Senior Judge Don R. Ash has been assigned to oversee the cases of 11 current and former Knox County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) employees, including former Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones, indicted on charges of conspiring to illegally spend drug funds and misuse department staff time. According to WBIR, Ash was assigned because Knox County judicial personnel have personal connections to several defendants. Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen similarly recused herself, and Steven Crump, executive director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, has been appointed district attorney general pro tem. The indictments — stemming from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe built on a prior federal investigation — came shortly after a county Republican primary in which two of the defendants ran for sheriff. That race ultimately was won by a KCSO employee who was not among those charged. Knox News has more on the case.

Cosby resident Sheila Grooms McMahan has announced her candidacy for Tennessee state representative in District 11. Newport Plain Talk reports that her campaign will focus on preserving the traditions and way of life that define East Tennessee while addressing the pressures facing rural families. McMahan has voiced strong opposition to private school voucher programs, arguing they divert critical funding from public schools and fail to benefit average families. She also said she will focus on property tax reform, the rising costs of utilities and everyday essentials, economic development, and reducing unnecessary government spending while prioritizing core services such as infrastructure, education and health care.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam accusing them of shirking jury duty. A recent victim told the department that an unknown caller threatened them with arrest and used real personal information to pressure them into compliance. The sheriff’s office says real officers will never demand cash payment to avoid arrest, issue a “gag order” over the phone or threaten additional charges for hanging up. They urge residents who receive suspicious calls to hang up and reach out directly to the sheriff’s office. News Channel 5 has more on the scam.

The Defendant, Michele Lee Ridgeway, pled guilty to two counts of the sale of more than 0.5 grams of methamphetamine. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of eight years suspended to supervised probation. Thereafter, the Defendant allegedly violated the terms of her probation by possessing drug paraphernalia in her residence. Following a revocation hearing, the trial court fully revoked the Defendant’s suspended sentences and ordered her to serve the remainder of her sentences in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant raises two issues: (1) whether the State proved that she violated the conditions of her suspended sentences; and (2) whether the trial court abused its discretion in fully revoking her probation as a consequence of the alleged violation. Upon our review, we conclude that the State did not prove that the Defendant violated the terms of her probation. Because we resolve the appeal on that basis, we do not reach the second issue. Accordingly, we respectfully reverse and vacate the revocation order and remand the case for dismissal of the revocation proceedings.

The decedent left a will in which he directed the majority of his property into a trust. The trust named his wife as the trustee. The trust made several specific distributions to wife effective upon the decedent’s death, including the grant of life estate interests in certain assets. Several other beneficiaries were designated to receive distributions from the life estate assets upon wife’s death. The trust directed its remaining assets into a separate marital trust which provided that all income generated by its property would be distributed to wife. It also provided that the trustee would be required to distribute as much of the principal of the marital trust to wife as she requested in writing and granted her a power of appointment. Several of the remaining trust beneficiaries filed a petition to construe the trust in the Shelby County probate court. They sought an order declaring that the remainder interests of assets in which wife had been granted life estates did not pass into the marital trust. The probate court held that the remainder interests did not pass into the marital trust and wife could not alter or destroy them. Wife appeals. We affirm in part and reverse in part.

Defendant, Joshua Daniel Gibbons, appeals his Sullivan County Criminal Court jury conviction of disorderly conduct, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury. We find that the trial court erred by instructing the jury on a mode of disorderly conduct not included in the charging instrument and that, in any event, the evidence was insufficient to support Defendant’s conviction under either mode of liability charged to the jury. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and dismiss the charge.

Defendant, Todd Allen Burrows, Jr., appeals the Sullivan County Criminal Court’s revocation of his probation, arguing that the trial court erred by ordering that he serve the balance of his sentence in confinement. Because we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm.

A Henderson County jury convicted the Defendant, Cordero Klein Blake, of driving while under the influence (“DUI”) of marijuana, first offense, possession of a handgun while under the influence, driving on a suspended license, speeding, violation of registration law, and violation of financial responsibility law. The trial court imposed a total effective sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days, suspended to community corrections supervision following service of seven days in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions for DUI and possession of a handgun while under the influence. After review, we affirm the trial court’s judgments.

This interlocutory appeal involves an employee’s request for medical and temporary disability benefits after he injured fingers on his right hand while working as a welder for the employer. Following the accident, he was provided authorized medical treatment and was able to return to work. Although he was laid off from the welding position at the end of the contract period, he was allowed to work with another team on the same project until a new welding project started with a different employer. In its expedited hearing order, the trial court determined the employee’s testimony regarding his alleged inability to work after the accident was not credible, noting, in part, that the record contained no evidence of work restrictions related to his injuries. The court therefore denied the employee’s request for temporary disability benefits but found the employee remained entitled to ongoing medical treatment for his compensable injuries with the authorized provider. The employee has appealed. Having carefully reviewed the record, we affirm the trial court’s order and remand the case.

Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County General Sessions Court has announced the hiring of its first court social worker, Laura Frazier, a move court leaders say will help connect individuals with critical services while navigating legal proceedings. Fox17 reports that Frazier's responsibilities include helping connect individuals with resources such as housing assistance, food programs, health care, mental health services, employment support and other community-based services. Presiding Judge Robin Kimbrough Hayes said in a statement, "Social workers bring vital human context to the adversarial court system. ... By bridging the gap between legal proceedings and human needs, they advocate for clients, provide holistic assessments, and guide vulnerable individuals through the complexities of the justice system." Frazier previously worked with Nashville's Shelter Court, where she helped people experiencing homelessness access services and community programs.