Defendant, Anthony Cooke, appeals from the trial court’s revocation of his probation and order to serve the remainder of his seven-year sentence in confinement. Defendant argues the trial court improperly admitted certified copies of arrest warrants as exhibits to the revocation hearing and that the evidence was insufficient to support the revocation. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Defendant, Michael J.W. Potter, appeals the summary dismissal of his ex parte communication that the trial court treated as a petition for post-conviction relief and a Rule 36.1 motion to correct an illegal sentence. Following a review of the entire record, the briefs and arguments of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

A Knox County jury convicted the Defendant, Mery Conley Rodgers, of aggravated assault by strangulation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic assault, and especially aggravated kidnapping. The trial court imposed a total effective sentence of forty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the Defendant argues: (1) that the trial court erred when it concluded he lacked standing to challenge the search of his vehicle; (2) that the trial court erred when it prevented the Defendant from introducing evidence from a prior domestic dispute; (3) that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for aggravated assault and especially aggravated kidnapping; and (4) that the trial court erred when it sentenced him. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the trial court's judgments.

A paramedic sued the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. He asserted that in violation of the Tennessee Public Protection Act he was discharged by the Nashville Fire Department because he refused to participate in or remain silent about the department forcing mentally competent inmates to undergo medical treatment without their consent. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted, and the trial court granted the motion. The paramedic appealed. We reverse the trial court’s dismissal.

Following last week's failed execution of Tony Carruthers, attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are calling on Gov. Bill Lee to pause all executions by lethal injection in the state. First Assistant Federal Public Defender Amy Harwell said, “Clearly there are issues regarding competency and training of corrections staff for executions. It is unconscionable to continue to schedule executions until the courts and the public have a full understanding of what changes need to be made.” WSMV reports that a Davidson County Chancery Court judge ordered the Department of Corrections to preserve evidence of what happened at last week's failed lethal injection procedure. Read more in a media advisory.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued notice that the Tennessee General Assembly has ratified amendments to the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure and Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. The amendments, adopted by the court in January, take effect on July 1.

Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm Vogel Group has expanded its presence in Nashville with the addition of four individuals from Holland & Knight’s government affairs group. The Nashville Post reports that Catie Lane Bailey and Annie Beckstrom have joined the firm as principals, while Mack Cooper and Chase Ingles joined as directors. Bailey and Beckstrom also will serve as partners in the Nashville office of D.C.-based law firm Holtzman Vogel Baran Josefiak & Torchinsky, which expanded to the city last year. The group will advise clients on legislative strategy, regulatory engagement, political risk and positioning, and public policy matters. Read more in a press release from the firm.

Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti on Tuesday announced that the state joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7757, arguing the bill would weaken states’ ability to protect children online while insulating Big Tech from accountability. The coalition warned the KIDS Act would broadly preempt state laws addressing online harms to minors, including social media harms, obscenity, social gaming platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots. The group expressed support for the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), S. 1748, which includes a key duty-of-care provision requiring online platforms to act in the best interests of minors while preserving states’ authority to enforce stronger protections for children and teens. The letter comes as attorneys general across the country continue investigations and litigation involving major social media platforms, including Meta and TikTok, over allegations that their platforms target and harm underage users.

Gov. Bill Lee recently signed the FAIR Rx Act, which prevents pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) from holding pharmacy licenses in Tennessee and requires those companies to divest pharmacy ownership by July 1, 2028. The Tennessee Journal reports that CVS Health, which operates 134 retail pharmacy stores and 25 MinuteClinic locations in Tennessee, almost immediately filed a federal lawsuit in an attempt to block the law. According to NewsChannel 5, CVS said the legislation would lead to pharmacy closures, job losses and reduced healthcare access across the state. Supporters of the legislation, including the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, argue the bill is necessary to stop conflicts of interest in the prescription drug industry and protect independent pharmacies from unfair reimbursement practices.

Clinton H. Swafford, age 89, died on May 22 in Winchester. He earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law and began practicing law in 1959. He was a longtime member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA). He served as TTLA president from 1982-1983, and was honored with the TTLA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. At the age of 24, Swafford became the youngest mayor of Winchester, serving from 1961-1967. He also served for 20 years on the advisory board for the University of Tennessee Space Institute. In those roles he was invited to witness the Apollo 9 launch. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Winchester First Baptist Church or The Gideons International. Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church, 108 S High St., Winchester 37398 on May 30 from 9-11 a.m. CDT with funeral services immediately following. Interment will follow in Franklin Memorial Gardens.