The Tennessee Bar Association’s online renewal for 2021-2022 is now open! Renew your membership to continue your access to CLE programming with three pre-paid credits, TBA’s new Practice Management Center, free online legal research through Fastcase and timely information through TBA Today, TBA Podcasts and the Tennessee Bar Journal. Also now available is access to the TBA’s Group Health Insurance Plan, with open mid-year enrollment available now. Renewal emails are being sent now with a direct link to quickly renew your membership, or you can login and access renewal information through your MyTBA dashboard. 

The TBA Entertainment & Sports Law Section will host its annual CLE program on May 13 from 11 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. CDT. Presenters will provide up-to-date information and inside knowledge on some of the hottest topics in the entertainment and sports industries, including: catalog sales and the related financial and ethical components that come into play on both the buyer and seller sides; sports betting in Tennessee; the new age of artist development through TikTok; and the impact of cancel culture and morality clauses when it comes to holding artists accountable for their actions. The program is virtual and attendees will be able to ask questions through Zoom’s chat feature. Read more about the program and get registered.  

The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Circuit Court Judge in the 14th Judicial District. The vacancy was created by the retirement of  Judge L. Craig Johnson. The 14th Judicial District covers Coffee County. Applicants must be at least 30 years of age, a resident of the state for five years and a resident of the 14th Judicial District. Those interested should apply by noon CDT on April 13. The commission will hold a virtual hearing on May 14 at 9 a.m. CDT. It will be livestreamed on the Administrative Office of the Courts’ YouTube page. Read more about the vacancy on the AOC’s website.

Vanderbilt University John L. Seigenthaler Professor of American History Rhonda Y. Williams will deliver the next lecture in Vanderbilt Law School’s Dean’s Lecture Series on Race and Discrimination beginning tomorrow at noon CDT. Williams is a historian of low-income Black women’s and marginalized people’s experiences, everyday lives, politics and social struggles. Her research contributes to the rethinking of gender, political identity, citizenship, civil rights, Black liberation struggles and interactions with the U.S. state. The lecture series seeks to provide foundational knowledge on race, civil rights, discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, and critical historical milestones and their importance. The event is free and open to the public. Register online.

A Nashville court created to resolve evictions before the national moratorium ends in June has settled more than 100 eviction cases, WPLN reports. The housing court was established in February and overseen by Judge Rachel Bell in partnership with the Metropolitan Action Commission and Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk Richard Rooker. The Nashville Conflict Resolution Center provided additional mediation work for the project. The goal of the court is to mediate eviction claims and use federal money to pay late rent bills. Those who have had their cases resolved have benefitted by avoiding an eviction on their record and their landlords have gotten paid. Part of the challenge with resolving so many cases is that landlords must agree to participate and the court is trying to work through a large backlog of cases.

Four people have been indicted on misdemeanor charges stemming from a July 4 protest at the home of Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich, the Daily Memphian reports. All four have been charged with disorderly conduct and two with vandalism. They are accused of joining a crowd of roughly 40 others last summer in a protest outside Weirich’s East Memphis home, where they called for her to be fired, for release of jail detainees during the COVID-19 pandemic and for an end to cash bail. A video from the incident showed Roman Candles being fired toward Weirich's roof, which did not catch fire, removing flags from Weirch's yard, crossing a physical property line and subsequently setting those flags and another, larger flag, on fire. District Attorney General Kim Helper of the 21st Judicial District was appointed to investigate the incident. A court date has not been set in the cases and it is unclear if more will be charged.

Two cases are scheduled to go before the Tennessee Supreme Court tomorrow. One will be livestreamed and the other will be submitted on briefs. Oral arguments for State of Tennessee v. Jeremy Reynolds can be heard live on the Administrative Office of the Courts’ YouTube page beginning at 9 a.m. CDT. In re Loring Edwin Justice will be submitted on briefs. The AOC’s website has more on each case.

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday reinstated the death sentence of Tennessee inmate Anthony Hines, reversing a lower court decision that Hines had received inadequate defense counsel, The Hill reports. Hines was convicted of the 1985 murder of a maid, but was granted a new trial by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit last year. The appeals court ruled that Hines’ lawyer had failed to advance an alternative legal theory that pinned the murder on another man. SCOTUS reversed that ruling in an 8-1 decision, which found that any shortcomings in Hines’ defense failed to clear the high legal hurdle needed to set aside his conviction. The justices also ruled that the 6th Circuit failed to take into account evidence supporting Hines’ guilt, including “His flight in a bloody shirt; his possession of the victim’s keys, wallet, and car; his recurring association with knives; or his ever-changing stories about tussling with imaginary assailants.”      

The Tennessee House of Representatives has approved legislation that would allow state residents to carry handguns without a permit, the Tennessean reports. The bill, backed by Gov. Bill Lee, would allow for permitless concealed or open carry for most adults 21 and older. The Senate passed the bill two weeks ago, and the governor is expected to sign it into law. In related news, on Friday, the Memphis City Council passed a resolution opposing the bill. Council members said the proposed legislation would endanger the “health, welfare and public safety” of Memphians. Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings, District Attorney General Amy Weirich and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also have said they oppose the measure.

The TBA Mentoring Committee will host a virtual program allowing mentors and mentees, or those who are interested in becoming mentors and mentees, to share successful ways to network remotely and ask questions of colleagues. Each group will meet separately in a Zoom breakout room and then come together to share insights. The program will take place April 6 from 4 to 5 p.m. CDT. RSVP here.