Jurisprudence

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities The 1960s, so long ago, left lasting impressions for those in this country who stood…
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The Volstead Act brought with it a host of unintended consequences, causing leaders to question whether they made the right choice. There is Murphy’s Law, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” and then there is its first cousin,…
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After all these Years, the Vols Deserve a Heisman Trophy Winner Jurisprudence is simply a means to an end. Justice is what we want, and that applies to college sports. Because it is September, and, in the words of the late Bobby Denton,…
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The 1982 World’s Fair brought a celebration to East Tennessee—followed quickly by the fall of the Butcher banks Forty years ago, Disney opened Epcot, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was dedicated in Washington D. C., E. T. the…
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Pigeon Forge pushed through to find its place on the map In 1783, Colonel Samuel Wear served under John Sevier in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War. He later settled his family in an area of the North Carolina…
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Paying homage to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and their new business venture Those of us who grew up in this neck of the woods know of Cherokee, North Carolina. Many of us, however, are unaware that there are three federally…
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Remembering moments with the Daughter of Sevier County and their unexpected connections to my life in law Almost everyone who lives in Sevier County has a story about its favorite daughter—internationally known singer, songwriter, movie…
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A look back at the life of a fellow presiding justice in the neighboring state of Alabama Of all those remarkable individuals I have met during my 40 years in local politics and the state judiciary, far and away the most interesting is…
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A fresh cup reminds us of stories from times past On August 21, 1971, Sandra Sue Franklin and I declared our marriage vows. So, this year qualifies as our Golden Anniversary—50 years. In the last decade, most of our mornings together…
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“The right to trial by jury shall remain inviolate.”- Tennessee Constitution In the 16th century, Shakespeare found that a trial within his plays added drama to his story lines. The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, and A Winter’s Tale, the…
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