Metro Nashville’s original board governing the city’s airport is back in charge after a three-judge panel ruled that an alternative board created by the state legislature was unconstitutional. Tennessee Lookout reports that the panel found that state legislators violated the home rule concept by targeting Nashville. The Attorney General's Office tells another news source that it is reviewing the decision. Metro Nashville sued to block the law’s implementation at the time it was signed into law, but over the summer, the judges allowed the new board to gain control while they considered the case.

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Scott Green has denied Christa Pike’s motion to reopen her case and reduce her sentence, meaning she will remain on death row, according to the Tennessean. Pike, 47, is the only woman on death row and the last person sentenced to death in Tennessee who was 18 at the time of the crime. Pike’s attorneys argued that a recent Tennessee Supreme Court decision showed that age should be considered in sentencing. They also noted that she suffered from untreated severe mental illness and a history of repeated physical and sexual abuse. Green rejected the appeal, saying the Supreme Court’s decision applies only to juveniles. Pike was convicted in 1996 of murdering fellow student Colleen Slemmer at the Knoxville Job Corps. In 2004, she was convicted of attempted murder while she was incarcerated.

Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is actively exploring a run for Congress, according to the Nashville Post. The paper reports that Barry has confirmed to another news source that she is considering a race against Rep. Mark Green, R-Clarksville, for the Seventh District seat. Barry resigned as mayor in 2018 amid a scandal involving her security chief. Barry’s political career started in 2007 when she won one of Nashville’s five at-large councilmember seats. She won a second term in 2011. She ran for mayor in 2015, beating her opponent by 10 percentage points.

A group of Tennessee families and doctors have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court ruling that allowed the state to enforce a ban on gender transition medical treatments for minors. In September, the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals allowed Tennessee to enforce the ban, saying the law does not discriminate on the basis of age or sex. Families first sued the state in April and within weeks, the U.S. Justice Department joined the suit. A federal district judge had temporarily blocked the state from enforcing the law. If the high court agrees to take up the case, it would be its first consideration of transgender medical treatment restrictions, according to the Tennessean. The ACLU of Tennessee has the filing and more on the case.

Five states have announced they intend to administer the new “NextGen” bar exam, which is scheduled to eventually replace the licensure test currently given to aspiring attorneys. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) reports that admission agencies in Maryland, Missouri and Oregon intend to administer the new exam in July 2026. Wyoming intends to administer the exam in July 2027. Connecticut has announced it also will administer the new exam but it has not set its first administration date. The NCBE also reports that it has updated its website to include information about the exam and has produced a fact sheet to provide context for the transition.

Although the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct only briefly mention “zealous representation,” clients, courts and disciplinary authorities often expect and demand it. This three-hour webcast will look at the ethics and malpractice risks when “zealous” representation crosses the line. Learn more or register here.

Make plans now to attend the annual TBA Health Law Primer and Health Law Forum CLE programs this Wednesday followed by the forum on Thursday and Friday. The primer is designed for those new to health practice and will provide an introduction to the U.S. health care system, issues of fraud and abuse, provider licensing and employment and contracting. The two-day forum will dig deeper into topics such as The False Claims Act, telehealth, antitrust, artificial intelligence and legislative developments. A block of hotel rooms is reserved for those traveling to the event. Get details at the links above.

Migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under then-President Donald Trump will receive temporary legal status and other benefits, according to a summary of a settlement agreement filed on Oct. 16. Reuters reports that the agreement applies to some 3,900 children separated from their parents. The ACLU represented separated families in a lawsuit first filed in 2018. The agreement also bars similar separations in the future according to reports.

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) will hold three legal clinics in November. The “Attorney of the Day Clinic” will take place Nov. 2 and 16 from 1-3 p.m. CST at the Shelby County Courthouse, 140 Adams Ave., Room 134, Memphis 38103. The monthly Saturday clinic at the Benjamin Hooks Library will take place Nov. 11 beginning at 10 a.m. The library is located at 3030 Poplar Ave., Memphis 38111. For both clinics, clients will be served on a first come, first served basis. For questions or to volunteer contact Heather Staggs or Walter Casey.

A new report from Just City Court Watch has found a “pattern of low scores in sensitivity and neutrality, raising concerns about the fairness of case adjudications” in Memphis courtrooms. The report also highlights the length of time that cases remain unresolved and the frequency of charge dismissals. The October 2023 Court Watch Report is the culmination of a year of collaboration between Just City and the Public Data Accountability Project. Read more about the study in an email from the group.