A Bedford County jury found the Defendant, Christ M. Christopher, guilty of two counts of rape of a child. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of forty years. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the length of the sentences imposed. He argues that the trial court misapplied two enhancement factors and imposed an effective sentence greater than necessary to achieve the purposes and principles of sentencing. Upon our review, we respectfully disagree and affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Tobarus Burton, pleaded guilty in the Shelby County Criminal Court to one count of aggravated sexual battery. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-504. He received an agreed eight-year sentence to be served in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The Defendant subsequently filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 32(f), which was denied by the trial court. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his motion to withdraw his plea. Discerning no abuse of discretion, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

The Petitioner, Woodie Jeanette Arendall, pled guilty to one count of aggravated child neglect, and the trial court sentenced her to serve fifteen years’ imprisonment. Thereafter, the Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief alleging that she was denied the effective assistance of counsel during the plea process. Following a hearing, the post- conviction court denied relief, and the Petitioner appealed. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

The State of Tennessee, on behalf of Mother, brought suit against Father for retroactive and prospective child support. The trial court deviated from the Child Support Guidelines in setting Father’s retroactive child support, and he appeals. Because the trial court failed to make necessary findings of facts and conclusions of law to support its deviation from the guidelines, we cannot conduct a meaningful review. The trial court’s order is vacated, and the case is remanded for further proceedings.

This appeal concerns divorce related issues including property division, alimony, and child custody. Roar Normann Ronning (“Father”) sued Lesley Anne Ronning (“Mother”) for divorce in the Circuit Court for Claiborne County (“the Trial Court”). The parties have a minor daughter, Freya (“the Child”). Over the course of multiple hearings, the Trial Court granted the parties a divorce and ultimately approved a parenting plan whereby Mother was named primary residential parent and received more parenting time with the Child than Father. One of the relevant factors in the child custody determination was Father’s career as a commercial airline pilot, which means he has a varied schedule. Father appeals, arguing among other things that the Trial Court erred in designating Mother primary residential parent, granting Mother more time with the Child than Father, and granting Mother major decision-making authority. Mother raises separate issues, including whether this appeal is frivolous. We find, inter alia, that the Trial Court did not abuse its discretion in making its custody determination. We find no reversible error in the Trial Court’s judgment. Mother’s separate issues are without merit. We affirm.

In the Juvenile Court for Shelby County (“the Juvenile Court”), the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (“DCS”) filed a petition to terminate the parental rights of Rickey J. (“Father”) and Anionetta J. (“Mother”) to their child, Rinyah J. (“the Child”), who was born drug-exposed. After trial, the Juvenile Court found that Father had failed to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody of the Child and that Mother had committed severe child abuse. It further found that termination of their parental rights was in the Child’s best interest. Mother and Father appealed. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

May 12, 2025 - May 16, 2025.

The Tennessee Supreme Court permanently disbarred Knox County lawyer Melvin Jacob Werner from the practice of law on May 19. The court took the action based on two separate complaints of ethical misconduct and after finding that Werner committed fraud; made false representations of fact; knowingly violated Massachusetts law by engaging in unlawful, unfair or deceptive acts or practices; misled a client to induce her into entering a fraudulent investment agreement, resulting in a loss to the client of $650,000.00; misappropriated and converted client funds without the client’s knowledge or consent; impermissibly commingled client and personal funds; and made knowing misrepresentations of fact to his client. These actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 and 8.4(c).

Shelby County lawyer Alisha Irene Wyatt was reinstated to the practice of law on May 14 after being on inactive status for more than five years. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that Wyatt’s petition for reinstatement was satisfactory. The court issued the order on May 16.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Knox County lawyer Linn Marie Guerrero from the practice of law on May 16 for five years, with two years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation with conditions. During the probation period, Guerrero must engage a practice monitor and pay all costs and expenses of the disciplinary proceeding. The court took the action based on five separate complaints of misconduct. It found that Guerrero engaged in conduct that involved significant conflicts of interest between clients in adverse positions, entered into fee agreements without client authorization, charged excessive and unreasonable fees unsupported by billing records, and abused her fiduciary relationship. Guerrero also failed to reasonably communicate with or diligently represent clients, failed to protect client’s interests after withdrawing and abandoned client matters without returning the client’s property or otherwise protecting their interests. Guerrero agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging she violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1,7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.16, 3.2 and 8.4(c) and (d).