Blount County Inclement Weather Policy (2015)

Up until recently, the official inclement weather policy for Blount County (Tennessee) courts was tied to Maryville City Schools (i.e. when MCS called school off for snow, Blount County Courts were automatically closed).  That policy is no longer in effect.

As of March 5, 2015, the official Blount County Courts Inclement Weather Policy is as follows:

"The Blount County courts announce their inclement weather decisions independently, and those decisions are published to the three major television stations (WBIR, WATE, WVLT."

A current version of the Blount County Courts Inclement Weather Policy can be found HERE

More information about the Blount County Bar Association can be found HERE


If you need an attorney in East Tennessee, head over to my webpage @ www.nablacklaw.com. My office is located in Maryville (Blount County), Tennessee.  

Blount County Courts / Justice Center Snow Policy

Although I can't seem to find an official link on either the Blount County Government Home Page (blounttn.org) or the Blount Count Court Clerk's site (blountccc.com), the Blount County Justice Center and Blount County courts have in place an inclement weather policy that shuts down when Maryville City Schools are closed.

For today's snow day (December 13, 2010) there was a separate listing for "Blount County Courts" reported by several media outlets. If you are unsure if court in Blount County (or any other county) is suspended, call the court clerk of the court you are scheduled to appear before. In Blount County those offices can be reached at:

Blount County General Sessions Court Clerk: (865) 273-5450

Blount County Circuit Court Clerk: (865) 273-5400

Blount County Clerk & Master: (865) 273-5500 (the Clerk & Master is responsible for Order of Protection cases)

Blount County Juvenile Court Clerk: (865) 273-5935


For a complete list of Tennessee Court Clerks, click HERE

Closure For Some

per the Knoxville News Sentinel: Ex-youth leader gets 20 years in sex case

per the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times: Former church leader sentenced to 20 years for statutory rape of five girls

It's not surprising that the KNS had the more accurate headline. The only reporter at the Daily Times that has never mis-quoted me is John Brice, their former sports editor. The DT misquoted me in their story, and couldn't attribute a quote even when the lady got my name.

Getting my picture in these papers would have been good for business, but the focus was on my defendant. I tried to shield him from the photographers - my 6'5" frame towered over him & I was able to position myself between him and where they were sitting - but alas, I couldn't protect him the entire time. I guess that was fitting, given the circumstances under which we were in court.

Going To Court - Part 2

What to Wear

When I go to court I am expected, and in some regards required, to wear a coat and tie. It is the time honored tradition of what I think is an honorable practice. Of course I at times get tired of suits being required for my daily occupation. But, I feel distinguished and professional when I get dressed in the mornings. I am in court almost every workday and the process of assembling my daily attire is routine.

Litigants/plaintiffs/defendants/etc, be they participants in a civil or criminal proceeding, are often confused and/or flat out wrong as to what they should wear when coming to court. Attire for your trip to court is in part dictated by the nature of the proceedings - but here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1) Shorts are banned in many courtrooms, and they do not convey the level of respect you should enter a judge's courtroom with. Bottom-line: don't wear shorts

2) T-shirts are allowed in most courtrooms, but again, they are not ideal attire. I prefer clients to attend court at a minimum in business casual attire. Bottom-line: men should wear a shirt with some sort of collar - women a shirt/blouse with little to no cleavage showing

3) No holey jeans/pants; no cut-off shirts. If you needed scissors or years of wear to create your outfit you are inappropriately dressed

4) All clothing should visibly appear to be clean

5) Slogans, logos & artwork on clothing should be kept to a minimum and must not contain profanity or language that could be perceived by the most sensitive judge (or other court personnel) as offensive or disrespectful

This is not an all-inclusive list. When making choices about what to wear to court the ultimate guide should be your common sense. Poor clothing choices can have a significant impact on the first impressions made by judges, juries and witnesses involved in your case. If you find yourself going to court, the ultimate outcome of your case can have a lasting impact on the rest of your life. Attention to small details such as your clothing can be the first step in achieving a positive result.


If you need an attorney in East Tennessee, head over to my webpage @ www.nablacklaw.com. My office is located in Maryville (Blount County), Tennessee.

Career Path

When I started law school I was very unsure as to the area(s) of law that I wanted to practice. But I always knew the kind of lawyer I wanted to be. From the time I put law school on the radar, I've wanted to be that small town lawyer that everybody trusted, everybody knew, and was universally liked - all the while having a reputation (based on actual experience) for knowing what I'm doing.

My first desires to be a lawyer came when I was a small child. My grandmother, Gerry Nichols, was the Circuit Court Clerk of Loudon County (TN). She brought me along for a jury trial involving two TVA workers and an aggravated assault. I was only around 6-8, but I remember many details from the trial. The two TVA workers had argued many times at work and things escalated on the commute home. They ended up pulling over onto the shoulder of the road, exiting their vehicles, and approaching one another. At some point one of the men shot the other in the foot. A verdict was rendered against the shooter/defendant - and the case turned (to me) on the way the lawyer was able to show that the only way the victim could have been shot was in retreat from the shooter. Which was in contrast to the defense position that he had been charging the defendant when he was shot.

The manner in which the prosecuting attorney was able to articulate a logic based case has stuck with me to this day. That's the way I try to practice.

The moral to this story is that I'm doing exactly what it is that I want to, professionally.

If you are in need of an attorney who will pursue your case in a practical, logical and determined manner, I invite you to give me a call @ 865.238.0665 or send an email to nick@nablacklaw.com.

Knoxville News Sentinel - August 10, 2010

On August 10, 2010 the Knoxville News Sentinel ran a front page story by Robert Wilson, on my client Michael Salazar.

My involvement in the story was summed up at the end of a short paragraph:

Michael Salazar's court-appointed attorney, Nicholas Black, would not comment on the case

While I may feel that the case is at this point a non-story - no news became front page news - I can appreciate the magnitude and interest generated from the age of the proceedings.

I am hopeful that the case will move forward in the near future.

You can find the article HERE

What is a Preliminary Hearing?

A Preliminary Hearing in Tennessee is a pre-trial judicial proceeding in General Sessions Court where a judge decides, from the evidence presented, whether it appears an offense has been committed and whether there is probable cause to believe the defendant committed the offense. The Preliminary Hearing is a second stage for determining probable cause, after an Initial Appearance before a Judicial Commissioner or Magistrate.

"[T]he purpose of the preliminary hearing is to determine whether there is evidence sufficient to justify the continued detention of the defendant and subjecting him to the expense, embarrassment, humiliation, and inconvenience of a trial." Waugh v. State, 564 S.W.2d 654, 659 (Tenn. 1978). If the judge determines probable cause does exist, the case will be bound over to the Grand Jury for further consideration.

Another function of a Preliminary Hearing that may not be readily apparent to a criminal defendant is that of pre-trial discovery. Much can be learned of the State's/Prosecutor's case from the information and evidence presented at a Preliminary Hearing.

Bottom line: A Preliminary Hearing is not a place where guilt or innocence is determined. The Preliminary Hearing is a stage between the initial appearance and Grand Jury that forces the State to meet a burden to continue a criminal prosecution. Furthermore, you have the right to a Preliminary Hearing in all felony cases in Tennessee; before you waive your right to a Preliminary Hearing consider that this proceeding is very valuable to a criminal defendant.


If you are facing criminal charges and need an attorney in East Tennessee to assist you, head over to my webpage @ www.nablacklaw.com, call my office @ 865.238.0665, or email me @ nick@nablacklaw.com.

My office is located in Maryville (Blount County), Tennessee and I would love to sit down and discuss your case.