In 2023, the Defendant, Raymond Scott Knox, pleaded guilty to eleven counts of methamphetamine and weapons related charges, and the trial court sentenced him to an effective sentence of sixty-five years of incarceration. On appeal, the Defendant asserts that the trial court erred when it sentenced him. After review, we affirm the trial court's judgments.

The Petitioner, Timothy A. Baxter, appeals from the habeas corpus court’s summary denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. On appeal, the Petitioner contends that the habeas corpus court erred by failing to conduct a hearing on the merits of the allegations raised in his petition, and in a related argument, by failing to order the trial court to award additional pretrial jail credits on the underlying conviction. We affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court.

In this case involving termination of the parents' parental rights to their three minor children, the trial court found that two statutory grounds for termination had been proven by clear and convincing evidence: (1) abandonment by failure to financially support the children and (2) failure ot manifest an ability and willingness to assume legal and physical custody of or financial responsibility for the children. The trial court further found that termination of both parents' parental rights was ni the children's best interest. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

February 10, 2025 - February 14, 2025.

Obion County Mayor Steve Carr on Sunday declared a state of emergency in the town of Rives, after the Obion River breached levees and flooded the 250-person town. Obion County Emergency Management Agency Director Danny Jowers said that while the damage is devastating to the small community, it’s likely not enough to qualify for federal assistance for disaster recovery, reports the Tennessee Lookout. Gov. Bill Lee toured damage in Obion County and shared information about overnight shelters and warming shelters. The Rives flooding comes weeks after the Tennessee General Assembly approved a disaster relief package for communities recovering from Hurricane Helene on the opposite end of the state.

The Tennessee Supreme Court held official proceedings inside the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the Tennessee State Capitol for the first time in more than 10 years on Feb. 12. “This is an historic occasion, a homecoming of sorts for our court,” said Chief Justice Holly Kirby. “The Tennessee Supreme Court held its court proceedings in this very room for about three quarters of a century, until 1936 when the Supreme Court moved to the fancy new building down the street.” The historic event brought together all three branches of state government — executive, judicial and legislative — under the Capitol dome. Gov. Bill Lee said of the occasion, "The legislature is in session. The governor’s office is alive and well down there, I can say. We will be signing a bill into law today. There is work being done by all branches of government in this building. It’s historic, it’s important and it’s government at work on behalf of the people.” Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Chattanooga law firm Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel recently announced that Steve Barham has been elected to serve as the firm's president and managing shareholder, succeeding Mark Cunningham. Barham previously served as chair of the Litigation & Risk Management Section and as the firm’s general counsel. “I am honored to take on this leadership role at Chambliss,” said Barham. “Throughout my time with the firm, we’ve seen incredible growth and success ... I am committed to supporting [our clients] in achieving their goals moving forward.” The firm also announced that John Jackson will succeed Barham as section chair while shareholder Andrew “Andy” Leffler will chair the Real Estate Practice Section. Barham said the pair "bring strong leadership and a commitment to fostering collaboration, and we look forward to seeing how they will continue to move our firm forward."

Linda Ruth Sloan Fizer died Feb. 7 after a brief illness. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Austin Peay State University and her law degree from Nashville School of Law. In 1980, Fizer opened her own law practice and became the first woman to open a private practice law firm in Cheatham County. In 1998, she moved her law office from Ashland City to Springfield. She initiated and served on the first governing board of Leadership Cheatham County and initiated and served on the first board of the Cheatham County Education Foundation. A visitation with the family was held Feb. 12. Memorial contributions may be sent to either Hospice Promise Foundation or Walden’s Puddle. Donations also may be sent in care of the Robertson County Funeral Home, 2201 Memorial Blvd., Springfield, TN 37172 for distribution.

TBA’s Entertainment & Sports Law Section will host its annual forum on May 7 at Belmont College of Law in Nashville. The event will feature discussions on the latest legal issues in the entertainment and sports industries. Registration opens at 11:15 a.m. with programming running from noon to 4:45 p.m. A networking reception will follow from 4:45-6:30 p.m. CDT. Speakers will include Nashville lawyers Steven Gaches, Jordan Keller with Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, Bill Ramsey with Neal & Harwell, Tim Warnock with Loeb & Loeb, and Daniel Werly with the Tennessee Titans. Register online.

The 2025 Estate Planning and Probate Forum will take place Feb. 28 at the Embassy Suites Cool Springs in Franklin. The daylong event will feature expert speakers covering topics such as community property trusts, AI developments, a probate panel, ethics, legislative updates and much more. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, offering opportunities for networking with colleagues from across the state. Sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. The program offers seven hours of CLE including two hours of dual credit. Section members receive discounted pricing. Not a member of the Estate Planning & Probate Section yet? Join here. For more information on the forum, to view the speaker line up and to register, visit TBA’s website.