Chronic stress has the potential to cripple productivity levels and thwart effective advocacy for clients, but just one or two minutes of meditation and mindfulness can have immediate and far-reaching benefits, personally and professionally. Join the “How Mindfulness Can Help You Avoid Legal Burnout, Continue to Competently Perform Legal Services, and Remain Ethically Compliant” webcast on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. CDT for specific methods of integrating mindfulness into day-to-day law practice. Read more on the program and register here.

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page today signed off on two orders confirming the election of Justices Holly Kirby and Jeff Bivins to the Supreme Court Building Commissions of two cities. Kirby will serve on the Jackson commission and Bivins was elected to serve on the Nashville commission. As a result of his new role as chief justice, Page is now chair of the Jackson Supreme Court Building Commission. According to the State Courts website, the commissions control the three Supreme Court buildings in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson.

Parents from across the state spoke with legislators today about a bill that would require those reporting child abuse to identify themselves and allow those accused to petition the court for that information, the Tennessean reports. Sponsored by Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, House Bill 908/Senate Bill 1014 requires those who report child abuse, neglect and sexual abuse to disclose their names and contact information to the Department of Children's Services (DCS). That information would be kept confidential at the person’s request, but the accused can petition the court for the identity of the person who reported them. A judge could then release that information if there is “good cause shown.” Advocates for the measure say it would prevent false claims of child abuse stemming from a grudge, but DCS cautioned lawmakers that abolishing the anonymous reporting system might deter honest callers who fear retaliation by the accused. The TBA also opposes the legislation. 

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) today honored the Tennessee Supreme Court for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first day of the organization’s Equal Justice University (EJU) conference. The conference, held virtually this year, kicked off with a video of TALS Board and EJU Chair DarKenya Waller and TALS Executive Director Ann Pruitt delivering a special memento to Justice Jeff Bivins, who served as chief justice for the majority of the pandemic. Waller and Pruitt praised Bivins for his leadership of the court, and its work to keep state courts open and accessible during the pandemic. They presented Bivins with a personalized COVID can opener, adding that, just like Bivins, “it has all the tools to keep everything open.” Watch the full video on the Tennessee State Courts website.

A federal judge in Nashville yesterday delayed proceedings in a challenge to Gov. Bill Lee’s mask opt out order, instead waiting for the results of a Williamson County and Franklin Special School District school board meeting, the Tennessean reports. That school board meeting took place last night and both districts chose to extend existing mask mandates into January. Chief Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee was set to hear arguments yesterday for both a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Lee’s order, which allows parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates. Similar suits have been filed in Shelby and Knox counties. "I'm not inclined to issue orders without knowing the effect," Crenshaw said yesterday. He added that extending or ending local mask mandates may change the tenor of the lawsuit. Arguments in the case will be heard on Oct. 5, the same day Lee’s order can expire.

The U.S. Supreme Court has set a date to hear a Mississippi case that could pose a serious challenge to Roe v. Wade, NPR reports. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization tests whether all state laws that ban pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional. The high court agreed to hear the case earlier this year and yesterday set the date for Dec. 1. The scheduling announcement comes weeks after the court declined to intervene in a new Texas law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected and awards private citizens $10,000 for successfully suing anyone receiving, performing or helping facilitate an abortion. According to the Associated Press, the first lawsuits under Texas’ new law have been filed against Dr. Alan Braid, who last week publicly revealed that he had defied the law. He is being sued by two former lawyers from Arkansas and Illinois.

Federal Judge Sheryl Lipman is expected to make a ruling this week in the lawsuit over Gov. Bill Lee’s Executive Order 84, which allows parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates, the Daily Memphian reports. Three families who have children with disabilities filed suit over Lee’s order, arguing that it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lipman granted a temporary restraining order against the opt out policy on Sept. 3. It is set to expire on Friday. The plaintiffs have also requested class-action status in the suit and their attorney, Bryce Ashby, believes a ruling on that matter will also come quickly. State’s attorney Jim Newsom argued in a hearing last week that school districts can be creative and work outside normal limits to find solutions for students who are vulnerable to serious consequences if around other unmasked students.

Johnathan Minga has announced he plans to run in the Republican primary for Washington County General Sessions Judge, Part III. A Washington County native, Minga earned his law degree from the Appalachian School of Law. He has practiced in several areas since launching his legal career in 2008, including family law, criminal defense, juvenile law, civil litigation and personal injury. Minga joined the Law Offices of Tony Seaton in 2019, where he focuses on serious personal injury and trial practice. He has previously served on the board of the Washington County Bar Association and is a current board member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) will host a virtual fundraiser on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. CDT. “Oye Vecino LIVE” will feature an evening of live music, followed by a panel discussion on immigration in America. Attendees will enjoy tunes by Grammy-award winning artist Giovanni Rodriguez and a compelling panel discussion with Valentina Harper of Valentina Design, Karla Ruiz of Karla’s Catering and Dr. Alex Jahangir. Panelists will share their personal immigration stories and conduct an open discussion. Oye Vecino is a Spanish language podcast launched by JFON in 2020. It seeks to empower immigrant families living in the U.S. by providing trustworthy and reliable information. Register for the event here. 

Latitude, an on-demand legal services firm based in Nashville, is expanding to Austin and Boston, the Nashville Post reports. Founded in 2014 by former Bass Berry & Sims partner Ross Booher, Latitude expanded to Miami last year and has additional offices in Indianapolis and Atlanta. Latitude provides lawyers on a contract basis to corporate legal departments and law firms. “More and more legal departments and law firms are looking at flexible legal talent as part of new ways to deliver legal services, and our ability to fill those needs has been fuel for our growth,” Booher said in a release.