Baseball is full of surprises. You never know when you walk into a ballpark if you might see a perfect game, a runner caught in a pickle, a measuring-tape home run…or an historic legal precedent! On August 20th, 1955, Earl Averill, Jr of the Nashville Vols punched Lyle Luttrell of the Chattanooga Lookouts in an on-field skirmish. Luttrell ended up with a broken jaw, Averill ended up with a lawsuit, and both wound up in the history books for setting a legal precedent that shocked both sports and the courts, and shaped both sports and employment law for decades to come. Join host Dave Stripling of Tennessee Court Talk, and guests Judge Andy Bennett of the Tennessee Court of Appeals and Randy Averill for the star-studded tale of “The Hit Heard Round The State!”

Produced and Edited by Dave Stripling
Supervising Producer: Nick Morgan



MUSIC ATTRIBUTION:

Jumpin Boogie Woogie by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

Happy Bee Surf by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300015

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Last Kiss Goodnight by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100611

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

In this very short episode, host Joe Byrd explains the compensation rate increase for indigent attorneys in Tennessee, and how it has been implemented as of July 1st of 2024. There has also been an increase in the cap, based on hours worked. This podcast is intended for attorneys.

The simple explanation of the role of an appellate court judge is to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court. However, everyone in an appellate courtroom is human and judges strive to understand the situations of the parties in front of them. Some of those situations can be very personal, especially for self-represented litigants. In this episode, host Nick Morgan, Digital Media Lead for the Administrative Office of the Courts sits down with Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Steve Stafford to discuss the difference between being impartial and understanding tough situations. 

This episode is for all audiences. 

In this episode of Appointed Counsel,  host Joe Byrd speaks with Lisa Angel, Court Reporter Manager for the AOC, as they discuss the importance of court reporters, the processes of invoicing, and exactly how attorneys should work with court reporters to prepare transcripts. This episode is intended for attorneys and court reporters. 

There are many members of a court staff that make a courtroom work efficiently and effectively.  In Tennessee, circuit court judges may have three to four county courtrooms to manage with different staff members in each courtroom. In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk, AOC Communications Director Samantha Fisher sits down with Chancellor J.B. Cox of the 17th Judicial District in Tennessee to discuss relationships in the courtroom and the amount of communication it takes for each staff to work with a judge during a court proceeding. This episode was recorded at the 2024 Spring Tennessee Judicial Conference. 

This episode is intended for judges and other members of the legal community.   

In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk, AOC Communications Director Samantha Fisher discusses misconceptions in the courtroom with Tennessee Senior Judge, Don Ash.  Find out why Judge Ash considers presiding over court a lot like umpiring a baseball game and the rules that judges in Tennessee follow in order to rule  from the bench. Recorded at the Spring 2024 TJC conference in Murfreesboro, TN.

This episode is for all audiences.

Almost half of all claims that come into the AOC are related to Juvenile Court. In this episode, host Joe Byrd welcomes Stacy Lynch, Director of the Court Improvement Program, who has a lifetime of experience with Juvenile Courts. Here, Stacy and Joe give insight into how attorneys can navigate the system effectively, including discussion of Rule 13, Rule 40, and necessary information regarding guardian ad litems, CASA volunteers, Safe Baby Court, court findings of potential dependency and neglect, and more. This podcast is intended for attorneys.

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

Appellate courts can be a mystery. In this episode of Tennessee Court Talk, judges of the Tennessee Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals pull back the curtain. Judges Jill Ayers, Frank Clement, Tom Greenholtz, and Steve Stafford explore a wide variety of topics ranging from arguing cases before appellate courts to the issuance of opinions. Judge Jeffrey Usman hosts their discussion as these judges attempt to make Tennessee’s appellate courts less mysterious. 

This episode is intended for all audiences.

Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and judicial systems here in Tennessee and around the U.S. are finding innovative ways to keep up, from positive uses of AI, to civic education, to improved access to justice, data access, and more. In this episode--recorded at the 2024 Conference of Chief Justices in Nashville, Tennessee--Justice Sarah Campbell interviews Chief Justice Mary R. Russell of Missouri, Chief Justice Elissa Cadish of Nevada, Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement of Michigan, and Chief Justice Ann Timmer of Arizona about how new technologies have been implemented in their respective states. This episode is for all audiences.

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

This episode of Appointed Counsel deals with how to get paid when a case in General Sessions court is bound over to the grand jury.   As an attorney appointed to represent a defendant in one of these cases, one may question whether or not they may be compensated for the extra time.  The short answer is yes, and Joe Byrd is here to explain the details. This podcast is intended for attorneys.

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

April is Help4TN month! 

In this episode, the hosts of Lady Justice: Women of the court take over Tennessee Court Talk to discuss the Tennessee Justice Bus. Justice Elizabeth D. Walker of West Virginia and Justice Rhonda K. Wood of Arkansas sit down with Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeff Bivins and Anne-Lousie Wirthlin, Director of Access to Justice and Strategic Development for the Administrative Office of the Tennessee Courts sit down for a discussion on the Tennessee Justice Bus, the legal law office bringing legal help to rural communities in Tennessee. Justice Bivins and Anne-Louise answer how the justice bus came to be, how it brings lawyers to rural communities and how to schedule a Justice Bus visit. 

Public trust and confidence in the courts is becoming a major concern in the media and among the public, as surveys conducted by the National Center for State Courts have shown declines in public trust over the last decade. Here to discuss this issue--and what can be done about it--are your host, Judge Neal McBrayer of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, and special guests Chief Justice Elizabeth Walker of West Virginia, Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the District of Columbia Courts, and Chief Justice Loretta Rush of Indiana. This episode was recorded at the Conference of Chief Justices in Nashville, TN and podcast is intended for all audiences.

Occasionally Joe Byrd is asked by attorneys how to make sure their claims are processed as quickly as possible. The simple answer is to file everything correctly to avoid having the claim returned by AOC staff.  In this episode of Appointed Counsel, host Joe Byrd invites AOC Senior Auditor Jada Herndon to discuss the top 10 most common reasons claims are returned. This episode is intended for attorneys.

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

This episode will highlight indigent representation and review how several states meet their constitutional obligations to provide attorneys for indigent, or poor, defendants.  The host for this episode is Appointed Counsel's own Joe Byrd, who is the lead attorney managing Tennessee’s indigent representation fund. He is joined by Chief Justice Laurance VanMeter of Kentucky, Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill of Maine and Chief Justice Marla Luckert of Kansas. This episode was recorded at the Conferences of Chief Justices in Nashville. 

From the time he was four years old, John McClarty desired of becoming a lawyer. Even in a time when the civil rights movement was evolving and significant Supreme Court decisions were changing the world of education in which he was determined to practice law. In this episode, host Nick Morgan sits down with Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge John McClarty to discuss his autobiography, The Dreamer: John W. McClarty, Judge. Their conversation is filled with stories from Chattanooga in the 1950’s to a lifetime spanning two careers, as a lawyer and an appellate judge. 

This episode is for all audiences. 

At the end of the judicial process, a judge is tasked with sentencing the convicted person to a penalty or sanction. The process of sentencing can be complex and have many layers that a judge must work through and research before making a decision on final punishment. In this episode, Judge Steve Sword of the sixth judicial district, Judge Jim Goodwin of the second judicial district and Judge Zack Walden of the eighth judicial district in Tennessee. 

Barbara Peck is the host and this episode is intended for all audiences. 
 

What is a contemporaneous time record and why is it important? According to Rule 13 6(a)(6), attorneys are held to a high degree of care in the keeping of time records supporting claims. In this episode, host Joe Byrd answers questions about the importance of timely recording as appointed counsel in Tennessee. This podcast is primarily for attorneys.

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts receives between 80,000 and 100,000 compensation claims per year from 95 counties across the state of Tennessee. In Appointed Counsel's premiere episode, host Joe Byrd sets out to explain the most efficient way to be paid, scenarios that cause delay and  walks listeners through the Indigent Services review process. 

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

In this episode, host Dave Stripling introduces a new instructional series for attorneys called Appointed Counsel, Dave sits down with its host Joe Byrd, Lead Attorney for the Indigent Services Team. If someone cannot afford an attorney in the U.S. they still have a right to one, and thus our American system and our Constitution ensure an attorney is appointed to them. Here, Joe answers questions about how counsel is appointed in Tennessee, how the appointed attorneys get paid, how someone is determined as "indigent," Rules 13 and 42, and what appointed attorneys will learn from his new instructional series, Appointed Counsel. This episode is intended for all audiences.  

Produced by David Stripling, Administrative Office of the Courts

Prisons are filled with non-violent offenders who normally spend most of their lives incarcerated and have high rates of recidivism, often due to addiction. Recovery courts are opportunities for qualified inmates to overcome adversity through rehabilitative alternatives to prison. Circuit Court Judge Tammy Herrington of the 5th Judicial District, Criminal Court Judge Jim Goodwin of the 2nd Judicial District, Circuit Court Judge Beth Boniface of the 3rd Judicial District  and Circuit Court Judge Mike Pemberton of the 9th Judicial District sit down  to discuss these programs offered in Tennessee.

This podcast is for all audiences and Barbara Peck is your host. 

In this episode, Court of Appeals Judge Frank Clement Jr., Chancellor Anne Martin of Davidson County Chancery Court, Part II, Chief Deputy Clerk Lisa Marsh and Ian Dinkins remember Judge Richard Dinkins for his integrity, fairness, and humbleness while becoming a luminary in the law community. 

Jury Duty is one way citizens can participate in the judicial process and it's vitally important for a number of reasons. Here to explain why you should actively take part in your jury summons are Judge Lee Davies of Williamson County, Judge Stacy Street of Carter County, Judge Valerie Smith of Memphis, and Judge Wyatt Burk of Bedford County. This is a podcast for all audiences, and Barbara Peck is your host. 

 In this episode we take you to the investiture ceremony of Justice Dwight E. Tarwater to the Tennessee Supreme Court at the Tennessee Theater in Knoxville on September 5, 2023.

General Sessions courts are often referred to as “the court of first resort,” “the people’s court,” or “small claims court.” In Tennessee, General Sessions courts have broad jurisdiction over civil claims and play a key role in almost every criminal prosecution in the state. Join Judges Lee Bussart (Marshall County), Lynda Jones (Davidson County), Alex McVeagh (Hamilton County) and Kee Bryant-McCormick (Sumner County) as they discuss the role of general sessions courts in the Tennessee judicial system. 

Wellness is critical for both judges and attorneys, who can struggle with demanding careers and lifestyles. Court of Criminal Appeals Judges Tim Easter and Jill Ayers join Chancellor Jerri Bryant and Tennessee Lawyer Assistance Program Executive Director Buddy Stockwell as they discuss wellness strategies and tips.