Signal Mountain attorney Joseph Church Wagner died July 19, at the age of 97. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1940, then joined his father in law practice. After leaving to serve as an FBI special agent he rejoined his father, becoming the senior partner of Wagner, Nelson and Weeks, and later practicing with sons Richard and Michael until the day of his death. Mr. Wagner was proud of having the privilege of making motions before the Tennessee Supreme Court to accept his two sons and one granddaughter to the practice of law in Tennessee. He served as the attorney for the Town of Signal Mountain, retiring after 50 years, and continued to serve as Back Tax Attorney until his death. Funeral services were Monday, with burial at Mount Olivet Cemetery, East Ridge. Memorial contributions may be made to Walden's Ridge Emergency Service, P.O. Box 215, Signal Mountain, TN 37377, or your favorite charity. Read his obituary

Knoxville attorney Robert Shields Holland has died at the age of 68. He began his career teaching history, and coaching basketball and cross-country and later earned his law degree at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at Memphis State University. He then practiced law with his brother Terry, and longtime Knoxville attorney Francis Headman. His daughter, Shannon M. Holland, later entered the practice. The family was to receive friends at Bearden United Methodist Church, at 4407 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville, from 5 to 7 p.m. today, followed by a funeral service. Interment will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Middle Creek Cemetery, 1828 Middle Creek Road, in Sevierville. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the M.J. Ivens Memorial Scholarship, named to honor Mr. Holland's grandfather, at 225 Hiwassee College Drive, Madisonville 37354, or to Historic Middle Creek United Methodist Church Building Fund, 1828 Middle Creek Road, Pigeon Forge 37863. Read the obituary

Ripley native and former Memphis attorney Betty Lightfoot died Tuesday (July 17). She was 95. A graduate of Southwestern College and the Atlanta Law School, Mrs. Lightfoot served in World War II before returning to Memphis, where she held various jobs including serving as a secretary for Mayor Boss Crump, performing public relations for the Peabody Hotel and serving in legal roles for the University of Tennessee and Tall Trees. A graveside service was held today at Memorial Park Cemetery on Poplar Avenue. The Commercial Appeal has more.

Retired Memphis lawyer and former General Sessions Judge E. Tucker Dickerson died Sunday (July 8) at the age of 83. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Mr. Tucker practiced law in Manchester and served as a city alderman and Coffee County general sessions judge. After stepping down from the bench, he moved to Memphis where he practiced law as a solo practitioner for a short time before being employed by General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation (GIAC), a subsidiary of Holiday Inns. While with GIAC, he rose from in-house counsel to president of the company – a position he held until he retired. Tucker’s family will receive visitors at Family Funeral Care on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., with a family time of remembrance at 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held July 24 at 6 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, Church of the River. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Church Health Center, 1210 Peabody Ave., Memphis 38104. Read more from his obituary

Randolph Alexander “Ray” Ashley Jr, the first West Tennessee attorney appointed outside of Memphis to be Tennessee attorney general, passed away Monday (July 2) at the age of 84. Ashley graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and followed in his father's footsteps – joining the family’s Dyersburg law firm of Ashley, Ashley & Arnold in 1952. From 1974-1976, Ashley served as Tennessee Attorney General. Under his leadership, the AG’s office was instrumental in halting plans for a Hartsville nuclear plant and a proposed Clinch River Breeder Reactor. He also reformed the Tennessee Claims Commission to make it more consumer-friendly.  A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. July 9 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Chruch in Dyersburg. Visitation will follow the service. The State Gazette has more on his life.

Emma Jean Pierotti, widow of former Probate Judge Leonard D. Pierotti, died May 26 at the age of 87. A past president of the Memphis Bar Association Auxiliary, Mrs. Pierotti served on several local boards including the Memphis City Beautiful Commission and the American Cancer Society. Funeral services were held today. The family requests that memorials be sent to the scholarship fund of St. Agnes Academy, Madonna Circle or Ave Maria Home. Read more about her life

Memphis attorney and former Germantown City Judge Cecil G. Keltner has died at the age of 92. A graduate of the Southern Law School (now the University of Memphis School of Law), Judge Keltner practiced law for 53 years in Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi and was a co-founder of Gatti & Keltner Law Firm. Arrangements, being handled by Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, were incomplete as of press time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Union Avenue Baptist Church. Read more about his life

Laurence Revelle Dry Jr. died May 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 72. Originally from Minnesota, Dry earned his medical degree in 1966 from Northwestern University in Chicago. He took a job as a general/vascular surgeon in Oak Ridge but later decided to attend law school at the University of Tennessee. He earned his law degree in 1988 and practiced in Oak Ridge until his death. Visitation will be Friday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 212 N. Tulane Ave., in Oak Ridge. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Carleton College, Gift Accounting, One N. College St., Northfield, MN 55057 or to the Cemetery Fund care of Nina McClure, Bank of Jamestown, P.O. Box 6, Jamestown, KY 42629. The News Sentinel has this obituary

James T. DuBois, 68, of Columbia died yesterday (May 15). DuBois earned his law degree in 1970 from Vanderbilt University Law School. From 1971 to 1982, he served as U.S. magistrate for southern middle Tennessee. He ultimately was named co-owner and chairman of the board of directors of DuBois & DuBois PC and DuBois Closing & Title Services Inc. in Columbia. He was active in civic, community and bar organizations, including serving as president of the Maury County Bar Association and chair of the Real Estate Subcommittee of the TBA’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Among his survivors is his son James Thomas DuBois Jr., a lawyer and former lawmaker. 

Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols and on Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. on St. Peter's Parish House lawn. Funeral services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Burial will follow at the historic St. John's Episcopal in Ashwood. Members of the Maury County Bar Association and colleagues at DuBois & DuBois will serve as honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Boy Scout Troop #103, c/o Jimmy Langsdon, P. O. Box 1018, Columbia 38402. Read more from his obituary

Former Jefferson County General Sessions Judge Max Mark Moore died May 3. A 1951 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, Moore spent the first 10 years of his career in the banking and insurance industry,  founding the Moore Insurance Agency during that time. In 1965, he opened a law office in White Pine and practiced there until 1982. He subsequently was appointed general sessions judge with juvenile and probate jurisdiction, and served on the bench for 16 years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of White Pine Building Fund, PO Box 146, White Pine 37890. Read more about his life in this obituary