The U.S. federal judiciary this week issued warnings urging lawyers to beware of emails mimicking notifications of electronic court filings in cases they are handling. Reuters reports that the emails seek to lure recipients to a malicious website with computer viruses. Law firms and lawyers nationwide have received fake notices that purport to come from the federal judiciary but are actually phishing attempts, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said. Read the notice from the office.

Though Memphis residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of gun reform on Tuesday, the measures will not go into effect unless state law is changed. The Commercial Appeal reports that the measures were written as “trigger laws,” which will only take effect if state legislators change the law or carve out an exception for Memphis. According to the Daily Memphian, Memphis City Council Chairman JB Smiley Jr. says the council should approve the measures and have an ordinance on the books should state law change.

The first bill filed ahead of Tennessee's 2025 legislative session is a revival of Gov. Bill Lee's plan for a statewide expansion of school vouchers, Axios reports. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, introduced HB1/SB1 respectively yesterday. This year’s version of the bill also includes teacher bonuses and a funding guarantee for public schools, according to the Nashville Banner. "This bill empowers parents — not the government — to make decisions about the unique needs and diverse interests of their children," Lamberth said in a statement. On the other side, state Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, said the plan would divert "public dollars away from underfunded public schools."

The TBA's 2024 Environmental Law Forum will take place Nov. 15 at the Nashville office of Butler Snow. This staple for Tennessee environmental lawyers features government, in-house and private practice attorneys discussing timely topics affecting the practice area. Sessions at this year’s event include endangered species litigation, underground storage tanks, drinking water, Chevron, ethics and more. Do not miss this opportunity to earn CLE while networking with colleagues from across the state. Environmental Law Section members receive discount pricing. Not a member of the section? Join here.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently announced settlements with corporate defendants Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex — contingent upon obtaining signatures from all necessary states and territories — to resolve allegations that both companies engaged in widespread, long-running conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs. The deals total $49.1 million. As part of the settlement, both companies agree to cooperate in the ongoing multistate litigations against 30 corporate defendants and adopt a series of internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, defeated state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, yesterday to retain her U.S. Senate seat. Johnson, who also ran for reelection to her state House seat, was unopposed and won that race. Blackburn has been floated as a possible cabinet pick in the second Trump administration but she told NewsChannel 5 that she intends to stay in the Senate. In other races, all of Tennessee’s U.S. House members were reelected, including 1st District Rep. Diana Harshbarger, 2nd District Rep. Tim Burchett, 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, 4th District Rep. Scott DesJarlai, 5th District Rep. Andy Ogles, 6th District Rep. John Rose, 7th District Rep. Mark Green, 8th District Rep. David Kustoff and 9th District Rep. Steve Cohen, the delegation’s lone Democrat. The Tennessean looks at all these races.

According to Secretary of State Tre Hargett, some Tennessee voters received text messages on election day saying, “Your 2024 presidential election ballot has been officially removed from consideration.” Hargett responded to the reports calling the messages “nothing more than a scam.” However, his office did report the situation to authorities for further investigation. The Daily Memphian reports that Hargett did not specify how many voters received the texts or in what parts of the state the messages circulated.

There is still time to sign up for this week’s Topgolf Estate Planning Tee-off! Topics to be covered include trust modifications, during which presenters will explore nonjudicial settlement agreements and decanting, along with the benefits and pitfalls of each. Other topics include tax considerations for estate plans and the Corporate Transparency Act. This unique event provides attendees with planning essentials and a chance to earn CLE, as well as fine-tune their golf game. The tee-off is a great team building opportunity and offers practical information for those entering the practice or brushing up on basics. Learn more and register here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear arguments Nov. 6 in Jackson in the case of State of Tennessee v. Pervis Tyrone Payne. The court will look at whether the trial court had jurisdiction to reconsider the consecutive alignment of sentences after a determination of intellectual disability. Payne was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder. He was sentenced to death for the murder charges and to 30 years in the assault case, to be run consecutively. In 2021, the General Assembly provided a process by which death row inmates may challenge the death penalty due to an intellectual disability. Payne filed under the new law and after evaluation was determined to meet the definition of intellectual disability. Payne’s attorneys and the state agreed that he should receive two life sentences but disagreed whether the sentences should be served consecutively or concurrently. The trial court found that the sentences should run concurrently. The appeals court affirmed. The state is appealing that decision. Arguments will begin at 1 p.m. CST and be livestreamed to the TNCourts YouTube page.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ordered a change in the classification of personal contact information that attorneys provide to the Board of Professional Responsibility. Personal contact information now will be considered confidential and not public record. The change was requested by the board in June. After receiving comments from the Tennessee Bar Association, the Knoxville Bar Association and others that lawyers should be asked to provide alternative contact information that can be made public, the court allowed TBA and the board to develop new language, which it now has adopted. The alternative contact information must be submitted by Jan. 1, 2025. Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.