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A swearing in ceremony for those who passed the July 2024 Tennessee Bar Exam was held in Memphis today. The event wrapped up a week of events held in Knoxville, Nashville and Jackson. Constance Brown and Cole Harrell-Morris from the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division were on hand to congratulate the new admittees. See photos from today's event.

A U.S. judicial rulemaking panel has rejected a proposal to relax the longstanding ban on TV and audio broadcasts of federal criminal trials, Reuters reports. Media organizations had sought to loosen the ban. In a near unanimous vote, the U.S. Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules accepted a recommendation from a subcommittee to take no action and continue to disallow cameras in federal criminal trials.

The Tennessee Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday on whether Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan had the authority to vacate Pervis Payne’s death sentence in 2022 and replace it with two life sentences to be served concurrently. Payne was convicted in 1988 for the stabbing deaths of Charisse Christopher and her 2-year-old daughter. He has been in jail for 37 years and has maintained his innocence since being convicted. Payne appealed his case under a new state law that allows defendants to challenge death sentences if they are deemed to have an intellectual disability. The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office argued that Skahan had the authority to reduce Payne’s death sentence to life but not to change the structure of the sentences from consecutive to concurrent. Payne’s attorney argued the court had authority to do both since state law gives it “original and subject matter jurisdiction over all criminal matters that come before” it. Daily Memphian looks at the arguments.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated the law license of Williamson County lawyer Jason Scott Mangrum. On Oct. 4, Mangrum was suspended by the court for six months with 30 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. Mangrum filed a reinstatement petition on Oct. 28. The Board of Professional Responsibility found the petition to be satisfactory.

Tennessee lawyers gathered today at Topgolf Nashville for TBA’s 2024 Estate Planning Tee-off. Attendees heard from Charles Frazier with the Law Offices of Charles R. Frazier; Newman Bankston with Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis; Michael Goode with Lewis Thomason; Robert Malin with Pinnacle Financial Partners; and David Parsons with David Parsons Law. Topics included updates on irrevocable trusts, the Corporate Transparency Act, and estate, gift and fiduciary income tax planning. Thank you to event sponsors Pendleton Square Trust Company Inc. and the American Cancer Society. See photos from the event.

A swearing in ceremony for those who passed the July 2024 Tennessee Bar Exam was held in Memphis today. The event wrapped up a week of events held in Knoxville, Nashville and Jackson. Constance Brown and Cole Harrell-Morris from the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division were on hand to congratulate the new admittees. See photos from today's event.

Former state commissioner Christi Branscom has rejoined Knoxville-based Partners Development as principal, general counsel and managing broker, the Nashville Post reports. Branscom previously served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services for nearly six years. During her tenure, the department undertook renovations at the John Sevier State Office Building and the Tennessee State Library and Archives building and opened several facilities at state parks. Branscom earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and a law degree from the University of Memphis School of Law.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has transferred the law license of Davidson County lawyer Steven Lee Lefkovitz to disability inactive status. Lefkovitz may not practice law while on disability inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court by showing that the disability has been removed.

The 2026 election for Knox County mayor has narrowed with Knox County Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond withdrawing from the race for the Republican nomination. Knox News reports that he instead will seek reelection as court clerk. That decision leaves Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay, a Republican, as the only mayoral candidate so far. Hammond said he wants to focus be on his present role, where he says his team has “made wide-ranging improvements to benefit the court system and [the] citizens." Hammond, who served as a Knox County Commissioner from 2004-2014, was diagnosed in August with early-stage prostate cancer, which he says is treatable.