Stay current with legal news in Tennessee. This page features the latest news for and about the Tennessee legal community, either produced by the Tennessee Bar Association or collected from news sources.
In an editorial today, The Tennessean encourages voters to “be more attentive than ever” to state and county judicial elections. The paper then recommends a vote of “retain” for Jeffrey S. Bivins and Roger A. Page, two appellate judges on the ballot this year. The paper also offers endorsements in Davidson County judicial races.
A federal judge in Nashville ruled this afternoon that a Murfreesboro mosque may open in time for Ramadan, though he said the building must go through the normal inspection process. Attorneys for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro argued in court today that they were being held to a higher standard than other religious groups in seeking a construction permit for their building. Also today, the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against Rutherford County, claiming violations of a federal law that prohibits religious discrimination in land use and zoning decisions. The suit asks the court to force the county to issue a certificate of occupancy for the mosque. The county has refused to issue the certificate following a chancery court ruling that proper notice was not given for the mosque’s building permit. The Tennessean has the latest
A federal judge in Nebraska yesterday dismissed a suit brought by seven state attorneys general and several Catholic nonprofits challenging a contraception requirement in the nation's new health care law. The suit claimed that the contraceptive coverage requirements violate their right to freedom of speech and religion. The states also claimed that the requirement would increase their Medicaid budgets as religious employers stopped providing health insurance. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs could show no direct injury and no threat of immediate harm. Learn more in the ABA Journal.
Texas inmate Yokamon Hearn is scheduled to be executed today, and though he will be the state’s sixth prisoner executed this year, he will be the first to be administered a new single-drug injection. Texas announced last week it would start using a single dose of pentobarbital, instead of using the sedative in combination with two other drugs. Other states have made the change and a number of courts have upheld the practice, despite death penalty opponents' claims that the single dose causes prisoners to take longer to die than the three-drug combination. The Commercial Appeal has more.
In related news, officials in Georgia announced yesterday that they too were switching to single-drug executions. In that state, death row inmate Warren Lee Hill is set to be executed on Monday. His attorney says the state’s decision to change the drug so close to the execution date is troubling. WTVC News Channel 9 has more
Opponents of Arizona's controversial immigration law launched a new effort Tuesday to thwart the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the so-called “show me your papers" provision. A suit filed in federal district court argues that the law – which requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop for other reasons – would subject minorities to systematic racial profiling and unreasonably long detentions. It asks the court to issue an order prohibiting authorities from enforcing the rule. Chattanooga’s WRCB News 3 reports
Mark your calendar for this year's Equal Justice University – the annual conference that provides training and networking opportunities for members of the state’s access to justice community. The event will take place Sept. 26 – 28 at Paris Landing State Park. For more information contact Samantha Sanchez with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, (615) 627-0956 ext. 21.
The Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended Murfreesboro lawyer Derek A. Artrip from the practice of law on July 13 after finding that he failed to respond to a complaint of misconduct. The suspension remains in effect until dissolution or modification by the court. Download the BPR notice
The American Bar Association (ABA) will present its highest award, the ABA Medal, to Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, when the group meets next month in Chicago. In announcing the news, ABA President Bill Robinson said Dees is an outstanding example of a lawyer who has moved the country toward tolerance and equality. He is known for winning cases that helped integrate government and public institutions and for fighting white supremacist hate groups. WKRN reports
Amidst a competitive market for those entering legal academia and an expectation that even entry-level law professors will have significant scholarly credentials, Yale Law School has announced a new PhD degree program. Geared toward those who have already earned a law degree from an American law school and want to work as a law professor, the new program is billed as the first of its kind in the United States. The program will begin accepting applications in the fall of 2012 and start enrolling students in the fall of 2013. Learn more from the school
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Lincoln Memorial University appears poised to file a second appeal for accreditation for its law school from the American Bar Association (ABA). Last week, the school asked a judge to continue a hold on a lawsuit it filed against the ABA until August 15, presumably to allow a second appeal.
Five Tennessee-licensed lawyers have been reinstated after being administratively suspended for failure to file their 2012 registration fee and IOLTA report, while one lawyer has been reinstated after failing to file his registration fee and IOLTA report for the last three years. In addition, one lawyer has been reinstated after being suspended for CLE noncompliance in 2010. See updated lists at the links above.
Gregory Gleaves, chief of staff to Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell and former executive director of the Tennessee GOP, will leave government service next month to join the public relations firm of Hall Strategies. Beginning Aug. 6, Gleaves will lead the firm's campaign practice as director of grassroots campaigns. The Knoxville News Sentinel has more
A number of county chapters of the Tennessee Republican Party have passed resolutions criticizing Gov. Bill Haslam for showing "a consistent lack of conservative values,' The Tennessean reports today. As many as eight county chapters have called on state Republican leaders to sanction Haslam for policies including the hiring of homosexuals, Democrats and a Muslim attorney.
A recent story in the Nashville Ledger highlights the work of Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts – a Nashville-based organization that provides pro bono legal services to artists and emerging arts nonprofits. All services are offered free to qualified low-income artists and emerging nonprofit arts organizations with annual operating budgets of $1 million or less. More than 250 lawyers and 30 business professionals (accountants, marketers, and public relations and human resources managers) are volunteering with the program, which has served more than 1,000 artists and 300 arts nonprofits, and provided more than $1 million in free services.
Lebanon lawyer Gary Vandever pleaded guilty on Monday to stealing more than $60,000 from two clients. He also waived his right to a trial and appeal. Vandever's attorney Jack Lowery Jr. said his client used the money to start a construction business but that he was “very remorseful” about his actions. Vandever turned himself into the Wilson County Jail at noon yesterday. He'll remain in custody until April 2013, after which he will spend nine years on probation. At that time he must begin paying $400 per month until he pays off the entire settlement. News Channel 5 has the story
Sumner County attorney John Pierce Brownlee Jr. was disbarred by the Tennessee Supreme Court on July 12 after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and endeavor to interfere with the administration of Internal Revenue laws. The court determined that his actions violated Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 8, Section 8.4. It also ordered him to pay the expenses and costs of the disciplinary proceeding. Download the BPR notice
Learn the most up-to-date information concerning laws, regulations and guidelines affecting seniors who reside in Tennessee at the TBA's Annual Elder Law Forum this Friday in Nashville. This day-long program presented by the TBA's Elder Law Section will have sessions on: Estate Recovery after Tanner -- the State’s perspective; Medicaid Planning Basics and Beyond; Judges Panel on the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act “UAGPPJA;” and Revisiting the Choices Program -- What’s new? Find out more or register now.
Sumner County commissioners were expected to vote today on whether to add resources to the county’s Juvenile Court in an effort to reduce the current backlog of cases. Sumner County General Sessions Judge Barry Brown asked commissioners to change a part-time magistrate position to full-time because he said the backlog can put children in danger and delay decisions in sensitive cases involving families, WKRN-TV reports.
