Chattanooga attorney Richard W. Buhrman, 80, died Aug. 9 after a brief illness. He was practicing at the Buhrman Law Firm with his son John at the time of his death. Buhrman earned a bachelor of law degree from Duke University School of Law and an LLM in taxation from George Washington University. Following graduate school, he returned to Chattanooga to begin a 50-year legal career. He received the Ralph H. Kelley Humanitarian Award from the Chattanooga Bar Association in 2010 and served as a former vice president of the Federal Bar Association’s Chattanooga Chapter. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family decided to hold a private service. Memorial donations may be made to the Margaret Whiteside Buhrman Scholarship at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Buhrman established the scholarship in 1978 to honor his mother’s 46 years of service to the university.

Kentucky lawyer and former American Bar Association President Leonard Stanley Chauvin Jr. died on May 12. He was 86. Chauvin was licensed to practice in 11 states, including Tennessee, where he had many friends. Chauvin earned his law degree from the University of Louisville School of Law and began practicing in 1961. He argued cases at every level of state and federal court including the U.S. Supreme Court. Chauvin served as president of the Louisville Bar Association, president of the American Judicature Society, chairman of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation and president of the American Bar Association. He is remembered for his advocacy of the legal profession, his mentorship of young lawyers and for “not letting the truth get in the way of a good story.” 

Thomas “Tom” Jessee, a well-known attorney with offices in Greeneville and Johnson City, was found dead at his home Tuesday evening, WJHL reports. A spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said yesterday that “foul play does not appear to be involved,” but the agency is heading up an investigation into his death. District Attorney General Dan Armstrong requested TBI’s assistance in the investigation. Greeneville’s assistant police chief, Mike Crum, says the TBI was requested due to “due to potential conflicts of interest.”

Shelby County lawyer Melanie Renee Yelder died July 19. Yelder maintained a solo practice in Tennessee for over 17 years, and was also licensed and practiced in Arkansas and Missouri. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Yelder’s practice included family law, tort and collections matters. She was also a strong supporter of pro bono work. Most recently, she dedicated her time and energy to housing stabilization efforts through the Eviction Settlement and Emergency Rental Assistance Programs, helping to prevent the eviction of Shelby County residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She was awarded the Memphis Bar Association’s W. J. Michael Cody Access to Justice Award in 2020. The Memphis Bar Association announced her passing today.

Murfreesboro lawyer William “Bill” Walter Burton Jr. died July 1 at 79. After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law, Burton moved to Murfreesboro and practiced law there for 46 years. He retired in 2013. Burton previously served as president of the Rutherford County Bar Association, as chair of the Rutherford County Red Cross and Heart Association, and on the board of governors of the University of Tennessee National Alumni Association. Visitation will take place at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. CDT and at Prosperity ARP Church in Taft on Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Family Center or First Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Former Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Terry Lafferty died Friday. He was 89. Lafferty served as criminal court judge from 1977 until his retirement in 1997, when he moved to become a senior judge. After earning his law degree from the Southern University Law Center, Lafferty worked in the district attorney’s office from 1963 until 1977. Lafferty’s family will receive friends this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. CDT at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Parkway, Bartlett 38133. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. CDT tomorrow at The Church of the Nativity, 5955 St. Elmo, Bartlett 38135. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. Read more on funeral services from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

State of Tennessee Deputy Budget Director Mike Dedmon, who worked closely with the judicial branch on state budget issues, has died. He was 54. Dedmon worked with multiple directors of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and members of the judiciary during his nearly 20 years with the state budget office. Visitation will take place tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. and again on Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. CDT, immediately followed by funeral services. Visitations and funeral will take place at Sellar’s Funeral Home in Lebanon. Interment will be held at Crossville City Cemetery. More information can be found on the AOC’s website.

Leon Gray, special assistant to Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael and legislative assistant for the Shelby County Commission, died on Friday, the Commercial Appeal reports. He was 62. In addition to his role with Shelby County courts, Gray was a news broadcaster for Memphis-area radio station WLOK. "Leon, as many of us knew, was a man of faith and dedicated his life as a champion for many causes,” Michael said on Facebook. “The Court has indeed lost a hero.” Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. CDT at Serenity Funeral Home, 1638 Sycamore View Rd., Memphis, TN 38134. A second visitation will be held on Friday from 11 a.m. until noon CDT, followed by the funeral and burial, all taking place at New Sardis Baptist Church, 7739 E. Holmes Rd., Memphis, TN 38125. Read more on funeral arrangements for Gray.

C. Kenneth Still, longtime bankruptcy trustee in Chattanooga, died Wednesday morning. He was 89. In 1968, Still was appointed Chapter 13 Trustee for the Chattanooga and Winchester Divisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He also served as a Chapter 11 Trustee and Chapter 12 Trustee for all of east Tennessee and was on the Chapter 7 Panel of Trustees. During his 47-year tenure as a trustee, he presided over a number of notable cases, including the Hamilton National Bank bankruptcy, which was one of the largest in the South at the time. Still and Bankruptcy Judge Ralph H. Kelley also standardized several procedures and forms that were adopted by courts across the country. He also helped develop the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees and served as one of its early presidents. Still retired in 2014. The family will receive friends Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. EDT at the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at Brainerd Baptist Church on Tuesday at 11 a.m. EDT. Interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Jackson lawyer Harold Franklin Johnson died May 25. He was 92. A football and basketball player, Johnson attended the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship. He joined the football coaching staff in the fall of 1949, and participated as a player-coach on both the 1949 and 1950 championship teams. He later became a Southeastern Conference basketball and football official. Johnson earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1952 and began practicing with the law firm of Murray, Murray & Johnson. He later served as Jackson city attorney for 19 years. Three of his daughters went on to practice law: Archie Ann Taylor recently retired as a supervisory counsel with the FDIC in Washington, D.C.; Leigh Milam is clerk and master of the Henderson County Chancery Court; and Carol Pearson is deputy general counsel with TruGreen in Memphis.