Chattanooga Law Blog

When the police enter a home, they generally need a search warrant -- or an exception to the search warrant requirement. While there are exceptions, when it comes to your home, the courts take the warrant requirement very seriously.

One of the exceptions is "hot pursuit" of a suspect. In such a case, the suspect flees from the police and enters his or her own residence. Assuming they have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed, the police may be allowed to follow the fleeing suspect, even if it means entering the residence.

Chattanooga lawyer Jerry H. Summers has just released his sixth book, "Tennessee Trivia No. 1." It is a compilation of short stories and photos that bring southeast Tennessee's past to life.

The reviews are in and they are positive. Sam Elliott, a Chattanooga attorney, author and historian called Summers' new book, "a well-researched volume of history and folklore that will delight the reader."

He adds that Summers highlights "the often forgotten places and events that make southeast Tennessee a marvelous place."

The 190-page book features more than 60 stories, including tales about a rags-to-riches lawyer, the old Chattanooga law school and the "divorce mill" scandal.

You could, depending on the circumstances. In Tennessee, it matters because a finding of fault means you are legally responsible for the injuries and damages in the wreck to the extent you were at fault.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6.7 million car crashes reported in 2018, the latest year for which data is available. Those crashes caused about 2.7 million injuries and more than 36,000 deaths.

The pandemic has had all sorts of effects. People are driving less, but percentage rates of speeding, driving impaired, or engaging in other risky behavior is higher. Many people are at home with their families more, but they're experiencing significant loneliness. Reports of domestic violence are on the rise, perhaps driven by economic insecurity and other anxiety.

These effects may be combining to increase alcohol and drug use, especially among women, according to a recent study by Rand. That study, which involved a survey of 1,540 people, revealed that both men and women are spending more time binge drinking than they did last year. (Binge drinking was defined for men as 4+ drinks within two hours and for women as 3+ drinks within two hours.)