What is the chance of any given case (civil or criminal) making it to the Tennessee Supreme Court?
About 7%. According to the most recent Annual Report of the Tennessee Judiciary (Fiscal Year 2007-2008), 48 Rule 11 T.R.A.P. applications for permission to appeal were granted by the Tennessee Supreme Court in the last fiscal year. During the same period, 643 Rule 11 applications were either denied or dismissed.
Although not exclusive, the factors used by the Tennessee Supreme Court in determining whether to grant permission to appeal are: (1) the need to secure uniformity of decision, (2) the need to secure settlement of important questions of law, (3) the need to secure settlement of questions of public interest, and (4) the need for the exercise of the Supreme Court's supervisory authority.
Your chances of convincing the Supreme Court to grant a petition to rehear a T.R.A.P. 11 application are slim. The court granted 0 out of 13 attempts last reporting period.
Dan Berexa
Nashville, Tennessee
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