Federal public defenders are asking Gov. Bill Lee to issue a moratorium on all executions, one week after the governor delayed the execution of Oscar Franklin Smith due to “technical oversight” in the lethal injection process, the Tennessean reports. Kelley Henry, chief of the federal public defender's habeas unit, says she wants an immediate independent review of the problem. In a letter to Lee, Henry wrote a review would be “the right thing to do for the residents of this state who deserve to know that the most solemn act of government is approached with the utmost care and professionalism.” Lee issued a temporary reprieve roughly one hour before Smith was scheduled to be executed on April 21, with no explanation. He has said he will release more details Monday.

Three attorneys selected by Gov. Bill Lee to serve on the state’s appeals court and criminal appeals court were yesterday confirmed to the bench by Tennessee lawmakers, the Times Free Press reports. Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tom Greenholtz and Knox County Criminal Court Judge Kyle Hixson were both confirmed to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Division. Jeffrey Usman, an associate professor of law at Belmont University College of Law, was confirmed to serve on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Middle Division. In a release announcing their appointments in March, Lee said he was sure the nominees would “serve our state with the highest integrity.” The Nashville Post reported that each appointment would be effective Sept. 1.

The #TeamTBA series continues today with the CLE department’s Jarod Word! Jarod is a Senior Education & Professional Development Coordinator. In that role, he facilitates a number of TBA sections and the Attorney Well Being and Public Education committees. He authors section newsletters, does a variety of behind-the-scenes work and runs one of the TBA’s biggest programs – the Annual Health Law CLE. If his life were turned into a movie, Jarod would ideally like to be portrayed by Tom Hardy, but realistically thinks it would be someone more like Larry David.

The #TeamTBA series offers members a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the TBA and how each staff member makes the association run. Check back every Wednesday for a new staff profile in TBA Today and on the TBA's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. 

The Tennessee Bar Association’s renewal portal for 2022-2023 is open! Renew your membership to continue your access to CLE programming with three pre-paid credits, TBA’s 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 and Solo Health Insurance Plans. Attorneys not participating in the TBA's firm billing program can login and access renewal information through your MyTBA dashboard.

In the most recent episode of the TBA Legislative Updates podcast, TBA Public Policy & Government Affairs Director Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley cover the final word on the professional privilege tax. Unfortunately, the state budget, which has now passed the House and Senate, did not include language that would reduce or eliminate the professional privilege tax for attorneys. House and Senate leadership did eliminate the doctors from the list of professions that have to pay this tax as a thank you to the doctors for being on the front lines of the pandemic for the last two years. The TBA will continue the push to eliminate the professional privilege tax and to encourage members to bring up the need to eliminate the tax any time when in contact with members of the legislature. On a positive note, it appears that the extra $3 million the governor allocated to indigent representation stayed in the budget that passed the House and Senate.

The Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) has submitted comments to proposed amendments to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9 and Rule 25, regarding Tennessee’s current annual registration fee. In the comments, the BPR expresses support for an increase in annual attorney registration fees. It also supports raising the Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection (TLFCP) attorney cap. Finally, it supports TLFCP’s petition to publicize payments of claims to state judges, the bar and the public. Read the full comment.

This Saturday’s legal clinic hosted by the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will no longer be held in-person and will now be held virtually by phone. The clinic is set for 8:30 until 10:30 a.m. CDT. If you have questions, please email the clinic coordinator at kcheek@las.org. See a list of all April clinics.

Nashville non-profit The Equity Alliance (TEA) released voter guides this week for the May 3 primaries in Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga, the Daily Memphian reports. The 54-page Shelby County guide includes information on voter-registration requirements, including the ID requirement for absentee voting. All early-voting sites are listed, as are resources for voters who believe their rights have been violated. Information about each office is also included, as well as profiles on all candidates who responded to TEA’s survey questions. Contact information for each candidate is provided and TEA encourages readers to reach out to candidates directly. The Equity Alliance is a women-led nonprofit organization designed to build political and economic power in Black communities statewide. Find all three voter guides on TEA’s website.  

Attorneys for the Town of Mason are vowing to continue the legal battle against the Tennessee comptroller over its plans to take over financial control of the city, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Davidson County Chancery Court Judge Anne Martin last week denied the town’s request to issue a preliminary injunction that would put a temporary halt to the state’s financial takeover, noting the comptroller’s “broad authority” over local government operations. Martin also said she has not been presented with enough evidence to rule on Mason’s allegations of racial discrimination. “The Town of Mason plans continuing to litigate this matter until a satisfactory conclusion is reached which preserves the sovereignty of its elected leadership and complies with all laws and regulations regarding its finances,” said Van Turner, an attorney representing Mason. Comptroller Jason Mumpower formally took control of Mason’s finances on April 4.

Matt Wiltshire of the Metro Development and Housing Agency will leave his post on April 29 as he considers a bid for Nashville mayor, the Nashville Post reports. Wiltshire spent 15 years in investment banking before joining then-Mayor Karl Dean’s staff as head of economic and community development in 2011. He continued in the role under mayors Megan Barry and David Briley before joining MDHA as chief strategy and intergovernmental affairs officer in 2019. Wiltshire says he’ll make a final decision in six weeks to two months. Hal Cato, a former executive at nonprofit Thistle Farms, is also considering a run for mayor.