The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has welcomed Michael J. Dumitru as its newest magistrate judge. Dumitru took the oath of office during a private ceremony in the Joel W. Solomon U.S. Courthouse. A public investiture will take place in the coming months, according to a news release from the court. Dumitru succeeds Susan K. Lee, who is retiring after serving the court since 2004. Dumitru previously worked as a Hamilton County circuit court judge and a litigator in private practice. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2011. See a photo from the event.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on Jan. 8 about state tax obligations for new businesses in Tennessee. The session also will highlight resources that may help new businesses. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month. Register for the webinar or read more in a press release from the department.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated Florida lawyer Robert John Grubb II to the practice of law in Tennessee. He had been placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on May 1, 2015. Grubb filed a petition for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility found it to be satisfactory. The court made the reinstatement retroactive to Dec. 27, 2024.

The Tennessee Worker’s Comp Appeals Board has announced it will hold winter oral arguments in four appeals on Jan. 21. Two cases, White v. Federal Express Corp. and Markin v. Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division, will be argued in person beginning at 9 a.m. CST in the Supreme Court Building, 402 S. Shannon St., Jackson 38301. Virtual arguments in two other cases, Torres v. Allvan Corp. and Pritchard v. GSP Transportation, will follow at 11:30 a.m. and 12:40 p.m., respectively. Read more about the cases.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has released his year-end report, using the document to reiterate concerns about judges’ safety and condemn elected officials who intimidate judges or defy court rulings. The Hill reports that Roberts did not name any specific people, but noted one decision that prompted calls for impeachment. “Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed,” Roberts wrote. “Public officials certainly have a right to criticize the work of the judiciary, but they should be mindful that intemperance in their statements when it comes to judges may prompt dangerous reactions by others.” Roberts also used the report to reiterate concerns about violence against judges, highlighting how threats increasingly are being made online and in the form of “doxxing.”

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) did not have legal authority to reinstate so-called “net neutrality” rules, which had been in place during the Barack Obama presidency but repealed in 2017 during the first Donald Trump administration. Generally, net-neutrality rules require internet service providers to treat internet data and users equally rather than restricting access, slowing speeds or blocking content for certain users. The rules also forbid special arrangements in which providers give improved network speeds or access to favored users. The Biden administration had made restoring the rules a priority, Reuters reports. The panel cited the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in a Loper Bright, which overturned a precedent giving deference to government agencies in interpreting laws they administer. Read the opinion.

LaFollette City Judge Kathy Parrott tendered her resignation in a letter dated Dec. 30, 2024, the same day the city council was to discuss whether to fire her or not, the Mountain Press reports. Parrott wrote to council members that her resignation would be effective at the end of the day Tuesday “due to reasons I have discussed with you and interested council members.” Parrott was appointed to the position in 2016. At that time she was serving as Caryville city attorney and a partner in the law firm of Pryor Parrott.

A new state law that was set to go into effect on Jan. 1 has been blocked by a federal judge, the Tennessean reports. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl Lipman in Memphis said the law — which requires websites with content deemed "harmful to minors" to verify the age of each user — was an unconstitutional "scorched earth" approach to free speech rights. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who has defended the law, argues it is a common-sense approach to “stop kids from accessing explicit obscene content while protecting the privacy of adults who choose to do so.” According to the paper, Skrmetti has filed an appeal with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Bill Anderson, who was first elected to the bench in 2010 and was not up for reelection until 2030, will retire as of March 1, the Daily Memphian reports. In a letter to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Anderson says he planned to retire in 2025 since being reelected in 2022. Of his 51-year career in the legal system, he says that opening a veteran’s court 12 years ago was one of the best things he did. Anderson has come under fire for decisions to release suspected criminals without bail, including from elected members of the General Assembly. In February 2024, he was reprimanded for stating in a Shelby County Commission meeting that he "detest[s] the bail bond system in Shelby County." The Board of Judicial Conduct expressed concern that the statement could "undermine public perception and confidence" that a judge would approach cases "fairly and impartially."

The TBA’s Immigration Section will host a one-hour webcast on Jan. 21 looking at the ever-changing environment of employment and immigration enforcement, including the likelihood for increased enforcement scrutiny under the incoming administration. Section Chair Terry Olsen with the Olsen Law Firm in Chattanooga, Michael Eastridge with Global Justice Advocates in Johnson City and Todd Photopulos with Butler Snow in Memphis will discuss best practices for managing unannounced visits from federal immigration agencies as well as standards and strategies for conducting internal audits. Immigration Section members get registration discounts. Not a section member? Join here.