US Courts

TN Democratic Committee composition ruling with dissent

TN Democratic Committee composition ruling with dissent

Court affirms developer erosion case, reverses emotional distress damages

Court affirms developer erosion case, reverses emotional distress damages

Ergin Tek v. Holly Park Square Apartments, LLC - Emergency Motion Denied

The Georgia Court of Appeals denied Ergin Tek's pro se emergency motions seeking a stay of trial court proceedings and supersedeas in three consolidated cases (A26E0169, A26E0170, A26E0171). The court found Tek failed to demonstrate the emergency relief was necessary to preserve appellate jurisdiction or prevent the issues from becoming moot under Court of Appeals Rule 40(b). This routine procedural ruling concludes the emergency motion proceedings without affecting the underlying appeals on the merits.

Heather Layson v. Bao Smith - Interlocutory Appeal

The Court of Appeals of Georgia granted Heather Layon's interlocutory appeal application in case A26I0172, originating from State Court case 22C02677. The appellant must file a Notice of Appeal within 10 days of the March 30, 2026 order. This is a procedural order permitting the appeal to proceed.

Reza Rahaeimer v. Hoda Maleki - Discretionary Appeal Granted

The Georgia Court of Appeals granted discretionary application A26D0403 in Reza Rahaeimer v. Hoda Maleki. The Court ordered that the Appellant may file a Notice of Appeal within 10 days of this order. The Clerk of Superior Court is directed to include a copy of this order in the record transmitted to the Court of Appeals.

Whatley v. State - Criminal Appeal Dismissed

The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed defendant Jonathan Benjamin Whatley's appeal (Docket A26A1463) for lack of jurisdiction. The Court found his notice of appeal filed 185 days after judgment was untimely under OCGA § 5-6-38(a), and that it lacked authority over out-of-time appeals following Cook v. State (2022).

State v. Faulkner - Interlocutory Appeal Denied, Search Warrant Suppression

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals denied Christopher Lee Faulkner's application for interlocutory appeal challenging the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress evidence seized from his home pursuant to a search warrant. Faulkner faces nine drug- and weapon-related charges in Gibson County Circuit Court (Case No. H10918). The appellate court affirmed that information from two independent sources corroborating an anonymous informant's tip was sufficient to establish probable cause.

State v. Abernathy - Interlocutory Appeal Denied, Motion to Suppress

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals denied defendant Jonathan Abernathy's application for interlocutory appeal challenging the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant. The appellate court found the application lacked sufficient grounds for interlocutory review under Rule 9 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. The defendant remains incarcerated pending trial on drug and weapons offenses.

State v. Crossley - Murder Conviction Affirmed, Gang Evidence Challenge Rejected

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Gerald Elijah Crossley's Madison County Circuit Court convictions for first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault, and employing a firearm during a dangerous felony. The appellate court rejected the defendant's challenges to the trial court's admission of gang-related evidence and expert testimony, and found the evidence sufficient to establish his identity as the perpetrator of the July 27, 2019 shooting that killed Cole Felton and injured Deandre Wright.

State of Tennessee v. Amanda Jean Phillips - Aggravated Child Neglect Conviction Affirmed

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Amanda Jean Phillips' convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated child neglect of children eight years or younger, and carjacking. The court upheld the trial court's imposition of consecutive sentences totaling 30 years at 100% service in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The appellate court found sufficient evidence supported the aggravated child neglect convictions and that the trial court properly applied enhancement and mitigating factors.