The Knoxville Barristers Annual Coat Drive will begin October 11 and run through November 5. The Knoxville Barristers have partnered with Knox Areas Rescue Ministries with the goal of collecting thousands of coats for those in need in our area. Coats will be donated to KARM's Coats for the Cold Program. The Knoxville Barristers Hunger & Poverty Relief Committee is asking for gently used men's and women's items, including but not limited to: coats, jackets, parkas, dusters, rain coats, and trench coats. 

View the flyer.

Drop-off locations for the coat drive include:

• First Horizon Plaza
• BB&T Building (Riverview Tower)
• U.S. Federal Courthouse
• UT College of Law Registrar's Office
• City County Building (3rd & 6th floor)
• Baker Donelson
• LMU Duncan School of Law Admissions Office
• Bank of America Building Lobby

The drop-off location will house a large box with the KBA Barristers logo. If you have any questions, contact Hunger & Poverty Relief Committee Chairs Chuck Sharrett (csharrett@londonamburn.com) or Jimmy Snodgrass (jsnodgrass@kramer-rayson.com).

KBA members are encouraged to watch the Legal History interviews of John Sobieski and Wanda Sobieski, which have recently been added to the KBA website. John and Wanda share their legal journeys and significant contributions to the local legal community. Learn more at https://www.knoxbar.org/?pg=legal-history-videos.  This is a project of the KBA Archives Committee funded by the Knoxville Bar Foundation.

The Honorable Geoffrey P. Emery, Knox County General Sessions Division II Judge, announces his retirement effective December 31, 2021. Judge Emery has served Knox County with distinction for over thirty-five years. Born in Maine, Judge Emery spent his childhood years in North Carolina and Alabama. Emery attended the University of Tennessee and received his undergraduate degree in Political Science. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. After spending a few years in private practice, Emery joined the Knox County Law Department in 1981. He was Knox County's first full-time Assistant Director in the Law Department. Judge Emery was appointed to the bench in 1986 and was re-elected into office five consecutive terms. During his judicial tenure, Emery served on the Tennessee General Sessions Judicial Conference Executive Committee, where he further served with distinction as Conference President. When asked about his decision to retire a few months early, Emery replied, “It has been my honor to serve the people of Knox County, and I am grateful for their steadfast support over the decades. Now, however, it is time for me to step down and focus on spending quality time with my family."  Emery and  his wife, Suzann Turner Emery, have two grown sons and five grandchildren. Judge Emery and his wife plan to enjoy traveling upon his retirement.

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.  

Fee Schedule Change for Knox County Courts

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.