Current Legal News

The lawsuit against Metro Nashville over allegations of racial re-segregation has taken on class-action status, with plaintiffs now including all African-American students affected by the school district’s controversial 2008 student assignment plan. U.S. District Court Judge Kevin Sharp granted the plaintiffs’ request for class certification Friday in advance of the 3-year-old suit -- now known as Spurlock et al. v. Fox -- reappearing in federal court on Tuesday. The City Paper reports that a number of Metro officials could take the stand as witnesses in the case, including Mayor Karl Dean who plaintiffs subpoenaed.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has upheld a state trial court ruling in favor of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Tennessee, a case that stems from Nashville-based St. Andrews Parish’s efforts to break away from the diocese. In her ruling, Judge Patricia Cottrell said the Episcopal Church is hierarchal and, as such, individual churches hold property in trust for the diocese and, as such, are not in a position to disassociate themselves from the governing body. NashvillePost.com has more

Columnist Bryan Haas speculates about the two juries selected in the last year -- neither of which got to deliberate -- to determine whether or not Roger Clemens is guilty of any crime.  During both trials the jury was filled with mostly women, and Haas wants to know why.  Chattanoogan.com has his column

Republican legislative leaders on Friday night mended a rift that had emerged between House and Senate lawmakers over local “pork barrel spending.” They agreed on about $1 million worth of additional reductions in a rarely called budget “conference committee."  TNReport has more

The Partnership for Families, Children and Adults in Chattanooga has spent years working to help domestic violence victims navigate the often-confusing world of General Sessions and Circuit courts. Now a tougher sentencing measure for domestic violence, meant to deter abusers and protect these victims, is awaiting Gov. Bill Haslam's signature. The new sentencing law will, for the first time in Tennessee, require that a repeat domestic assault offender serve mandatory jail time. As many as 2,500 abusers statewide could face mandatory jail time in the first year alone, according to estimates. reported in  The Times Free Press.

Child-pornography offenders are the focus of an intense debate as to whether the federal sentences they face have become too severe, the Associated Press reports. The U.S. Sentencing Commission plans to release a report this year that is likely to propose changes to the sentencing guidelines that it oversees. Some federal judges and public defenders say Congress has skewed the guidelines to the point where offenders who possess and distribute child pornography can go to prison for longer than those who actually rape or sexually abuse a child. Others oppose any push for leniency.

The Memphis Bar Association will hold its annual memorial service on Wednesday at noon at Calvary Episcopal Church. The service honors members of the bar who passed away during the last year. See the list of lawyers who will be honored.

For the first time in more than 20 years a new set of Judicial Conduct rules has been adopted by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Make sure you know what the new rules mean for you and your clients by attending this May 9 program in Nashville. The seminar will cover disqualifications/recusals, and offer an advanced overview of the amended code. Speakers include: TBA Task Force Chair T. Maxfield Bahner of Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, Task Force Reporter Sarah Y. Sheppeard of Sheppeard & Mynatt, and Task Force Member Lucian T. Pera of Adams and Reese LLP.