By Judge Allen Phillips, Jackson The right to self-representation has been part of American jurisprudence since the beginnings of our nation. Indeed, the Judiciary Act of 1789 provided that “in all the courts of the United States, the parties may plead and manage their own causes personally or by the assistance of counsel.” A few … Continue reading Self-Represented Litigants: A Look at the Rules
Month: June 2022
Knoxville Attorney Appointed Workers’ Compensation Judge
Governor Bill Lee has appointed Meredith B. Weaver as a judge on the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board for the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). Weaver has practiced law for 18 years, primarily in the areas of workers’ compensation and employment law. She is an attorney with the firm Peterson White in Knoxville. Weaver was voted … Continue reading Knoxville Attorney Appointed Workers’ Compensation Judge
Court Creates New Settlement Templates for Death Benefits
By Judge Pamela Johnson, Knoxville “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” – Pat Riley “On occasion we need to make a second effort – and a third effort, and a fourth effort, and as many degrees of effort as may be required to accomplish what we strive to achieve.” – … Continue reading Court Creates New Settlement Templates for Death Benefits
Appeals Board Stresses Panel Requirement
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville Employers/carriers: as a general rule, when an employee reports a work injury, you must offer a panel of three physicians within three business days. This requirement isn’t new; yet it still isn’t followed universally. An Appeals Board opinion released last week shows that when a panel isn’t given, the … Continue reading Appeals Board Stresses Panel Requirement
MOST Announces Three Procedural Changes
By Jeannie Henderson, Martha-Lynn Lee, Kourtney Sanders, and Jay Hicks As REO Speedwagon sang back in the late 1970s, sometimes you’ve got to roll with the changes. We within Mediation and Ombudsman Services of Tennessee think those are wise words. You might have already noticed changes with the Dispute Resolution Statements that have been issued … Continue reading MOST Announces Three Procedural Changes
Memphis Settlements: The Sequel
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville As Top Gun: Maverick has shown, sometimes a sequel can be a huge hit and even more successful than the original. We’re hoping for the same with this article. After publishing yesterday’s blog about an adjustment in the Memphis settlement process, we learned that some misunderstanding occurred in … Continue reading Memphis Settlements: The Sequel
Memphis Settlements: New Process and a Satellite Location
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville Memphis, Nashville, and Murfreesboro conduct the most settlement approvals in Tennessee. Memphis has presented difficulties for some time now with providing enough settlement times to accommodate the large volume. The location and accessibility of the Memphis office unfortunately complicate the matter. We’ve long heard stories of difficulty finding … Continue reading Memphis Settlements: New Process and a Satellite Location
From the Bench 