Articles by Sheila Burke

State Lawmaker Drops Push to Legalize Medical Marijuana in Tennessee

One of the lead sponsors of a medical-marijuana bill in Tennessee withdrew the measure Tuesday after telling fellow lawmakers the legislation has been so watered down that passing it would actually harm rather than help patients. Sen. Steve Dickerson, a …

3 Tennessee Prosecutors Join Forces in Suit Against Opioid Drug Makers

A new lawsuit invokes the plight of a baby born dependent on opioid drugs, as three Tennessee prosecutors and the baby’s guardian accuse several drug manufacturers of unleashing an epidemic through deceptive marketing about the risks of addiction to painkillers. …

Tennessee Lawmakers Reluctantly Move Bill Requiring Seat Belts on School Buses

A bill that would require seat belts on new school buses in Tennessee continues to advance in the Legislature, but lawmakers remain skeptical about the restraints. Questions about the cost of the measure and concerns about whether the restraints might …

TV Host Erin Andrews Settles Nashville Marriott Case, Ends Appeals

Sportscaster and TV host Erin Andrews on Monday settled with two hotel companies that were found partially to blame for a stalker posting secretly-recorded nude video of her on the Internet. A jury in March had already awarded Andrews $55 …

Erin Andrews Awarded $55M in Illegal Video Civil Suit

A jury awarded Erin Andrews $55 million on Monday in her lawsuit against a stalker who bought a hotel room next to her and secretly recorded a nude video, finding that the hotel companies and the stalker shared in the …

Jury in Erin Andrews Civil Suit Set to Begin Deliberations in Nashville

An attorney for sportscaster Erin Andrews said Friday that two hotel companies enabled a stalker who took nude videos of her and posted them online. Bruce Broillet told jurors Friday in closing arguments for a civil trial that Andrews has …

TV Host Erin Andrews Testifies in $75M Civil Suit Over Illegal Hotel Videos

Sportscaster and TV host Erin Andrews took the witness stand in Nashville this week in her $75 million civil lawsuit, breaking down repeatedly and telling jurors of the devastation she continues to feel after a man secretly shot nude videos …

Tennessee High Court Rules to Make it Easier to Arrest, Convict Drunk Drivers

In two unanimous decisions, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Feb. 11 that police have the right to stop motorists if their vehicles cross roadway markings, even if briefly, essentially making it easier to arrest and convict people driving under the …

Tennessee Judge: Comp Benefit Limits for Undocumented Workers Unconstitutional

A Nashville judge has found to be unconstitutional a state law that limits the amount of workers’ compensation benefits laborers living in the country illegally can receive. The ruling stems from the case of a Guatemalan man whose left arm …

Judge Orders Tennessee to Honor 3 Out-of-State Gay Marriages

A federal judge ordered the state of Tennessee on Friday to recognize the marriages of three same-sex couples while their lawsuit against the state works its way through the court system. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger issued the preliminary injunction …