aggravated burglary, four counts of theft of property, identity theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card, for which he is serving an effective sixty-year sentence. On appeal, he contends that the post-conviction court erred in denying relief on his ineffective assistance of counsel claim related to trial counsel’s lack of objections to instances of alleged prosecutorial misconduct. He also alleges a free-standing claim that he was denied a fair trial due to the alleged prosecutorial misconduct. We affirm.

The Defendant, Eric Bledsoe, was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, and felony theft, for which he is serving an effective sixty-five-year sentence. He filed a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1, which the trial court summarily dismissed for the failure to state a colorable claim. On appeal, he contends that the trial court erred in denying relief. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

This appeal arises from a will contest. The circuit court entered summary judgment upholding the will, finding no genuine issue of material fact existed as to its validity. The contestant appeals. We affirm and remand to the probate court for further probate proceedings.

This is a divorce action in which the trial court awarded the wife a divorce based on the husband’s inappropriate marital conduct, divided the marital estate and awarded the wife, inter alia, child support as well as transitional alimony of $2,000 per month for four years, followed by $1,500 per month for two years, then $1,000 per month for two years, and $500 per month for two years. The court also awarded the wife alimony in solido of $50,000 as necessary spousal support and an additional $75,000 to defray the cost of most of her attorney’s fees. The husband appeals. We have determined that the record contains an inconsistency concerning the amount of the work-related childcare expenses the husband is required to pay, and it appears that the trial court failed to consider the husband’s obligation to pay work-related childcare costs in setting transitional alimony at $2,000 per month during the first four years, which additional expense appears to impair the husband’s ability to pay that amount. Accordingly, we vacate the award of child support and that portion of the transitional alimony award and remand these issues for reconsideration, taking into account, inter alia, the allocation of childcare expenses, the wife’s need, and the husband’s ability to pay. We affirm the trial court in all other respects. Both parties seek to recover the attorney’s fees and costs each incurred in this appeal. Exercising our discretion, we deny both requests.

The mother of a high school student involved in an altercation with the opposing basketball team’s coach appeals the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to the coach and the county board of education. Because the video footage of the altercation is open to more than one interpretation, a genuine dispute of material fact remains as to the intention behind the coach’s contact with the student and summary judgment is reversed as to the state law assault and battery claims against the coach. The grant of summary judgment as to the remaining claims against both the coach and the board is affirmed.

Week of January 22, 2024 - January 26, 2024

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Reporters Workshop. Sponsored by TBA’s Communications Law Section, the program will be held in person April 19-20 in Nashville. Organizers will select 15 print, online, television and/or radio journalists who want to develop a deeper understanding of media law issues that may affect their everyday work, including access to government information, defamation and privacy concerns in reporting, and other timely topics. Journalists interested in attending should apply before 5 p.m. CST on March 4. Read more about the program or see a draft schedule. Tennessee lawyers are encouraged to share this opportunity with members of the media with whom they have relationships.