The winners of the Seventh Annual Federal Court Civics Essay Contest were honored at a celebration this week at the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Knoxville. The first place winner was Gabriella D’Agostino, a freshman at Chuckey Doak High School in Afton. Marteze Simpson, a junior at Knox County’s Fulton High School, won second place. Third place went to Jefferson County High School junior Alexa Longmire. Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia R. Wyrick and U.S. District Judge Katherine A. Crytzer were on hand to congratulate the students. The essay contest is sponsored by the court’s Civics and Outreach Committee and the Federal Bar Association chapters in Knoxville and Greeneville. This year’s contest asked students to consider the meaning of the term “reasonableness” as applied to the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on unreasonable force by law enforcement. Read more from Chattanoogan.com.

Janie Varnell will be Hamilton County's next attorney following a vote by the county commission, the Times Free Press reports. She will take office on July 1, replacing Rheubin Taylor who has held the role for over 30 years and is retiring. Varnell, previously a private practice attorney who has worked extensively on legal cases concerning police, has been serving as a special adviser to the county mayor and commission. County Mayor Weston Wamp last year named Varnell as his pick to succeed Taylor and attempted to have her installed early. A judge sided with Taylor saying his contract with the county protected his position until his contract expires in July.

Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page has joined Miles Mediation & Arbitration, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider, as a full-time mediator and arbitrator. Page practiced law in Tennessee and Georgia from 1984 to 1998, before being elected as circuit judge in West Tennessee. During his time on the bench, he began handling Rule 31A, Section 16 judicial settlement conferences, participating in mediations involving medical malpractice, personal injury, construction, wrongful death and real estate disputes. He continued to handle judicial settlement conferences until he joined the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011. He joined the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2016 and served until last year. Page can be reached at 731-426-0861 and rpage@milesadr.com.

A Washington, D.C., based federal judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Justice (DOJ) from canceling $3.2 million in grants to the American Bar Association (ABA), Reuters reports. The grants have been used to train lawyers to represent victims of domestic and sexual violence since 1995 according to the group. In the opinion, Judge Christopher Cooper said, "The First Amendment injury is concrete and ongoing. The ABA regularly engages in protected expressive activity, and DOJ’s termination of its grants directly punishes that activity." The ABA sued the DOJ in April, claiming the agency illegally terminated the grants in retaliation for the association’s public criticism of the Trump administration.

The Nashville Predators have awarded a grant to the 23rd Judicial District Recovery Court to provide hockey and soccer equipment for the use of the children of Recovery Court participants during visitation days. “Reuniting families is a big part of what we do,” said Circuit and Recovery Court Judge Suzanne Lockert-Mash. “The recovery process includes getting parents involved in their children’s lives again. We appreciate the Nashville Predators for giving us the means to teach important parenting skills,” she said. The 23rd Judicial District Recovery Court is a collaborative link between the courts, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, probation officers, treatment providers, social service agencies and community-based nonprofit organizations. The program serves the citizens of Dickson, Cheatham, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties. Read more in a press release from the team. See a photo from the donation handoff.

Make your hotel reservations now for the 2025 TBA Annual Convention in Nashville. The special TBA rate at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs expires May 19. This year's convention, June 11-14, is packed with compelling programming, networking opportunities and social events. Make your reservation now!

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The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Anderson County lawyer Robert Mike Sain to the practice of law effective May 9. The court issued notice of the reinstatement on May 13. The court previously had asked Sain to satisfy outstanding obligations with the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education, which he now has done. Sain was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on Feb. 17, 2005.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended California attorney Dale Gerard Nowicki from the practice of law in Tennessee for two years, with 90 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation with certain conditions. The court took the action on May 13 after the Supreme Court of California imposed the same discipline on Jan. 6. The Tennessee court made the action retroactive to the date of the California order.

The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Hamilton County lawyer Arthur C. Grisham Jr. from the practice of law for five years on May 13. The court took the action based on complaints from two clients that he failed to reasonably communicate with clients regarding the status of their case; act in a diligent manner; expedite clients’ litigation; abide by court orders; provide required information to successor attorneys; and safeguard client funds. He also charged unreasonable fees and abused his position as an executor by withdrawing estate funds without court order, which caused estate insolvency. Grisham agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4. The court also imposed a condition on any future reinstatement, requiring Grisham to pay restitution to the clients. Also, following any reinstatement, he must use a practice monitor for one year.