A coalition of 20 Republican-led states filed a lawsuit yesterday seeking to end a new Biden administration program that would allow up to 30,000 people a month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to apply for temporary immigration status in the United States. As part of the plan, Biden also authorized authorities to expel the same number of migrants from those countries if they cross the border without authorization. The suit alleges that the Department of Homeland Security exceeded its legal authority when it rolled out the initiative earlier this month. Roll Call has more on the story. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined the suit. Read his statement.

The TBA Corporate Counsel Forum will take place April 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT as a live virtual event. Join us online for this opportunity to earn four hours of general CLE credit. Watch for details about speakers and program topics coming soon.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota recently put the popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT up against actual students in a blind comparison of their performance on law school exams in four courses. The ChatGPT's grades ranged from a B to C- with an average of a C+. The human tests resulted in a B+ average. The good news? ChatGPT cannot yet outscore most law students on exams. The bad news? It can pass. Read more about the study from Reuters.

The TBA Immigration Law Section will host its annual forum live in Nashville on May 10 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CDT. Immigration Section Chair Arléne Amarante, a professor at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law, will produce the program, which will offer five hours of general credit. Watch for more details coming soon.

For the first time since March 2020, the justices took the bench last week for in-person opinion announcements, SCOTUSblog reports. Announcements were not livestreamed but the blog provided live coverage of the session. Among the decisions announced, the court said it unanimously rejected a case that sought to expand attorney-client privilege. Chief Justice John Roberts explained the decision saying the “writ of certiorari is dismissed as improvidently granted.” Finally, the court released a list of orders and new cases it will consider.

U.S. Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley on Friday clarified earlier remarks about the probe into the leaked Dobbs decision saying that she questioned the nine justices but did not require them to sign sworn affidavits. Bloomberg reports that all other 97 employees who were interviewed did sign such statements. “The justices actively cooperated in this iterative process, asking questions and answering mine,” Curley said in a statement. “I followed up on all credible leads, none of which implicated the justices or their spouses.” She added that she “did not believe that it was necessary to ask the justices to sign sworn affidavits.” The TBA Today story on Jan. 19 indicated that all those interviewed signed sworn affidavits.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee was sworn into a second term of office in Nashville on Saturday, Tennessee Lookout reports. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page administered the oath of office. In his acceptance speech, Lee touted his first term achievements in education, health care and rural economic development. He also highlighted what his priorities might be for the coming term, referencing chronic problems in the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, the need for a transportation strategy and efforts to conserve Tennessee’s environment. Lee is expected to expound further on his second term priorities during his State of the State address on Jan. 30.

Shelby County lawyer Paul Forrest Craig was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court today. The court found that Craig failed to effectuate service of process in a timely manner or otherwise advance a civil action on behalf of his client. After receiving notice from the court that the case would be dismissed unless action was taken, Craig also failed to file any motion seeking to preserve the case. Finally, he misread the order of dismissal as being “without prejudice” and negligently informed his client that she had one year to refile her complaint. Craig agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 3.2.

Thomas Swain Kale, 83, of Chattanooga died last Tuesday after a battle with cancer. Kale earned his law degree from Duke University in 1964 and moved to Chattanooga where he joined the firm of Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams. He spent his entire career at the firm and though he officially retired, he maintained an office there until his death. Kale focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions, transactional matters, real estate, bankruptcy and business litigation, and corporate law. Visitation will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. EST in the Key-Andrews Hall of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 West 7th St., Chattanooga 37402. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. EST. A reception will follow the service. Memorial donations may be made to the church, Metropolitan Ministries or to a charity of the donor's choosing. 

Nashville attorney Roger Arling Milam died Jan. 17 at the age of 78. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Milam handled fidelity and surety law matters and served as U.S. District Court clerk for the Middle District of Tennessee. He served three years in the Navy including a tour of duty in Vietnam onboard the USS DeHaven as communications officer. Upon honorary discharge, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve and retired as captain in 1995. Visitation will be held Feb. 3 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. CST at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 9090 Highway 100, Nashville, TN 37221. A celebration of life will follow at 1:30 p.m. A reception will cap off the day. Memorial donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Association, 1801 West End Ave. Ste. 200, Nashville, TN, 37203. Please put “TN Chapter #208” in the memo line of checks.