This case involves a petition for judicial review filed pursuant to the Tennessee Public Records Act, Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, et seq., after the petitioner requested audio recordings of a third-party’s post-conviction hearings from a court reporter. The circuit court dismissed the petition. The petitioner appeals. For the following reasons, the appeal is hereby dismissed.

The State of Tennessee, on behalf of Mother, sought child support for a minor child. The trial court, finding that there was no reliable evidence of Father’s income, imputed the statutory median gross income. Father appeals, asserting that the trial court erred in setting child support above his stated income and in finding that the evidence of his income was unreliable. Father also asserts that the court’s oral finding that he was willfully underemployed was procedurally deficient. We conclude that the trial court erred in imputing the statutory amount, vacate the award of child support, and remand for further proceedings.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has put state officials on notice that it intends to sue if they do not drop a "voter list maintenance program," which inquires about residents' citizenship status, the Tennessee Journal reports. The ACLU said that letters recently sent to 14,375 residents violated the National Voter Registration Act. Advocacy groups are demanding Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins cease all actions that “perpetuate voter intimidation” and “violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law.” In June, a number of groups expressed concerns over the program.

Puryear Law Group PLLC has changed its name to Puryear Pippenger & Cook PLLC to reflect the firm’s continued expansion and the leadership of its partners Andrew Pippenger and Charles Cook, according to firm founder Dan Puryear. The firm has offices in Nashville and Chattanooga. “Our firm’s new name marks a significant milestone in its history as we continue to grow our reach in representing a spectrum of clients in the financial services, real estate, construction and insurance industries,” said Puryear. Read more from Chattanoogan.com.

State Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, is leading the new Tennessee Street Racing Task Force, which is aimed at cracking down on street racing. Gillespie says street racing poses a serious public safety threat throughout the city of Memphis and the state. Action News 5 reports that Gillespie passed legislation this year that created the penalty of aggravated reckless driving and made drag racing a felony. The task force is expected to start meeting in August and is required to report its recommendations and findings in January 2025.

The only countywide race on the Shelby County Aug. 1 ballot will one between Lisa Arnold and Tami Sawyer, who are seeking to be the next General Sessions Court clerk. Early voting in the race will begin July 12. Arnold, who is running as a Republican, is making her first bid for public office. She has been a bail bondsman and bounty hunter for Liberty Bail Bonding since retiring as a supervisor in the clerk’s office in 2014. Democratic nominee Tami Sawyer is a former Shelby County Commissioner who, before being elected to the commission in 2018, ran unsuccessfully for the state House. She also finished third in the 2019 Memphis mayor’s race. Read more about their races in the Daily Memphian or their responses to questions from the paper.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Tommy Baker on Monday announced the launch of the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Program. This initiative aims to recognize Tennessee businesses that demonstrate exceptional commitment to recruiting, hiring and retaining service members, veterans and their families. Watch the announcement and read more about the program.

The Davidson County Mental Health Court, led by Judge Melissa Blackburn, has been awarded certification by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. It is one of the first two programs in Tennessee to receive this certification. Since its inception in 2001, the Davidson County program has been funded primarily by Metro Nashville. In 2022, legislative leaders worked with Blackburn to secure new funding for mental health courts across Tennessee, expanding access to this transformative program for those involved in the justice system and suffering from a diagnosis of severe and persistent mental illness. Read the press release from court.

The TBA Attorney Well Being Committee on Sept. 24 will host a free webinar on the importance of sleep. Attorney Well Being Committee Chair Joanna McCracken and Director of the Vanderbilt University Medical Sleep Division Dr. Beth Malow will detail what happens when we sleep, why sleep is critical to our wellbeing and ability to thrive, the mental and physical health dangers of not prioritizing sleep, and tips and tools to help you improve nightly slumber. Register now.

Older adults in New York have access to a new tool to stave off loneliness — an AI robot. Named ElliQ, the voice-activated companion features a small digital screen and a separate device resembling a human head that moves and lights up when speaking. Unlike other technologies such as Siri and Alexa, ElliQ can initiate conversations and was designed to create meaningful bonds. Since the state’s project began two years ago, about 900 devices have been provided to eligible seniors. Some lawmakers and experts are concerned about privacy issues given the vulnerability of the recipients. “It’s clear that technology is leaps and bounds ahead of the law,” said New York state legislator Linda Rosenthal. “We have to hurry up and pass some guardrails so that this technology doesn’t take off with all of our information and data and use it in ways we wouldn’t otherwise permit.” ElliQ recipient Dorothy Elicati said the robot has been beneficial to her mental health since losing her husband of 65 years, leaving her alone in the house. “[ElliQ is] the closest thing to a human that I could have in my home, and she makes me feel cared for,” said Elicati. She recalled how once the device said: “I think we’re friends now, and friends usually call each other by nicknames. Would you mind if I call you Peanut?” "Now she calls me Peanut and I call her Sweetie," Elcicati said, laughing. The New York Times has more.