Two Republicans are vying to succeed Judge Jean Stanley, who is not seeking reelection as the 1st Judicial District Circuit Court, Part II judge, the Johnson City Press reports. Suzanne Cook, a litigator and adjunct faculty member at the University of Tennessee College of Law, will face Lois Bunton-Shults-Davis, a past special master, receiver and mediator, on the May 3 primary ballot. Both candidates answered questions from the paper on why they want to serve on the bench, how they would describe their temperament, and what improvements they would like to see made to the judicial process.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division, Belmont Law and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands last week hosted an expungement clinic in Murfreesboro. The clinic was held in partnership with Murfreesboro Cold Patrol, a homelessness outreach organization. Nine attorneys and nine law students volunteered their time to serve individuals experiencing homelessness, facing expungement issues and needing advice on fee waivers and voting rights reinstatement. To get involved in future clinics, contact YLD Access to Justice Coordinator Alix Rogers.

The Knoxville Bar Association will hold its annual Law Day luncheon on April 29 at the Hilton Knoxville Downtown. The event will showcase the work of the association and its young lawyers group, the Barristers. The Barristers also will present the Law & Liberty Award. This year’s Law Day theme, “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change,” explores the provisions of the Constitution that delegate power, articulate rights and offer mechanisms for change.

The Davidson County Election Commission will take its legal battle over a 2021 anti-tax hike referendum to the Tennessee Supreme Court after voting 3-2 yesterday to appeal. The referendum at the center of the litigation included initiatives aimed at curbing Metro government's power to increase property taxes, the Tennessean reports. A trial court judge ruled against the commission last June and the Court of Appeals affirmed that decision in March. The Supreme Court previously declined to hear the case on an expedited basis, but commission attorneys say the case poses significant questions of law, which the high court may choose to hear under normal circumstances.

The state of Tennessee yesterday filed an emergency motion to stay a lower court ruling that blocked the General Assembly's Senate redistricting map and ordered the chamber to submit a new map in 15 days. In the appeal, Attorney General Herbert Slattery argued that those who brought suit over the redistricting map unnecessarily delayed in doing so. The injunction issued earlier in the day Thursday could result in “electoral chaos," Slattery said, since it came less than 24 hours before the candidate filing deadline for Senate legislative elections. The court extended that deadline to May 5, the Tennessean reports. Tennessee Democratic Party-backed plaintiffs sued over the map in February, arguing that the legislature unconstitutionally numbered Senate districts nonconsecutively.

Shelby County commissioners recently approved adding $10.9 million to the budget for renovating the former Shelby Training Center for the new Youth Justice and Education Center, which will house a courtroom, educational classrooms, gymnasium and detention facilities. That brings total funding for the project to $28 million, the Commercial Appeal reports. But some are concerned that the design of the building prioritizes incarceration over rehabilitation, News 5 reports. The current juvenile detention facility at 616 Adams has long drawn negative attention. A 2017 report noted that not all cells have natural light and that none are ADA accessible. Poor air conditioning and consistent mechanical problems also have caused issues over the years.

The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is seeking speakers for its annual educational conference set for Aug. 15-17 at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. The bureau specifically is looking for engaging and informative presentations that can improve injury outcomes, cooperation between stakeholders and the quality and efficiency of the state workers' compensation system. Topics should be of interest to a potential audience of 400+ that will include employers and human resource representatives, employee representatives, plaintiff and defense attorneys, insurance carriers and adjusters, nurse case managers, risk managers, health care providers and safety professionals. Requests to present should be sent to tn.workcomp@tn.gov by May 13 and include the name(s) of the presenter(s), a summary of the topic(s) to be discussed, learning objectives and a biography of each presenter. Contact Jeff Francis, 615-253-6269 for more information.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold three clinics this week. On Tuesday, the group will hold a general clinic at 4:40 p.m. at the Gallatin Civic Center, 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., 37066. On Wednesday, a clinic for veterans will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT in Nashville at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S., 37203. Then on Thursday, a clinic will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro, 37130. All times central. Those attending must wear a mask. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all April clinics.

Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Martin was officially sworn in as the newest member of the Tennessee House of Representatives on Monday, Chattanoogan.com reports. He was appointed by the Hamilton County Commission on March 30 to represent House District 26, which includes part of Hamilton County. He fills a vacancy left by former Rep. Robin Smith, who resigned in March after being charged with wire fraud. Martin, who has also worked as a realtor and Hamilton County School Board member, holds a master’s and doctoral degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Biden administration announced last week that it would rescinded Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allows for expulsion of migrants at the border and blocks them from seeking asylum due to health concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic. The order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will take effect May 23. On Monday, attorneys general for Arizona, Missouri and Louisiana announced they were suing the administration over the decision. The Hill has more on both stories.