Tennessee Court Talk

Send us Fan Mail The separation of powers is one of the defining principles of American government and a key safeguard of individual liberty. Born out of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the U.S. Constitution established three branches of government, each with distinct responsibilities and the power to check the others. In this episode, Dean William Koch of the Nashville School of Law and Ju...

Send us Fan Mail This episode continues our conversation from Part 1 with Judge John Campbell, Judge Tom Greenholtz, and Judge Steven Sword to discuss the legal standards and lasting impact of post-conviction proceedings in Tennessee.

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores what happens after a criminal conviction in Tennessee, focusing on post-conviction relief and its critical role in reviewing claims that may have been missed at trial. This discussion explains how cases reach the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, what it takes to prove issues like ineffective assistance of counsel, and how convictions can be challenged aft...

Send us Fan Mail The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) serves as an intermediary between trial courts and the Tennessee Supreme Court. The CCA hears cases in Jackson, Nashville, and Knoxville in panels of three judges from across the state, ensuring diverse perspectives in the judicial process.  This episode continues the conversation from Part 1 with Judge Robert Wedemeyer, Judge Ross Dye...

Send us Fan Mail The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) serves as a vital intermediary between trial courts and the Tennessee Supreme Court. The CCA hears cases in Jackson, Nashville, and Knoxville in panels of judges from across the state, ensuring diverse perspective in the judicial process. In this episode we explore the history and key milestones that have shaped the Tennessee CCA into...

Send us Fan Mail Judge David Veile (21st District Circuit Court) brings a unique perspective to the bench as both a former police officer and criminal defense attorney. In this episode of TN Court Talk, Judge Veile takes us along for his career journey and why he thinks his experience in law enforcement helps him as a judge. 

Send us Fan Mail A former prison annex on Roan Mountain in Carter County, Tennessee is now the home of unique drug court recovery program. Through the combined efforts of local and state officials, the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center is transforming lives in a region ravaged by opioid addiction. Judges Lisa Rice, Jim Goodwin, and Stacy Street tell us how the program started and the ke...

Send us Fan Mail The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has welcomed Jim Holcomb as its new Judicial Safety Program Manager.  In this role, Holcomb has begun leading a coordinated, proactive strategy to protect the people who serve Tennessee’s justice system. He is the primary safety liaison across state and local law enforcement, courts, and state agencies.  In this episode, Holcomb tells...

Send us Fan Mail We are looking at the latest threats, hacks and risks during Cybersecurity Awareness month. As technology is constantly changing so does our need to adapt in areas of cybersecurity. We are joined on this episode of TN Court Talk by the AOC’s Chief Technology Officer Brandon Bowers and Chris Gill, Security Administrator with the AOC.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Joette Giroux sits down with Judge Mike Spitzer of the 32nd Judicial District Circuit Court and Judge Woody Woodruff of the 21st Judicial District Circuit Court to explore the various forms of depression judges may face throughout their careers. They also discuss the resources available to support judges in managing their mental health and navigating the chal...

Send us Fan Mail Tennessee is in the process of modernizing the technology used in the state’s court system. This may not seem like a big deal- we all go through technology upgrades from time to time. But it is nothing short of transformational in the state. Why? Because Tennessee’s court system is non-consolidated. That means we have a fragmented court system across the state. It makes case manag...

Send us Fan Mail As college football season kicks off, we welcome Judge Tim Irwin on the podcast. A former NFL offensive lineman with 14 seasons under his belt, Judge Irwin shares how his journey from the gridiron led to a second career in law, where he's now making a lasting impact on the lives of children in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Before The Bench is a new series from Tenness...

Send us Fan Mail One hundred years ago, the small town of Dayton, Tennessee became the epicenter of the national debate over evolution and creationism. In the sweltering summer heat of 1925, the Scopes Monkey Trial became one of the most sensational cases of the twentieth century as famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow faced off against three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. V...

Send us Fan Mail Joe Byrd is joined in this episode of Appointed Counsel by Laura Hood, a long time team member of the AOC, starting with the Fiscal Services Division and now with Experts and Investigators. Their discussion in this episode is centered around how attorneys can get experts and investigators assigned to their cases. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk we sit down with Tennessee State Trooper Tara Lee, one of the friendly faces you might see when entering the Nashville Supreme Court Building. Trooper Lee has a special story as she shares her journey of becoming a State Trooper, providing judicial security and her story of perseverance in overcoming a personal health battle. 

Send us Fan Mail Lead Attorney, Joe Byrd interviews First Review Auditors, Alyssa Hudson and Kendall Leslie to discuss issues related to dependency & neglect, termination of parental rights, and non-capital criminal court claims. Additionally, Alyssa discusses supplier information issues. The discussion offers tips for attorneys arising from common problems auditors observe when processing cla...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Tennessee Court Talk , we explore a little-known but important process used in Tennessee’s appellate courts: the Order to Show Cause . Often misunderstood, this procedure serves as a form of contempt hearing specifically for attorneys, requiring them to appear in person before the appellate court to explain their conduct—or lack thereof—in cases they are handlin...

Send us Fan Mail On this month's episode of Appointed Counsel, the Caitlin Clark of the Indigent Representation team joins Joe Byrd to discuss criminal court claims. Gene Vestal not only has a unique job at the Administrative Office of the Courts as the first line auditor for criminal claims, but also an interesting background. He and Joe Byrd not only go down memory lane, but discuss what he...

Send us Fan Mail History is filled with stories passed down through the generations. In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk, we sit down with Knox County General Sessions Court Judge Andrew Jackson IV. Judge Jackson shares insights into the workings of General Sessions Court, his personal journey, legal career, and captivating tales from his remarkable heritage. 

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Appointed Counsel, Joe Byrd is joined by Jasper Beard, a compliance officer on the AOC's Indigent Services team. Joe and Jasper's discussion is all about attorneys submitting activities that exceed 24 hours of work in the same day. Learn when overclaims are flagged, how to fix an overclaim status as an attorney and Jaspers approach to correcting over c...

Send us Fan Mail Artificial Intelligence has the potential to streamline tasks within the courts, increasing efficiency and allowing staff to work on higher level tasks.  But like any technology, AI is not infallible or without risks. In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk, we speak with Michael Navin, Principal Court Management Consultant in the Technology, Architecture Planning and Security Div...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Appointed Counsel, Joe Byrd invites special guest Debra Sandlin of the AOC's Legal Services Division. The bulk of this conversation revolves around Deborah's role in the billing cycle of appointed counsel and advice she gives concerning billable hours to law schools throughout Tennessee. 

Send us Fan Mail The Clerk of the Appellate Courts in Tennessee is an appointed position – one you may not be aware of. Very few people ever see an appellate court clerk at work, but their role is crucial in keeping the courts open, well-organized, and transparent.  On this episode of Tennessee Court Talk we get to know Jim Hivner, who has served as Clerk of the Appellate Courts for ten years. He...

Send us Fan Mail The indigent services team relies on several other departments to accomplish its goal of getting attorneys paid for their services, but in this episode, Joe Byrd sits down with two of the most important people in the process. The fiscal department of the Administrative Office of the Courts join Appointed Counsel to discuss best practices in filing a claim for expenses and the diff...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Joe Byrd explains a specific process that must occur before any proposed expert or investigator begins to work. A process that involves both the trial court and the Administrative Office of the Courts. Joe also gives tips for those claims to not only be approved by the authoritative bodies, but also how to get a claim moved through the process and paid more e...