Gov. Bill Lee has sworn in Deniece Thomas as the new commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Thomas, who was previously deputy commissioner, succeeds Jeff McCord, who now leads Northeast State Community College. “Deniece is a dedicated public servant who has worked tirelessly to ensure Tennesseans, businesses and our economy thrive through meaningful work opportunities,” Lee said in a release. Thomas has been at the department since 2007. She holds a master’s degree from Lipscomb University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. The Nashville Post 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 on Oct. 20. 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 Oct. 17. Clients may sign up online. To volunteer, email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

The U.S. Supreme Court today held a ceremonial investiture for Ketanji Brown Jackson. She was officially sworn in on June 30 and will join the court when it opens its October session on Monday. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the event as did Belmont College of Law Dean Alberto Gonzales. Read about the ceremony in the Washington Post. During the next term, the court is expected to tackle cases dealing with free speech, affirmative action and election law. Read more about the upcoming docket in the ABA Journal.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a federal appeals court does not have the power to order an examination of a juror’s electronic devices to determine whether an outside influence affected the verdict. The ruling came in the case of Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld, a former Cincinnati City Council member who was convicted of bribery and attempted extortion, the ABA Journal reports. Sittenfeld had sought a forensic examination of the electronic devices of “Juror X” after learning that she had discussed another juror in a Facebook post, and that commenters on her Facebook posts had mentioned the trial. The judge in the case denied his request and that decision was upheld by the appeals court, which said, “a court cannot order a search of a juror’s belongings — electronic or otherwise.” If a judge suspects that juror misconduct constitutes a crime, that is a matter for a prosecutor to investigate, the court said.

The Knoxville Bar Association will hold its Fall Memorial Service on Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. EST in the Tennessee Supreme Court Courtroom. The KBA will remember those who died recently. That group includes: Michael L. DeBusk, Myron C. Ely, Judge Andrew J. Evans Jr., Anna Carylon Fox Hinds, James J. Montague Jr., George W. Morton Jr., Linda Jean Hamilton Mowles, Judge Robert P. Murrian, James “Jim” Anthony Ridley III, Robert E. Simpson, Thomas Gary Slaughter, Judge Charles D. Susano Jr., Lynn Paula Talley, Karmen Latrice Waters and Patty Wheeler. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee and Rev. Charles Fels will join KBA President Jason Long in honoring the lives of these individuals.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee today announced two judicial appointments. Amanda B. Dunn, an attorney with Houston & Alexander in Chattanooga, was named to the 11th Judicial District Criminal Court. She earned her law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. She fills a vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Tom Greenholtz to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section. In addition, Hector Sanchez was named to the 6th Judicial District Criminal Court. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, he currently serves as an assistant district attorney in the district, which covers Knox County. He replaces Judge Kyle A. Hixon, who also was confirmed to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section.

Colorado lawyer Robert Carroll Byrd Jr. reinstated was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Aug. 31 after being on inactive status more than five years. Byrd took inactive status on Jan. 29, 2013. He petitioned the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement and the Board of Professional Responsibility said it found the petition satisfactory. The court issued the order yesterday.

Criminal defense attorney Ben McGowan has been elected president of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TACDL). McGowan, an attorney with Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers, is the group’s first Chattanooga-based president in more than 25 years. He took office at TACDL’s annual meeting and conference, held over two days at the historic Read House Hotel in Chattanooga. McGowan praised the work of the organization. “TACDL is the only organization in Tennessee solely dedicated to strengthening the skills, knowledge and abilities of lawyers willing to do the sometimes thankless and often heartbreaking work of defending criminal defendants,” he tells the Hamilton County Herald.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law recently announced the hiring of Adriannette Williams as the law school’s first assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion. Williams will work closely with the dean and other leaders to develop, promote and facilitate the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategic goals and teach one course per semester. Williams is a first-generation law student from Tampa, where she worked in private practice, managed Hillsborough County’s dependency cases and as CLE director for the Florida Bar. She holds bachelor and master degrees from the University of West Florida and a law degree from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

The conservative group Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education with the intent of stopping President Joe Biden's student loan cancellation plan, Reuters reports. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the South District of Indiana, comes a day after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said that Biden's plan to cancel some student loan debt will cost $400 billion. "Congress did not authorize the executive branch to unilaterally cancel student debt," said Caleb Kruckenberg, an attorney at the foundation. The Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.