Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced this week that a federal judge has granted his motion for a temporary restraining order against solar panel retailer Ideal Horizon Benefits LLC, known as Solar Titan USA. Skrmetti’s office is suing the company for allegedly making false representations about its products. Also this week, Skrmetti announced he joined a 24-state coalition in filing a lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and its director. The suit seeks to enjoin a recently issued administrative rule governing “stabilizing braces,” commonly known as “pistol braces.” 

The Tennessee Supreme Court this week issued an order approving a proposal from the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission to increase the number of course hours for family mediators who wish to obtain the designation “Specifically Trained in Domestic Violence Issues.” The order amends Rule 31(14)(g) to increase the required training from 12 to 16 hours. Read the commission's original proposal.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today dismissed a petition from Davidson County lawyer Donald W. Fisher seeking to have his licensed transferred to disability inactive status. Fisher filed the petition on Jan. 23. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported to the court on Feb. 7 that the petition could be dismissed given that Fisher died Jan. 31.

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, said yesterday that he checked himself into the Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to an irregular heartbeat. McNally, who is also the Senate speaker, said he will likely need a pacemaker to help regulate cardiac issues. In a Tweet yesterday, McNally thanked people for their support and said he hopes to return to work soon. Read more from the Tennessean.

Monterrious Harris, a 22-year-old Black man, has filed a lawsuit against the city of Memphis and the five police officers accused of fatally beating Tyre Nichols, saying they assaulted him three days before attacking Nichols. Harris says he was swarmed by a "large group" wearing black clothing and brandishing firearms and other weapons while he was inside a vehicle in early January. The men, who did not identify themselves according to Harris, allegedly made threats to end his life if he did not exit his car. They then engaged in "a swift, violent, and continuous physical assault … that included punching, stomping, and dragging him across concrete," the lawsuit states. The incident ended with Harris being taken to jail on what he claims was a “host of false criminal charges" Axios reports on the incident.

Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk's team installed listening devices around the office capable of picking up conversations of employees and visitors who are not warned about audio monitoring, NewsChannel 5 reports. Funk's office says the move was a necessary part of office security and "there is no reasonable expectation of privacy for conversations in public places." Some disagree pointing to federal and state wiretapping laws that make it a crime to record conversations of unsuspecting individuals. Defense attorneys also are expressing concern. Jonathan Cooper, a past president of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer (TACDL), called it a "betrayal of trust” noting it is common for defense lawyers to go to the office with associates, co-counsel or investigators. The vendor that installed the devices has confirmed they were placed in elevator lobbies and the main office lobby.

The Rutherford Courthouse Museum in downtown Murfreesboro is preserving the history of the area. This month, the museum is highlighting artifacts that honor Black civil rights leaders and the fight to integrate schools, the Daily News reports. The exhibits — "The Fight For Civil Rights: Building Foundations" and "The Fight For Civil Rights: Getting Organized" — are free and open seven days a week. Supporters of the temporary exhibit would like to have an on-going display at the courthouse and some have expressed interest in expanding the offerings to honor Native tribes who lived in the county and Laotian refugees who have settled in the area. The Tennessean has the story.

The Arts & Business Council's Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts is joining the law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in providing free legal services for Black-owned small businesses and nonprofits at a clinic in Nashville on Feb. 16. Issues to be covered include questions about business formation, corporate governance, contract review and navigating local ordinances and state regulations. Eligible businesses may receive up to one hour of assistance but must register by Monday. Clients may sign up online. To volunteer, email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

A new course from the TBA seeks to expand the group of legal advocates certified to serve Tennessee veterans, who are underrepresented in the Veterans Affairs Department’s (VA) claims and appeals processes. Introduction to the Practice of Veterans Law — a live virtual event on April 5 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT — will cover information about claims procedures, basic eligibility for benefits, right to appeal, disability compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and pensions. Presenters will be James R. Drysdale with the VA Office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C., and VA certified lawyers Seth Ogden and Rita Gibson Rayford.

In a rare rebuke from the bench, and one of his last acts before retiring, Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Mark Fishburn called law enforcement actions in the Paul Shane Garrett case “malfeasance” and accused the district attorney of knowingly leaving an innocent man in jail for a decade. He went on to say the case highlighted “intentional wrongdoing on so many occasions and at all levels of local law enforcement.” Read more from the Nashville Banner. Garrett was incarcerated for 10 years for a crime former District Attorney Torry Johnson’s office and the Metro Nashville Police Department later concluded there was “no credible evidence” he committed. In 2021, the Conviction Review Unit under District Attorney Glenn Funk vacated Garrett’s conviction. Garrett won a $1.2 million settlement this week, the Tennessean reports.