The Defendant, Forrest Scott Evans, pled guilty to the offense of aggravated assault, and the trial court sentenced him to a term of seven years and six months. The court suspended the sentence and placed the Defendant on probation. Thereafter, the Defendant committed new crimes in Virginia. When the Defendant was returned to Tennessee, the trial court revoked the suspended sentence and ordered him to serve it in full. The Defendant appeals, arguing that a full revocation was an abuse of discretion. Upon our review, we respectfully disagree and affirm the trial court’s judgment.

The Defendant, Roger Bridges,1 was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of three counts of aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony; sexual battery, a Class E felony; rape, a Class B felony; and rape of a child, a Class A felony, and was sentenced by the trial court to an effective term of fifty-one years at 100% in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The four victims involved were three sisters and their female first cousin, and the offenses occurred over a two-month period that culminated on June 12, 2018, when one of the three sisters divulged the abuse to her father, who called the police. On appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence and argues that the State violated Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S 83 (1973), “by failing to produce information concerning the pending investigation of a male family member for sexual abuse crimes against some of the same family group.”2 Based on our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Nathan David Bassett, pled guilty in the Madison County Circuit Court to theft of property valued $10,000 or more. Pursuant to the plea agreement, he received a five-year sentence as a Range I, standard offender with the trial court to determine the manner of service of the sentence. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered that the Defendant serve the sentence in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court abused its discretion by denying a sentence alternative to confinement. Based on our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Following an automobile accident, Appellant filed a complaint for negligence and personal injuries against appellees, the at-fault driver and her husband. Appellees moved for summary judgment, arguing that appellant’s claims should be dismissed because she settled with appellees’ insurance carrier and released her claims against them prior to filing suit. The trial court granted the motion for summary judgment. Because there are disputes of material facts concerning whether appellant agreed to settle and release her claims, we reverse.

A petitioner obtained an ex parte temporary order of protection in general sessions court. The respondent counter-petitioned to dismiss under the Tennessee Public Participation Act (“TPPA”). After a hearing, the general sessions court denied the respondent’s petition, but it also declined to extend the temporary protective order and dismissed the underlying petition for lack of proof. The respondent appealed the decision on “attorney’s fees” to circuit court. After a de novo review, the circuit court determined that the respondent was not entitled to attorney’s fees under either the order of protection statute or the TPPA. In this appeal, the respondent challenges denial of his request for attorney’s fees under the TPPA. Because the circuit court lacked appellate jurisdiction over the general sessions court’s order denying the petition to dismiss under the TPPA, we vacate in part and remand.

Pro se Appellant, Michael Adams, has appealed an order of the Shelby County Circuit Court that was entered on November 1, 2024. We determine that the trial court’s order does not constitute a final appealable judgment. As a result, this Court lacks jurisdiction to consider this appeal. The appeal is, therefore, dismissed.

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) released its first immigration report today summarizing data from local law enforcement on individuals not lawfully present in the U.S. who were charged or convicted of a crime in the state during the previous year. According to a press release from the TNDAGC, the report covers the period from Oct. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, with 73 of Tennessee’s 95 counties submitting monthly reports and 71 of those counties providing data for all three months. During that time, TNDAGC received about 2,719 reports of individuals charged or convicted of a crime, including 447 violent offenses. The report also notes that 11 homicides were reported statewide during the three-month period. The full report is available on the TNDAGC website.

The Rutherford County School Board passed a resolution Thursday urging state lawmakers to "expedite the closure of the nation’s borders," WKRN reports. Board members cited a surge in students needing English language learner courses, which they say is placing a financial strain on the district and has created a need for 25 additional positions. As a result, the board is seeking more federal funding to cover the cost of the language services it is required to provide for students for whom English is not their first language.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) will hold a clinic in Washington County on Saturday at Good Samaritan Ministries, Inc., 100 North Roan St., Johnson City 37601. The event will provide free legal assistance to individuals in need, focusing on various legal issues. For more information, visit the LAET website.

TBA members were sent an email today with a ballot for the two candidates running for TBA vice president. The email was sent this morning from Intelliscan Inc. If you did not receive the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you still did not receive it, contact elections@tnbar.org to request that it be resent. Electronic voting begins today and will close on Feb. 14.