A report from the Nashville law firm Neal & Harwell found that Vanderbilt did not violate the First Amendment rights of Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka when he was arrested by campus police while covering a student protest in April. However, the report concluded that Vanderbilt's media policy, which is currently inaccessible to the public, should be published. The review also found that the policy was applied inconsistently in the incident. According to the Tennessean, the report states that while there were several missteps by police that led to the arrest, Motycka was not arrested to prevent coverage of campus protests but because he repeatedly tried to enter a closed university building.

Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday signed the Protect Tennessee Minors Act into law following bipartisan passage in the legislature earlier this year. The Tennessean reports that with this new law, Tennessee joins a growing list of states that are requiring websites with adult content to age-verify viewers, a move that is raising alarm from some First Amendment advocates who warn the law may have wider-reaching impact than initially expected. Similar laws have passed in 19 other states and are under consideration in seven more, but Tennessee is the only one with felony penalties.

Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert has filed a response to the pending ouster petition against her, saying the allegations levied against her were "at best simple negligence, mere mistakes in judgment and good faith efforts of defendant Halbert to perform her duties." The Commercial Appeal reports that Halbert's response states that the claims against her are contradictory and that they allege "willful neglect" while also citing instances that appear to be "simple negligence." The response mostly denies the allegations against Halbert, who has been under investigation since June 2023 by Hamilton County District Attorney Cody Wamp, who is serving as a special prosecutor in the case.

Two Williamson County families have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Bill Lee and the Williamson County School System. The Tennessee Lookout reports that a 13-year-old Fairview Middle School student and a 14-year-old Page High School student were arrested at school and expelled in separate and unrelated incidents after school officials misinterpreted conversations between peers as “threats of mass violence.” The suit claims the teens were strip-searched, put in solitary confinement, sent to alternative school and then subjected to months of home visits by social workers and probation officers. Larry Crain, an attorney representing the families, said in a statement last week, “This was an overreach and misapplication of the law, which resulted in a denial of their constitutional rights.”

Whether you are catching up on CLE or starting to meet your 2024 requirements, TBA CLE Essentials are designed with your convenience in mind. Choose from five unique packages that you can watch on-demand from the comfort of your own home or office. Whether you need three hours or 15, we have curated CLE packages by the hour, topic or practice area. These include: Summer Essentials Complete Package (15 hours including 12 dual), Ultimate Ethics Package (8 dual hours), General Solo and Small Practice Bundle (15.5 hours including 11 dual), The Rookie's Guide to Law (4 general hours), and the Women in the Profession Wellness Package (3 dual hours).

Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. (MALS) on Monday announced that its board of directors has selected Memphis attorney Nicole M. Grida as its chief executive officer (CEO). In a press release, MALS said that Grida is a longtime supporter of access to justice programs, and will bring her leadership, collaboration and legal skills to the organization to ensure it continues to provide excellence in legal advocacy to those in need, while finding innovative ways to protect the legal rights of low-income citizens in Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and Lauderdale counties. She presently serves on the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Board as the YLD Fellows liaison. In May, MALS appointed Amber Floyd as chair of the board of directors. Floyd is general counsel to the Memphis International Airport and a YLD Fellow. She also serves on the TBA's Access to Justice Committee and the Tennessee Bar Journal Editorial Board.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and 20 other state attorneys general have sent a letter to the American Bar Association (ABA) demanding the group immediately stop requiring law schools, as part of the accreditation process, to comply with Standard 206, which addresses diversity and inclusion in hiring and admissions. The standard requires that schools show a “commitment to diversity and inclusion by having a faculty and staff that are diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.” The group argues that requirement runs afoul of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued an order soliciting comments on a proposed change to Rule 31(15)(a)(5) of the Rules of the Tennessee Supreme Court. On May 16, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission filed a petition asking the court to consider adopting an amendment to provide a training waiver to mediators whose credentials have lapsed. Comments on the proposed change should be submitted by Aug. 2 and reference Docket #ADM2024-00714. Comments should be emailed to Clerk James Hivner or mailed to 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37219.

The Tennessee Supreme Court is giving Hamilton County lawyer Jennifer Yates Stickley extra time to complete required CLE hours. On April 5, Stickley filed a petition for reinstatement from inactive status. The Board of Professional Responsibility stated that it had no objection to reinstatement but noted outstanding obligations with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. On April 16, the court issued an order that the petition would be dismissed if requirements were not met by May 31. On May 29, the commission reported that Stickley had “nearly satisfied” the requirements but likely would not complete all necessary steps by the deadline. In light of her compliance efforts, the court granted an extension of the deadline to July 1.

The law license of Shelby County lawyer Richard Alan Gordon was transferred to disability inactive status on May 31. Gordon may not practice law while on inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court after showing that his disability has been removed.