Carson-Newman University’s Moot Court Team won the Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Challenge (AMC3) held in Nashville, November 20-23, 2025.

The AMC3 allows Tennessee undergraduates to argue appellate cases with peers. Tennessee colleges prepare a brief and send legal teams of undergraduates to argue as petitioner and respondent about a legal problem.

Over the course of the competition the Carson-Newman team beat out Vanderbilt University, Sewanee: The University of the South, and Belmont University.

“I’m so proud of this group,” said Dr. Kara Stooksbury, professor of political science, who serves as C-N’s moot court coach. “They have worked diligently on this case since August. I am also very grateful for the C-N faculty and alumni who judged practice rounds and offered beneficial feedback. We would not have done as well without their guidance, input and support.”

Students argued in the Old Supreme Court chamber in Tennessee’s Capitol Building in the semi-finals. They went on to argue against Milligan University in the finals, which was held in Tennessee Supreme Court. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti was the guest judge for the final round.

It was Carson-Newman’s first championship since winning the AMC3 in 2019.

Legal Aid attorney Robert Downs to speak

Robert Downs

On Monday, December 22, Robert Downs, managing attorney with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, will present at the local Coordinated Community Response (CCR) meeting on Domestic Violence Legal Tools.

Downs grew up in a rural, impoverished area of Kentucky where domestic violence was prevalent, both in the community and in his own family. When he was 11, his aunt was shot and killed by her abuser. After her death, Robert’s family initiated a grassroots campaign, advocating for the local judge to become more domestic violence-oriented and for there to be stricter penalties on stalking, harassment and domestic abuse – an effort that ultimately worked and led to positive change.

After college, Robert joined the Knoxville Police Department, serving as a patrol officer for four years. He then attended law school and upon becoming a licensed attorney, he joined Legal Aid in 2012.

For most of the past eight years, he has worked as the domestic violence attorney at LAET’s satellite office in the Knoxville Family Justice Center at 400 Harriet Tubman St.

While there are challenges to being a male attorney working in domestic violence with mostly female clients who have been victimized by male abusers, Robert’s background set him on course to work in domestic violence.

The Family Justice Center is a one-stop location where survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and elder abuse can access comprehensive services in a safe and supportive environment. Legal Aid is a key on-site partner, providing critical civil legal services such as orders of protection, custody and family law guidance, and housing issues that often surface during or after abuse.

“We work closely with Legal Aid to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed legal support without having to navigate multiple agencies or retell their story repeatedly. It’s a partnership that truly enhances safety and access to justice for people in Knoxville and Knox County,” said Sam Kimbro, director of community relations at Knoxville Family Justice Center.

Blotter

DA Charme Allen announced two cases of note:

A 35-year-old man who threatened to shoot his wife on New York Avenue in the Lonsdale area stopped his trial midway and pleaded guilty to multiple charges. He will serve 20 years in prison. The man had eight prior felony convictions, Allen said. “Modern technology and the bravery of the victim helped to send this violent offender back to prison.” Details here.

The second case involved a 29-year-old man who raped and assaulted his ex-fiancée. Sentencing was set for February 20, 2025, where the offender faces 15-25 years in prison. The incident occurred on February 24, 2023, in the woman’s apartment off Western Avenue. Details here.

Federal prosecutors noted these convictions:

On December 4, 2025, married Chinese nationals, both age 44, currently of Elizabethton, Tennessee, entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain and one count of aiding and abetting the practice and pattern of hiring for employment aliens not authorized to be employed in the United States. Sentencing has been set before Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, on April 8, 2026, at 11 a.m. in U.S. District Court at Greeneville. Details here.

On December 2, 2025, two Nigerian men and a Sudanese woman, all mid-30s, were sentenced for their roles in a romance scam that targeted victims around the country and resulted in the death of an elderly victim. Details here.

On December 3, 2025, a 36-year-old man from Maryville, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea before U. S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan to one count of damaging and attempting to destroy an interstate gas pipeline facility. Sentencing has been set for April 15, 2026, in Knoxville. The man faces a term of up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and supervised release of up to three years. Details here.

Notes & Quotes

U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan, 69, announced his intention to take senior status. He served as Knoxville law director under Mayor Victor Ashe from 1988-98 and was appointed by President George W. Bush to the federal bench in 2003. An Oak Ridge native, Varlan’s degrees are from the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt Law. Robin Wilhoit interviewed Judge Varlan in July 2024. Video here.

Enemies: “Political friends come and go, but enemies just accumulate.” – Peggy Noonan, speech writer for President Ronald Reagan, on Meet the Press, Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Wives: “It was on this day (December 7) in 43 B.C.E. that the great Roman orator Cicero was executed. He had been giving speeches against Marc Antony, and he was hunted down and beheaded. Cicero’s head was taken back to Marc Antony, whose wife, Fulvia, pulled out Cicero’s tongue and jabbed it with her hairpin in revenge.” – Garrison Keillor, Writer’s Almanac, December 7, 2008.

Laws of War: “The laws of war help preserve a soldier’s soul. We are a nation built around the notion of human dignity. … The pride of an American soldier isn’t just rooted in our lethality. It’s rooted in our sense of honor. It’s rooted in our compassion. We believe ourselves to be different because we so often behave differently.” – David French, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a former constitutional litigator, writes a weekly newsletter about law, culture, religion and armed conflict. This quote appeared on December 4, 2025, here.

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