Byrd & Byrd, Attorneys at Law, PLLC

06/17/2024

"Why can't I write a personal check for my closing?" We hear that a lot. It's because Tennessee's Good Funds Law won't allow it. The intent is to ensure that the checks we distribute at closing are backed by good funds and don't bounce! In a nutshell, we can’t take personal checks over $1,000 for the buyer’s bottom line. However, the statute does allow us to take:
1. cash (although our title insurance companies don’t like it)
2. wired funds
3. checks issued by the State of Tennessee
4. cashier’s checks
5. teller’s checks
6. checks issued by the US government
7. funds direct-deposited into our account from a bank, and
8. checks from a real estate broker but only for an amount that doesn’t exceed the amount of earnest money.

There are many things to do to prepare for your closing. This is just one. (Remember your two forms of ID, one of which must have a picture.) Let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to closing for you!

06/17/2024

A fine gentleman who is very deserving of this honor. Congratulations Judge Todd!

Friends and colleagues celebrate as longtime Jackson Judge James D. Todd has the courthouse named in his honor in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Monday June, 7, 2024.

06/15/2024

Thanks for the kind words Emily!

06/15/2024

HB057/SB1055 will lower the BAC level to 0.15% for the enhanced penalties, starting on July 1, 2024.

06/14/2024

Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era ban on bump stocks for guns.

Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion and said a bump stock is like a "lightning-fast trigger finger." Sonia Sotomayor warned of "deadly consequences."

06/13/2024

Tennessee leads in litigation against social media's negative impact.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti shares updates on legal fight against social media platforms, Meta, TikTok, during visit to Jackson.

05/30/2024

The New York jury empaneled in the NY v. Trump criminal trial has reached a verdict in the historic case.

05/30/2024

The NCAA and a coalition of states agreed to settle a lawsuit Thursday that would allow athletes to be immediately eligible to play no matter how many times they transfer.

05/30/2024

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit had rejected the NRA’s First Amendment arguments.

05/18/2024

Jessica Tapia, a Christian ex-teacher, reached a $360K settlement with California's Jurupa Unified School District after refusing to comply with her employer's transgender directives.

05/15/2024

04/23/2024

We strongly advise against this. One may "save the commission," but there is more to selling a house than just putting a "For Sale" sign in the yard. You don't want the buyer's lender or closing attorney doing the job of your Realtor. We recommend retaining the services of local Realtors, local lenders, and local law firms. You get what you pay for and locals are easily reached and contribute to the overall well-being of your communities. We shop at your businesses and pay taxes for your streets and schools. In our opinion, discount rates typically mean discount service, professionalism, and competence. Please hire professionals and choose local!

Home sellers are more likely to forego using a real estate agent with the advent of newly-proposed rules guiding the sale and purchase of homes, new research indicates. In a survey by Clever Real Estate, more than three-quarters (77%) of home sellers say commission rates will factor into their decis...

04/22/2024

Another employee birthday lunch. Happy belated birthday to Bonni Carter and happy early birthday to Angela Snider, Attorney at Law!

04/18/2024

Madison County ranks third in most economic projects under Gov. Lee.

Commissioner of Community and Economic Development Stuart McWhorter shares notable state and local investments made in 2023.

04/11/2024

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) increased to 7.01% from 6.91%.

03/22/2024

Inventory rose 5.9% year over year to 1.07 million homes for sale at the end of February.

03/19/2024

Big news on the Realtor front.

The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head.

03/11/2024

Wagner has served as a Shelby County Circuit Court judge since 2016.

03/05/2024

The Tennessee House punted a vote on a bill Monday that would restrict local governments' power to enact local reforms on their police departments.

03/04/2024

Supreme Court keeps Trump on Colorado's presidential ballot.

The Supreme Court said Colorado can't use an anti-insurrectionist provision of the Constitution to kick Trump off the 2024 presidential ballot.

02/14/2024

The Federal Reserve is likely to wait a little longer before cutting interest rates. That could result in higher mortgage rates.

02/09/2024

The Treasury Department proposed a new rule that would require the disclosure of the names of people behind anonymous shell companies and trusts involved in all-cash residential real-estate transactions.

02/06/2024

A federal judge in Tennessee denied the state's request for a temporary restraining order in regard to the NCAA's NIL rules on Tuesday. Here's why.

02/05/2024

Today is the voter registration deadline for the March 5 primary: What to know.

Here's everything you need to know about voter registration and voting in Tennessee.

02/01/2024

37 days until we get an extra hour of this at the end of the day.❤️😎

12/14/2023

Elliot Page and other transgender adults signed onto a brief describing how their lives have improved with gender-affirming care.

12/04/2023

The forecast interest-rate cuts would bring the effective Federal Funds rate to about 3.83% at the end of 2024.