Oldfield Law Tennessee will celebrate the grand opening of its new location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by the Knoxville Chamber on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. at 10263 Kingston Pike in West Knox County.

Oldfield Law Tennessee specializes in family law, focusing primarily on divorces and custody disputes involving children. Rochelle Oldfield, the CEO and managing partner, is a certified child welfare law specialist and a mother. She prioritizes solutions that are in the best interests of families, especially for the children involved. Info: 865-470-4105 or www.oldfieldlaw.net/.

Major bust by Sheriff’s NARC unit

The stash confiscated by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, posted online March 12, 2025.

Since August 2024, the Knox County Organized Retail Crime Unit of the Narcotics and Retail Crime Division has been on the front lines, tackling a sophisticated “Tap 2 Pay” fraud scheme.

“This week, detectives apprehended more suspects involved in this nationwide operation, bringing the total to 11 Chinese nationals arrested while committing this scheme,” according to a March 12 post from Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler.

These offenders have been traveling nationwide, using stolen credit card information to purchase gift cards and launder funds. During Monday’s operation, we recovered gift cards valued at over $23,000, all bought with unsuspecting victims’ information.

“The suspects have been active in multiple states over the past month, but … they are now in the Knox County Detention Facility.”

Defendant Conspired to Claim More Than $3.4 Million in Fraudulent Refunds

On March 12, 2025, a 35-year-old Kingsport woman pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud by her role in making claims for refunds of false Covid-19 employment tax credits. Sentencing is set for July 9, 2025, in the U.S. District Court at Greeneville. She faces up to 20 years in prison.

According to court documents and statements made in court, she and co-conspirators created phony businesses, which lacked any employees or operations, for the sole purpose of claiming the bogus credits intended to help small businesses retain employees during Covid shutdowns. She filed numerous false tax returns for those phony businesses and directed the tax refunds to be mailed to an address she and co-conspirators controlled.

In total, the refunds claimed were over $3.4 million, of which the IRS paid approximately $1.8 million. Details here.

Notes & Quotes

Former state Sen. Brian Kelsey served less than two weeks of a 21-months sentence in federal prison before receiving a full pardon from President Trump, according to a post on social media, reprinted here from the TN Holler. Link to NYT.

Trump moving too fast for you? A nonprofit, Just Security, is publishing a daily update of legal challenges to various Executive Orders coming from the White House. The tracker is here.

In Memoriam

Edward Bruce Foster Jr. passed away at home on March 7, 2025, at age 88. A life-time member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Mr. Foster was a well-regarded business attorney and community leader known for his self-effacing nature and skill at building consensus.

Mr. Foster came hesitantly to the law, encouraged by his father – also a successful Knoxville attorney – to finish his education quickly. Bruce Jr. earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration (1957) and law degree (1958) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, at age 22.

After service in the U.S. Army (1959-63), Bruce returned to Knoxville and joined the law firm Frantz, McConnell & Seymour, rising to partner. In 1991, he joined Bass, Berry, Sims, opening its first Knoxville office. He served as president of the Knoxville Bar Association.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2nd Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, with a reception and food to follow. The full obituary is here.

John Leland Dugger passed away February 20, 2025, at age 87. A graduate of Vanderbilt Law School, he dedicated his entire career to the Tennessee Valley Authority, working in the general counsel’s office.

Mr. Dugger served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and completed a tour in Korea. Over the years, he served his church as deacon of missions, an elder, a middle school Bible teacher, and a leader in numerous boards and small groups.

A Memorial of Life will be held at Laurel Church of Christ in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 11 a.m. His full obituary is here.