Tennessee Case Commentaries

Strict Interpretation of Tennessee Code Annotated § 20–1–119(a) Limits Successive Amendments for Comparative Fault Defendants

Date: Feb 25, 2012

Strict Interpretation of Tennessee Code Annotated § 20–1–119(a) Limits Successive Amendments for Comparative Fault Defendants Introduction The case of Calvin Gray Mills, Jr., et al. v. Fulmarque,...

Applicability of Writ of Error Coram Nobis to Guilty Pleas in Tennessee

Date: Feb 24, 2012

Applicability of Writ of Error Coram Nobis to Guilty Pleas in Tennessee Introduction The case of Stephen Bernard Wlodarz v. State of Tennessee, adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Tennessee on...

Tennessee Supreme Court Establishes Tolling of Statute of Limitations for Strict Liability Claims Against Sellers Upon Manufacturer Insolvency

Date: Dec 16, 2011

Tennessee Supreme Court Establishes Tolling of Statute of Limitations for Strict Liability Claims Against Sellers Upon Manufacturer Insolvency Introduction In the landmark case of Michael Lind v....

Reaffirmation of Strickland Standards: Effective Assistance of Counsel in Felts v. Tennessee

Date: Nov 11, 2011

Reaffirmation of Strickland Standards: Effective Assistance of Counsel in Felts v. Tennessee Introduction Henry Zillon Felts v. State of Tennessee, 354 S.W.3d 266 (Tenn. 2011), is a seminal case...

Non-Delegable Duty in Service Contracts Affirmed: Federal Insurance Co. v. Winters

Date: Oct 26, 2011

Non-Delegable Duty in Service Contracts Affirmed: Federal Insurance Company v. Winters Introduction The case of Federal Insurance Company a/s/o Robert and Joanie Emerson v. Martin Edward Winters,...

Affirmation of Reasonable Suspicion and Substantial Step in Attempted Murder: State v. Christopher Lee Davis

Date: Oct 18, 2011

Affirmation of Reasonable Suspicion and Substantial Step in Attempted Murder: State v. Christopher Lee Davis Introduction The case of State of Tennessee v. Christopher Lee Davis (354 S.W.3d 718)...

Reevaluation of Lesser-Included Offense Convictions: STATE of Tennessee v. Joshua Lynn Parker

Date: Sep 24, 2011

Reevaluation of Lesser-Included Offense Convictions: STATE of Tennessee v. Joshua Lynn Parker Introduction STATE of Tennessee v. Joshua Lynn Parker, 350 S.W.3d 883 (Tenn. 2011), is a pivotal case...

Supreme Court of Tennessee Reaffirms Discretion in Alimony Decisions: Gonsewski v. Gonsewski

Date: Sep 17, 2011

Supreme Court of Tennessee Reaffirms Discretion in Alimony Decisions: Gonsewski v. Gonsewski Introduction The case of Johanna L. Gonsewski v. Craig W. Gonsewski deliberated significant issues...

SMITH v. STATE of Tennessee: Affirmation of Convictions and Establishing Standards for Judicial Impartiality

Date: Sep 1, 2011

SMITH v. STATE of Tennessee: Affirmation of Convictions and Establishing Standards for Judicial Impartiality Introduction Leonard Edward Smith v. State of Tennessee (357 S.W.3d 322) is a pivotal...

Clarifying Expert Witness Qualifications under Tennessee's Locality Rule: Shipley v. Williams

Date: Aug 12, 2011

Clarifying Expert Witness Qualifications under Tennessee's Locality Rule: Shipley v. Williams Introduction Shipley et al. v. Williams, 350 S.W.3d 527 (Tenn. 2011), is a pivotal case in Tennessee's...

Clarifying Sentencing Jurisdiction: Cantrell v. Easterling and Its Legal Implications

Date: Aug 2, 2011

Clarifying Sentencing Jurisdiction: Cantrell v. Easterling and Its Legal Implications Introduction In the landmark case of Cantrell v. Easterling, the Supreme Court of Tennessee addressed a critical...

Tennessee Supreme Court Upholds Traditional Notice Pleading Standards in Retaliatory Discharge Case: Webb v. Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity

Date: Jul 22, 2011

Tennessee Supreme Court Upholds Traditional Notice Pleading Standards in Retaliatory Discharge Case: Webb v. Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity Introduction Webb v. Nashville Area Habitat for...

Differentiating Causation Standards in Retaliatory Discharge Claims: Insights from Sykes v. Chattanooga Housing Authority

Date: Jun 25, 2011

Differentiating Causation Standards in Retaliatory Discharge Claims: Insights from Sykes v. Chattanooga Housing Authority Introduction In Timmy Sykes et al. v. Chattanooga Housing Authority et al....

Reaffirmation of Circumstantial Evidence Standards in STATE of Tennessee v. Sisk

Date: Jun 16, 2011

Reaffirmation of Circumstantial Evidence Standards in STATE of Tennessee v. Sisk Introduction STATE of Tennessee v. David Lynn Sisk, 343 S.W.3d 60 (Tenn. 2011), is a pivotal case decided by the...

Clarifying Governmental Liability: Intent vs. Negligence under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act

Date: Jun 15, 2011

Clarifying Governmental Liability: Intent vs. Negligence under the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act Introduction Dalton Reb Hughes et al. v. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...

Lifetime Community Supervision: A New Precedent in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

Date: Apr 29, 2011

Lifetime Community Supervision: A New Precedent in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Introduction The case of Jason Calvert v. State of Tennessee (342 S.W.3d 477) marks a significant development in...

Tennessee Supreme Court Expands Criteria for Intellectual Disability in Capital Cases

Date: Apr 12, 2011

Tennessee Supreme Court Expands Criteria for Intellectual Disability in Capital Cases Introduction The case of Michael Angelo COLEMAN v. STATE of Tennessee (341 S.W.3d 221) adjudicated by the Supreme...

Reaffirmation of RPC 1.5(a) Factors in Determining Attorney Fees for Minor Representation

Date: Mar 30, 2011

Reaffirmation of RPC 1.5(a) Factors in Determining Attorney Fees for Minor Representation Introduction The case of Da v. d Lee WRIGHT ex rel. Kaitlyn Lee WRIGHT (337 S.W.3d 166, Supreme Court of...

Establishing Agent Liability for Failure to Procure Enforceable Insurance Policies: Morrison v. Allen

Date: Mar 11, 2011

Establishing Agent Liability for Failure to Procure Enforceable Insurance Policies: Morrison v. Allen Introduction Kirsten Cox Morrison v. Paul Allen et al. is a landmark case decided by the Supreme...

Establishing Nursing Home Liability Standards: Insights from Estate of Martha S. French v. Stratford House

Date: Jan 27, 2011

Establishing Nursing Home Liability Standards: Insights from Estate of Martha S. French v. Stratford House Introduction The case of Estate of Martha S. French v. Stratford House et al. adjudicated by...