The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee today heard from the American Bar Association and other witnesses during the final day of confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Associated Press reports. The ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary told lawmakers that its review of Jackson found she has a “sterling” reputation, “exceptional” competence and is well qualified to sit on the Supreme Court. The four-hour hearing Thursday featured not only legal experts but government officials and civil rights groups who supported Jackson and conservative advocates who opposed her. Hours after the hearing concluded Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced that he “cannot and will not” support Jackson. However, Democrats can still confirm Jackson without any GOP support in a 50-50 Senate where Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tiebreaking vote.

Join TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley for a new episode of Legislative Updates. This episode, hear about the TBA Family Law Section’s legislation regarding the allocation of marital debt, HB2357/SB2385, which is on its way to Gov. Bill Lee to be signed into law, plus more news from the state legislature. To see a list of all of TBA’s bills, visit our online bill tracker. Legislative Updates airs every Thursday on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Three Republicans are seeking to fill the vacant House District 26 seat. Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Martin of Hixson, Shannon Stephenson of Harrison and David Swinford of Rivermont are all seeking appointment from the Hamilton County Commission, which will make a decision on March 30. Martin, who noted he’d been elected to serve the county as commissioner three times, said he will run for the seat even if he is not appointed. Stephenson is the CEO of Cempa Community Care. She says her experience helping with legislation at the state level to eliminate health disparities in the region makes her the most qualified candidate. Swinford owns a cattle farm and, alongside his wife, sells lesson plans and teaching materials to teachers. He said he has picked up paperwork to run for the seat, and is “90 % committed” to run. The seat was vacated by former Rep. Robin Smith after she pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud. Yahoo News has the story from Times Free Press.

Attorney Lee Brooks has announced he is running for judge in the 22nd Judicial District’s Circuit Court, Division III, Main Street Clarksville reports. Before earning his law degree, Lee served four years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, served in law enforcement for 14 years and as a teacher for eight years. He went into private practice before taking a position as assistant public defender. Lee currently serves as an assistant district attorney in a neighboring district. Read more from him campaign website.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals yesterday upheld a lower court ruling that Graceland doesn’t have standing to challenge a contract between Memphis and Shelby County governments and the FedExForum, the Daily Memphian reports. The long-running legal dispute began in 2014 after Graceland expanded its Whitehaven campus using a tax increment financing district. Three years later, Graceland sought an increased draw on the increment to finance a 6,200-seat arena as part of the campus. City and county leaders rejected the funding, citing the Memphis Grizzlies’ agreement with city and county governments to operate FedExForum. That deal included a noncompete clause barring the city and county from funding an arena with more than 5,000 fixed seats. The appeals court upheld Chancellor Jim Kyle’s dismissal of the case because Graceland was not a party to the arena agreement. 

TBA CLE will present The Credentialed Court, Diversity and Legal Ethics webcast on April 7 from noon until 1 p.m. CDT. Inspired by the book “The Credentialed Court,” authored by University of Tennessee College of Law Professor Ben Barton, this program will cover diversity on the U.S. Supreme Court and in the legal profession and our ethical obligation to seek diversity in all of its forms. The book establishes just how different today’s justices are from their predecessors by combining two massive empirical studies of every justice’s background with short bios of past greats to demonstrate that today’s justices arrive on the high court with much narrower experiences than they once did.

Hendersonville resident Wesley Somers, 26, has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to burn down the Metro Courthouse in 2020 after protests that followed the death of George Floyd, the Associated Press reports. Somers pleaded guilty to federal arson charges last summer. The courthouse was graffitied, some of its windows were smashed and a fire was set inside following the gathering. Tips from citizens helped Nashville police identify Somers in video clips and photos from the incident. U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin said his office would “always defend” an individual’s First Amendment rights, but “will not tolerate the actions of those who choose to exploit peaceful protest by resorting to violence and intimidation.”

Three attorneys were interviewed this week to be the new bond counsel for the Metro Industrial Development Board as it works to expand downtown Nashville across the Cumberland River, the Tennessean reports. Former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee Doug Overbey, Waller Law’s Alex Buchanan and the father-son team leading Carpenter Law were interviewed by members of the board. The quasi-governmental agency expects a wave of bond applications for public-private deals. Officials say they will work with private developers to rebuild and lease more than 100 acres of industrial east-bank land owned by the city and its affiliates. The Industrial Development Board will next meet March 31 to discuss whether to make an offer.

Belmont University College of Law recently hosted a panel discussion on State Constitutionalism: A Justice’s View. The event featured perspectives from Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins, Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick and Belmont Law Dean Alberto Gonzales, a former member of the Texas Supreme Court. The panel was moderated by Belmont Law Professor Jeffrey Usman and sponsored by the Federalist Society and the Student Bar Association.

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson on Tuesday defended her record as a federal judge during the second day of confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Associated Press reports. Jackson strongly pushed back against suggestions that she was too lenient on child pornographers. In response to accusations that her rulings have endangered children, Jackson said, “nothing could be further from the truth.” Tuesday’s hearing was the first of two days of questioning after Jackson and the 22 members of the panel gave opening statements on Monday. On Thursday, the committee will hear from legal experts before an eventual vote to move her nomination to the Senate floor. Watch a live stream on the committee’s website.