Joseph Byrd has joined the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts as the lead attorney for the newly created Indigent Services Team. In his new role, Byrd will manage the team that oversees the indigent representation program, which provides court-appointed attorneys in certain types of legal cases. He most recently was an assistant attorney general in the civil law division at the state attorney general’s office. He previously was disciplinary counsel for the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility and attorney for Bradley County. In private practice, he served as a court-appointed defense counsel in criminal and post-conviction cases and as a guardian ad litem in dependency, neglect and abuse cases. Read more from the AOC.

Tennessee Rep. Scotty Campbell, vice chair of the Republican Caucus from Mountain City, resigned today when confronted with the news that he had been found guilty of sexually harassing at least one legislative intern, likely two, by a House ethics subcommittee acting in secret, NewsChannel 5 reports. The subcommittee did not release the report, which was issued on March 29 and found that Campbell violated the body's policy against workplace discrimination and harassment. It is not clear how NewsChannel 5 learned of the decision. Campbell had been accused previously of making vulgar comments and other inappropriate advances. The intern in question reportedly was relocated from the downtown building where she and Campbell both had apartments and was housed in a downtown hotel for the remainder of her internship. Legislative officials have not said how much they paid for those accommodations, saying the information is confidential. Confronted with the allegations today, Campbell referenced a second intern who apparently was involved in the investigation. "I had consensual, adult conversations with two adults off property," he said.

A grand jury in Hamilton County has issued a report calling for updates to the juvenile detention center, more resources for officers and updated cameras in school classrooms. With regard to the detention center, the group writes that it is “essential that the county/city budget find the money to immediately update the current facility, as it is in much needed repair.” They also say it needs to be expanded, noting the facility currently does not offer space for any outdoor recreation. Read the full report from Chattanoogan.com.

Following a one-week delay in the release of its new law school rankings, U.S. News now says it will delay the results indefinitely. The rankings based on new criteria were supposed to have been unveiled this week but the magazine delayed the release until April 25. Yesterday afternoon, it said it would further delay release with no new date announced. Above the Law reports that law schools have challenged pre-release data as full of errors. It has a copy of the message sent to deans about the postponement. A Yale Law spokesperson told Law.com, “Many scholars and deans have expressed serious concerns about the company’s inability to produce accurate, error-free rankings.”

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will be the keynote speaker for the Jackson-Madison County Bar Association and West Tennessee Legal Services Law Day celebration on May 12. The event will take place at noon at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 309 E. Baltimore St., Jackson 38301. Tickets are $25 for attorneys and $15 for non-attorneys and can be purchased online. Lunch will be provided. For questions contact Andy Cole, president of the Jackson-Madison County Bar Association, at JMCBarAssociation@gmail.com.

In celebration of the upcoming Law Day, the American Bar Association will present results from its fifth Survey of Civic Literacy during a live online event April 27 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. EDT. The annual survey measures the American public’s civics knowledge as well as their views on a range of topical issues. This year’s results include the public’s knowledge on how government works and what people think about collaboration among political leaders on issues such as Social Security, gun rights and reproductive rights. The event is free but registration is required.

Tennessee Reps. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, will have to stand for election in special elections this summer to fill their seats following expulsion from the Tennessee state House. Both won quick approval to be reappointed to the positions until a special election is held. Primaries for both seats are now set for June 15 with a general election set for Aug. 3. The pair, in addition to Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville — who also protested against gun violence but survived an expulsion vote — will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday, the Tennessean reports. 

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will hold a free webinar on April 26 at 9 a.m. CDT for people interested in learning more about tax compliance and collections. The session will cover topics such as accrual of penalty and interest, informal conferences, assessments, levies and tax liens, payment plans and more. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month. Learn more or register.

A new episode from Nashville Public Radio’s “This is Nashville” podcast reflects on the life and legacy of Nashville lawyer Z. Alexander Looby, who played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement in Middle Tennessee. The episode looks at his involvement in the legal aftermath of the 1946 Columbia race riot and the night a bomb exploded his home. While he and his wife escaped unscathed, the bomber behind the assassination attempt was never identified. Learn more about his story.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday appointed Jamie Brooks as chancellor for the Seventh Judicial District. The appointment is effective immediately. Brooks fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Chancellor Nichole Cantrell. Brooks is currently a solo practitioner at Wilson & Brooks. He brings more than 37 years of varied legal expertise to the bench, including in real property law, family law, wills and estates and criminal defense. Brooks earned his law degree at the University of Tennessee College of Law. The judicial district covers Anderson County. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.