State Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, is proposing Tennessee adopt a uniform process for conducting recalls of non-constitutional public officials, WATE reports. Calhoun says the bill would not affect constitutional officers such as governor, secretary of state, attorney general or any county leadership. Instead, it would deal with city leadership and school boards. He says a situation in his own district motivated him to propose the legislation.

Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Ralph Avarado and Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti have announced that Joe Landsman will succeed Larry Fitzgerald as the Ballad Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) monitor in April 2024. Landsman, president and chief executive officer of the University of Tennessee Health System, has been with the university since 1999. He previously held senior level positions with other health care organizations. In his new role, Landsman will be responsible for evaluating the continued public advantage of the COPA by monitoring Ballad’s compliance and performance.

After exhausting “all available investigative avenues,” the Metro Nashville Police Department says it is unable to identify who leaked images of The Covenant School shooter’s writings to a radio host. The police, however, say that the images did not come from a current department employee or employees of the any partner agency, and that employees placed on administrative assignment during the investigation have since returned to their regular duties. A former detective had access to the images but is no longer with the department and police officials say they do not have the ability to compel statements or cooperation from former employees. The case file documenting the investigation will be presented to Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk’s Office for review, according to the Associated Press.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is joining 26 other state attorneys general and the Arizona state legislature in a letter asking the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to drop a proposed rule they argue violates the Second Amendment. The group writes that the rule risks making any individual who sells a firearm for profit — even to friends or family —liable to civil, administrative and even criminal penalties for failing to register with a federal agency. The proposed rule, “Definition of Engaged in the Business as a Dealer in Firearms,” was put out for public comment on Sept. 8. Read the letter.

Alabama lawyer Larry Wayne Brantley was censured on Friday by the Tennessee Supreme Court in response to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publicly reprimanding him and placing him on probation for 36 months with conditions. On Oct. 25, the court directed Brantley to respond to a notice of reciprocal discipline and provide any reason why the same discipline should not be imposed in Tennessee. The court reports that Brantley did not provide a response.

Six individuals have applied to be considered by the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments to fill a vacancy that will be created when Justice Roger A. Page retires from the court on Aug. 31, 2024. They are: 29th Judicial District Chancellor Tony Childress, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge J. Ross Dyer, McNairy County General Sessions & Juvenile Judge Van Douglas McMahan, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille R. McMullen, Memphis lawyer Jeffrey C. Smith and 30th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Mary L. Wagner. The Administrative Office of the Courts has links to each candidate’s application. The council will hold a public meeting to consider the candidates on Jan. 4, 2024, at the Belmont College of Law Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, 1901 15th Ave. S., Nashville 37212 at 9 a.m. CST. Interested individuals may attend the hearing and may express, orally or in writing, any objections concerning the applicants. The council is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward three names to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration.

TBA’s Year End CLE event offers a range of hour-based and topical packages. Want to learn more about operating your law practice? Check out the Law Practice Management Package, which offers 9.5 hours of dual credit and one hour of general credit. Courses bundled in the package include sessions on document management and retention, digital signatures, client data, understanding financial documents and tax returns, incorporating KPIs into a law practice, the latest in legal tech, and improving presentation skills. Looking for something else? Check out all packages here.

Don't miss the opportunity to lock in savings with the TBA's group health insurance. The deadline to enroll is Friday. The TBA BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee plan is guaranteed issue, and has no health questions and no pre-existing condition exclusions. And new this year, plans include the added benefit of a $15,000 life insurance policy for each insured. Don’t delay, get a quote today!

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reports that a new database is giving victims of sexual assault real-time updates on the evidence in their cases. According to the Tennessee Lookout, the SAMS-Track system is fully operational through a web portal after TBI logged 3,036 kits into it. The system requires police, hospitals and laboratories to log the dates they handle evidence to mark the path of a rape kit throughout the chain of command. TBI also recently told state lawmakers that the backlog of kits has improved. The average turnaround time for is now about 18 weeks, compared to 45 weeks a year ago.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division has opened its 2024-2025 leadership appointment and election filing process. Those interested in an appointed position on the division's board should review available positions and complete the online application by Feb. 28. For positions subject to election, nominating petitions should be filed with YLD Secretary Ross Smith no later than Feb. 15. We are still looking for petitions for West Tennessee Governor and for District Representatives in even-numbered districts (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14). District Representatives will be elected for two-year terms. For more information about these positions or to download a nominating petition visit the YLD Election Guidelines webpage. Elections for any contested races will take place between March 1 and April 1 by electronic voting.