The Tennessee Supreme Court has extended its waiver of in-person CLE requirements through 2022. The high court again extended the temporary suspension of Rule 21, sections 3.01(c) and 4.02(c), due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The order is effective through December 31, 2022. Read the full order.
ADM2021-01008
The Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure annually presents recommendations to the Court to amend the Tennessee Rules of Appellate, Civil, Criminal, and Juvenile Procedure and the Tennessee Rules of Evidence. With its meeting on June 11, 2021, the Advisory Commission completed its 2020-2021 term, and transmitted its recommendations to the Court. The deadline for written comments is November 23, 2021.
appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or by mail addressed to: James Hivner, Clerk Re: 2021 Rules Package 100 Supreme Court Building 401 7th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37219-1407
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page has been elected chief justice by his colleagues. His term will begin Sept. 1. Page succeeds Justice Jeff Bivins, who has served as chief justice since September 2016. Page will be sworn-in by Justice Connie Clark at a small ceremony on Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m. CDT in the courtroom he presided over in the Madison County Criminal Justice Complex. The event will be livestreamed on the court’s YouTube channel.
Proposed Rule Change ADM2021-00969
The Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure annually presents recommendations to the Court to amend the Tennessee Rules of Appellate, Civil, Criminal, and Juvenile Procedure and the Tennessee Rules of Evidence. With its meeting on June 11, 2021, the Advisory Commission completed its 2020-2021 term, and transmitted its recommendations to the Court. The deadline for written comments is November 23, 2021. Written comments may either be submitted by email to:
appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or by mail addressed to:: James Hivner, Clerk Re: 2021 Rules Package 100 Supreme Court Building 401 7th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37219-1407
This fall, the KBA will be releasing a digital version of our always popular Pictorial Register. In 2018, we had 1,078 members included in the digital Pictorial Register, and 700+ attorney members are currently practicing that are not included. Without the participation of every lawyer member, it is an incomplete record. Previously published every four years, the switch to a digital version is inexpensive, easier to update, and is more immediate and accessible. In addition, members will be able to maintain a link to the digital directory and download a PDF copy.
To ensure a higher resolution for the Pictorial Register, members are asked to email their headshot photos to KBA Programs and Communications Coordinator Chandler Fletcher at cfletcher@knoxbar.org. The headshot should be in portrait orientation with a 2:3 ratio, have a plain background, and be 400x600 pixels or greater. Photos of attorney members included on the website as of October 15 will be automatically included in the Pictorial Register this fall.
The 2021 Pictorial Register will have a brand new look, so please take the time to update your photo before October 15. You are welcome to upload your headshot or choose from three local photographers who offer discounted rates to KBA members. Learn more.
Get a haircut, your suit dry-cleaned, and plan to smile for the camera! We want a recent headshot of each member, so we've tried to make participating in the Pictorial Register as easy as possible.
Please help us reach our goal of including all 1,600 attorney members in this important historical record of the Knoxville Bar Association.
The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) is pleased to announce the release of an update to the “Legal Resource Guide – Finding Legal Assistance in Knoxville,” a directory of legal service and information providers in our community. This 21-page resource includes information about government agencies, nonprofits, pro bono organizations, and others who help to ensure that all citizens have equal access to justice.
The Legal Resource Guide is compiled from information gathered by the Knoxville Bar Association staff from the agencies and offices listed therein. The KBA is grateful for the assistance of the many offices who responded to our requests for updated information, and their generosity in sharing information about their respective organizations with the public.
The Legal Resource Guide is available for online viewing or download from the KBA website at www.knoxbar.org/LRG. The full array of information and services provided to the public by the KBA is available at www.knoxbar.org/legalhelp.
We know that members of the public rely on quality access to appropriate legal services. The Knoxville Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) offers experience, integrity, and a commitment to public service. The Knoxville Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service may be reached online at www.knoxbar.org/LRIS or by telephone at (865) 522-7501.
On July 1, 2021, the Knox County Circuit, Chancery, Probate, Juvenile and General Civil Sessions Court Clerk’s offices will be using the schedule of fees included in T.C.A. 8-21-401 for all fees and court costs. The courts’ fees had previously been controlled by T.C.A. 8-21-409. The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill deleting that code - effective July 1, 2021 - during the current legislative session. The change brings the fees charged by all Knox County courts into alignment with the other 94 counties in the State of Tennessee.
Circuit Court Fee Schedule Civil Sessions Fee Schedule Chancery Court Fee Schedule Updated 6/23/21 Probate Fee Schedule
The revised fee schedules, except for juvenile court, can be reviewed at the respective webpages of the Knox County Circuit Court Clerk and the Knox County Chancery Court at https://knoxcounty.org/circuit/ and https://knoxcounty.org/chancery/.
Copies of the new fee schedules are also available at the clerk’s offices.
One significant difference is that under T.C.A. 8-21-401 costs are charged and collected at the time the services are requested, except as otherwise provided in the code.
The KBA Lawyer Referral and Information Service is a key tool for growing your practice. The LRIS new fiscal year will start on July 1, 2021 - join now to benefit from a full 12 months of quality client leads at one low price. Discounts are available for those practicing less than 5 years. For more details about the LRIS, visit www.knoxbar.org/joinLRIS.
The LRIS receives nearly 7,000 calls each year from potential clients and refers over 3,000 referrals annually. Panel members earned more than $1.08 million in attorney fees in 2020. Potential clients who contact the LRIS are informed that participating attorneys provide a phone or office consultation at no charge, but that panel members independently set their own fees.
LRIS currently has 84 panel member attorneys in 26 practice areas. The average LRIS member has practiced for 20 years. We have attorneys in their first few years of practice all the way to 54 years in practice. LRIS Panel Membership Application FY 2021-22 LRIS Policies & Procedures
On March 2, 2021, Choosing Justice Initiative, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Tennessee Post-Conviction Defender Organization (collectively the “Petitioners”) filed a petition asking the Court to modify Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13, sections 5(a)(1) and 5(d)(1). On March 22, 2021, the Court filed an order asking Petitioners to submit a supplemental filing setting forth the specific suggested modifications to the language of Rule 13 that it urged this Court to adopt. The Petitioners filed a supplemental filing on May 18, 2021. Written comments are due by Thursday, August 19, 2021.
Click here to view the Order.
On March 2, 2021, Choosing Justice Initiative, Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Tennessee Post-Conviction Defender Organization (collectively the “Petitioners”) filed a petition asking the Court to vacate or modify Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13, sections 5(e)(4)–(5). On April 1, 2021, the Court filed an order asking Petitioners to submit a supplemental filing setting forth the specific suggested modifications to the language of Rule 13 that it urged this Court to adopt. The Petitioners filed a supplemental filing on May 3, 2021. The Petitioners’ proposed amendments are set out in the attached Appendix to this Order.
Written comments are due by Thursday, August 19, 2021.
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