The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday issued a correction to a November order regarding the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission. The original order, which named three new members and a new chair, makes reference to a Tennessee Supreme Court rule and section that has since been revised. The new order reflects the appropriate rule and section.

Three new members were today appointed to serve on the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. Barbara Medley with Medley & Spivey in Lewisburg, Sevier County District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn and state Sen. Richard Briggs of Nashville will serve a term that begins Jan. 1, 2022, and ends Dec. 31, 2024. Floyd Flippin was appointed to chair the board and Jennifer S. Hagerman will serve as vice-chair. The terms of Joe M. Looney, Jimmie C. Miller and Sen. Jon Lundberg expire on Dec. 31 and none are eligible for reappointment.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today announced it has reappointed state Rep. Michael Curcio to the Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection for a three-year term. The court also appointed attorneys Junaid Odubeko and Christen Blackburn to the group, both for three-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2024. Stacy Roettger was appointed to serve as chair and Terri Crider will serve as vice-chair of the commission. Julie Bowling and Erin Palmer Polly will step down from the commission in January.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today announced it will reappoint Stephanie Coleman, Jay A. Ebelhar, Lynda Minks Hood and David H. Veile to the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. They are reappointed to a three-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2022 and expiring Dec. 31, 2024. The court also announced its appointment of Veile as chair of the commission for a one-year term, which expires on Dec. 31, 2022. The commission will elect a vice chair and secretary-treasurer on its own.  

The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Urshawn Miller, who was convicted of the 2015 murder of a convenience store employee in Jackson. A Madison County jury convicted Miller on a variety of charges, including first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder, for which they imposed the death penalty. After its mandatory review, the Tennessee Supreme Court confirmed Miller’s death sentence. Justice Sharon Lee wrote a separate concurring and dissenting opinion in which she agreed with the high court’s affirmation of the convictions, but dissented from the court’s decision to uphold the death penalty, writing that such a sentence violates Miller’s Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Read the full release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is meeting today and tomorrow at 9 a.m. CST to consider 10 applicants for the open vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court. The council will interview William Blaylock, Sarah Campbell, Kristi M. Davis, Timothy L. Easter, Kelvin D. Jones, William Neal McBrayer, J. Douglas Overbey, Jonathan T. Skrmetti, Gingeree Smith and Jeffrey Usman during the two-day hearing. An eleventh candidate, Robert F. Parsley, withdrew his application for the seat. Anyone may attend the public hearings in the Tennessee Room of the Tennessee State Library and Archives located at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North, Nashville, Tennessee 37219. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more information on the event.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has named this year’s “Attorneys for Justice” — the eighth year the court has administered a recognition program to increase the number of attorneys providing pro bono service in the state. Each year, the court honors attorneys performing at least 50 hours of service annually. The court also recognizes law students who perform 50 or more hours of pro bono work during their law school career. That list has not yet been published for 2021. For more information about the program visit https://www.tncourts.gov or contact ATJInfo@tncourts.gov.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously reinstated the conviction of Jeremy Reynolds for premeditated first-degree murder. The court determined there was sufficient proof of premeditation to support the jury’s verdict, and that the introduction of evidence about gang membership did not warrant a new trial. The ruling reverses the Court of Criminal Appeals, which had overturned the jury’s verdict on the basis that the trial court erroneously admitted prejudicial information about the defendant’s gang affiliation.

Eleven attorneys have applied for a vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court, created by the passing of Justice Cornelia A. Clark. Applicants are William Blaylock, Sarah Campbell, Kristi M. Davis, Timothy L. Easter, Kelvin D. Jones, William Neal McBrayer, J. Douglas Overbey, Robert F. Parsley, Jonathan T. Skrmetti, Gingeree Smith and Jeffrey Usman. The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will consider the candidates at public hearings on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 at 9 a.m. CST in the Tennessee Room of the Tennessee State Library and Archives located at 1001 Rep. John Lewis Way North, Nashville. After a council vote, three names will be forwarded to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more on each applicant.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today affirmed a three-year suspension for Nashville attorney Charles Edward Walker. The court took the action after a Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel found that Walker mishandled a delinquent tax sale redemption proceeding, failed to make certain disclosures on a federal court pro hac vice application, and failed to comply with an injunction. Walker appealed the panel’s decision, which was upheld by the Davidson County Chancery Court. Walker then appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the chancery court lacked the power to modify the panel’s decision and erred when it found he violated the rules. The Supreme Court found that the suspension was supported by substantial and material evidence and that the hearing panel’s decision was neither arbitrary nor an abuse of discretion. Read the BPR's press release or read the opinion.