The director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, Deborah Taylor Tate, recently spoke to the Leadership Nashville 2016 class at Vanderbilt University. Tate discussed her experience in government and the Tennessee court system, including efforts to improve access to justice and to develop recovery courts, a human trafficking court and a court designed to reduce child fatalities. Tate is a graduate of Leadership Nashville.
DA Increases Efforts Against Child Sexual Assault
The Tennessee Tribune reported that the Davidson County District Attorney’s office has grown its child assault prosecution team. The city gave the group additional money this past fiscal year, which allowed the team to expand to six assistant district attorneys who are dedicated to justice for children.
Law Firms Join Statewide Anti-Discrimination Coalition
In an effort to educate and unite businesses across the state on potential legislation that could negatively impact the state’s economy, a new anti-discrimination coalition, known as Tennessee Thrives, has been formed. According to the Nashville Business Journal, nearly 200 Tennessee-based businesses have joined the coalition. Members will “serve as a watchdog for the General Assembly” and have been asked to sign a statement signifying their approval of an “inclusive workforce statewide, regardless of race, sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
New Rules Adopted for Workers’ Comp Court
New rules were recently issued by the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation to oversee the deadlines for filing wage statements, medical records and interrogatories. The rules also oversee responding to requests for expedited hearings, the filing of documents previously filed with a mediator, obligations on the party opposing a request for expedited hearing, the use of e-signatures and the use of causation letters.
Nashville Chancery Court Adopts E-Filing Rules
Interim electronic filing rules for the Davidson County Chancery Court went into effect on Jan. 1. The final rules are expected to set in early 2017. To read the rules, click here.
November 2016 Circuit Court Trial Report
Click here to access the November 2016 departments by the numbers, trials by case type and trial verdict results.
