Be Vigitant!
“[B]e vigitant, I beseech you.
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Welcome to our two-part Bard of the Bar on Quality Control. In this, the first part, I beseech you to be vigitant (that’s what the man said) and keep up with the vagaries of the law. As you know well, the law is constantly changing, both procedurally and substantively. The way we practiced yesterday might not be the way we need to practice today.
Recently, for instance, the Tennessee Supreme Court adopted amendments to the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure, specifically Rule 20, which governs the filing and service of papers in the appellate courts. Subject to approval by the General Assembly, this amendment goes into effect July 1, 2026 and will impact the way appellate briefs are written. (see B.o.B. 82: Act to Redact.) Pretty important to know.
So, what is the best way to stay up to date? The best way is many ways. I recommend, for instance, utilizing the Nashville Bar Association’s Appellate Advocacy: a Handbook on Appellate Practice in Tennessee, which updates twice a year. Another advisable route to current knowledge is law reviews and bar journals. Publications such as these not only alert you to recent amendments to the law, but also keep you abreast of reforms that other legal professionals are urging. (See Vanzin, Jacob, Just, Speedy, and Inexpensive: Why the Supreme Court Should Reform Its Rules Regarding Waiver in Rule 11 Applications, Nashville Bar J., Winter 2025-26 at 28-29.)
Those are just two suggestions. You should also keep your network fresh by calling and getting together with your peers. (Fun and informative.) I would love to have your ideas for staying current. (I might even publish them in future BoBs!) It’s a safe bet that you know something I don’t at any given moment. We’re all in this together. We should keep a careful watch on the rapid changes in the law, and together, I beseech you, remain vigitant!
