Tennessee Case Commentaries

De Novo Supreme Court Review of Attorney Sanctions Under Rule 9 § 33.1(d) to Ensure Statewide Uniformity

Date: Sep 5, 2026

De Novo Supreme Court Review of Attorney Sanctions Under Rule 9 § 33.1(d) to Ensure Statewide Uniformity Case: Fred C. Dance v. Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee...

“Adequate Remedy” Limits Interlocutory Judicial Review Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-5-322(a)(1); Judicial Economy Is Not a Jurisdictional Factor

Date: Sep 2, 2026

“Adequate Remedy” Limits Interlocutory Judicial Review Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-5-322(a)(1); Judicial Economy Is Not a Jurisdictional Factor I. Introduction Jamesway Construction, Inc. v. David W....

Disbelief Alone Cannot Prove Lack of Authorization in Tennessee Forgery Sufficiency Review

Date: Sep 1, 2026

Disbelief Alone Cannot Prove Lack of Authorization in Tennessee Forgery Sufficiency Review Case: State of Tennessee v. Ginny Elizabeth Parker (Dissenting) Court: Supreme Court of Tennessee Date:...

State v. Parker: Corroborated False Exculpatory Statements as Affirmative Proof of Non-Authorization in Forgery

Date: Sep 1, 2026

Corroborated False Exculpatory Statements as Affirmative Proof of Non-Authorization in Tennessee Forgery Sufficiency Review Case: State of Tennessee v. Ginny Elizabeth Parker (Tenn. Aug. 31, 2026)...

Tennessee Rule 37 Certified-Question Appeals: Record Colloquy Best Practice and Vacatur/Withdrawal Remedy When Not Dispositive

Date: Aug 13, 2026

Tennessee Rule 37 Certified-Question Appeals: Record Colloquy Best Practice and Vacatur/Withdrawal Remedy When Not Dispositive I. Introduction State of Tennessee v. Torrian Seantel Bishop (Tenn. Aug....

Tennessee Certified-Question Appeals: “Question-Plus-Record” Test for Rule 37(b)(2) Scope-and-Limits; Partial Overruling of State v. Preston

Date: Aug 13, 2026

Tennessee Certified-Question Appeals: “Question-Plus-Record” Test for Rule 37(b)(2) Scope-and-Limits; Partial Overruling of State v. Preston I. Introduction Case: State of Tennessee v. William Tony...

Burden-Shifting and Objective Harmless-Error Review for Extraneous Juror Information in Tennessee Civil Jury Trials

Date: Aug 1, 2026

Burden-Shifting and Objective Harmless-Error Review for Extraneous Juror Information in Tennessee Civil Jury Trials I. Introduction In Kendall Collier ex rel. Chayce C. v. Periclis Roussis, M.D....

State v. Holley: Appellate Courts Must Not Dismiss Manner-of-Service Appeals for Missing Guilty Plea Transcripts Without Case-by-Case Sufficiency Review and Party Notice

Date: Jul 28, 2026

State v. Holley: Appellate Courts Must Not Dismiss Manner-of-Service Appeals for Missing Guilty Plea Transcripts Without Case-by-Case Sufficiency Review and Party Notice 1. Introduction In State of...

Coffman Is Not a Bright-Line Bar to Failure-to-Warn Claims Involving Combined Use of Two Sound Products

Date: Jul 24, 2026

Coffman Is Not a Bright-Line Bar to Failure-to-Warn Claims Involving Combined Use of Two Sound Products 1. Introduction In Sarah Elizabeth Woodruff v. Ford Motor Company (Tenn. July 21, 2026), the...

Coffman Does Not Create a Per Se Bar to Failure-to-Warn Claims Involving Combined Use of Two Sound Products

Date: Jul 24, 2026

Coffman Does Not Create a Per Se Bar to Failure-to-Warn Claims Involving Combined Use of Two Sound Products 1. Introduction In Sarah Elizabeth Woodruff ex rel. Ethan Woodruff v. Ford Motor Company...

Disbarment for Social-Media Intimidation and Doxing of Judges and Justice Officials in Connected Proceedings

Date: Jul 22, 2026

Disbarment for Social-Media Intimidation and Doxing of Judges and Justice Officials in Connected Proceedings 1. Introduction Connie Reguli v. Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court...

De Novo Review of Juvenile-Transfer Probable Cause and Due-Process Limits on Coercive Juvenile Interrogations (State v. Adkisson)

Date: Jun 3, 2026

De Novo Review of Juvenile-Transfer Probable Cause and Due-Process Limits on Coercive Juvenile Interrogations Case: State of Tennessee v. Antonio Demetrius Adkisson a/k/a Antonio Demetrius Turner Jr....

Juvenile Confession Voluntariness Under a Totality Test: No Per Se Involuntariness From an Isolated Death-Penalty Reference or Lack of Parental Presence

Date: Jun 3, 2026

Juvenile Confession Voluntariness Under a Totality Test: No Per Se Involuntariness From an Isolated Death-Penalty Reference or Lack of Parental Presence I. Introduction State of Tennessee v. Antonio...

Tennessee’s “Compelling Interest” Standard for Sealing First-Amendment-Protected Judicial Records (as Applied to Rule 10B Disqualification Motions)

Date: May 23, 2026

Tennessee’s “Compelling Interest” Standard for Sealing First-Amendment-Protected Judicial Records (as Applied to Rule 10B Disqualification Motions) Commentary on State of Tennessee v. Randall C....

Compelling-Interest, Written-Order, Narrow-Tailoring Requirements for Sealing Rule 10B Disqualification Filings; Rule 10 Review Available to Media Intervenors

Date: May 23, 2026

Compelling-Interest, Written-Order, Narrow-Tailoring Requirements for Sealing Rule 10B Disqualification Filings; Rule 10 Review Available to Media Intervenors Case: State of Tennessee v. Randall C....

Eleventh-Hour DNA Act Motions: No Testing When Favorable DNA Would Not Create a Reasonable Probability of a Different Outcome and Timing Shows Dilatory Purpose

Date: May 22, 2026

Eleventh-Hour DNA Act Motions: No Testing When Favorable DNA Would Not Create a Reasonable Probability of a Different Outcome and Timing Shows Dilatory Purpose Introduction In Tony Carruthers v....

Uninsured Motorist Defense Does Not Convert a Tort Suit into Contract: No Prejudgment Interest for UM-Defended Personal Injury Actions

Date: May 19, 2026

Uninsured Motorist Defense Does Not Convert a Tort Suit into Contract: No Prejudgment Interest for UM-Defended Personal Injury Actions I. Introduction In Cinda Haddon v. Ladarius Vanlier, et al....

Brady Does Not Apply in Tennessee Attorney Discipline; Rule 9 Hearing-Panel Process and Disbarment Deference Reaffirmed

Date: Apr 20, 2026

Brady Does Not Apply in Tennessee Attorney Discipline; Rule 9 Hearing-Panel Process and Disbarment Deference Reaffirmed I. Introduction Case: Elliott J. Schuchardt v. Board of Professional...

Tennessee Territorial Jurisdiction for Out-of-State Theft Consummated In-State via Electronic Means

Date: Apr 14, 2026

Tennessee Territorial Jurisdiction for Out-of-State Theft Consummated In-State via Electronic Means Introduction In State of Tennessee v. Ronald Matthew Lacy (Tenn. Apr. 13, 2026), the Tennessee...

Buffer-Based Quarry Setback Resolutions Are Zoning and Must Comply with Tennessee’s County Zoning Act

Date: Feb 27, 2026

Buffer-Based Quarry Setback Resolutions Are Zoning and Must Comply with Tennessee’s County Zoning Act Case: Tinsley Properties, LLC et al. v. Grundy County, Tennessee Court: Supreme Court of...