The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications for a vacancy on the 6th Judicial District Criminal Court, which covers Knox County. The vacancy was created after the appointment of Judge Kyle A. Hixson to the Court of Criminal Appeals – Eastern Section. Attorneys 30 years of age or older, who have been residents of the state for five years and are currently residents of the 6th Judicial District, can submit the Trial Court Vacancy Commission Application by noon CDT on July 7. Candidates will be publicly interviewed on Aug. 2. Read the vacancy notice.

Gov. Bill Lee has announced he will reappoint David Rausch to serve a second term as director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Tennessee Journal reports. Rausch’s new six-year term will begin on July 1 and will expire on June 30, 2028. A U.S. Army veteran, Rausch has been TBI director since 2018. Before that he spent 25 years with the Knoxville Police Department, serving on the SWAT Team and as chief of police for seven years.

The Tennessee Historical Commission last week ruled that Confederate memorabilia inside a Giles County jury deliberation room could be moved to a Maury County museum, the Tennessean reports. The room came into the spotlight in 2020 when a Black man argued in court filings that his conviction by an all-white jury that deliberated in the room violated his right to a fair trial. He was granted a new trial in December. The Confederate items have long been on loan to Giles County from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), causing the UDC to take the question of their removal to the Historical Commission. The UDC and Giles County filed a joint petition to move the items to the National Confederate Museum in the Elm Springs mansion outside of Columbia. The petition was approved by the commission on Friday.

Davidson County Election Commission Chair Jim DeLanis yesterday filed a federal civil complaint against Metro Nashville and his former employer, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, the Nashville Post reports. DeLanis claims two Baker clients, Metro and Metro Nashville Public Schools, threatened to drop the firm if they did not get DeLanis to drop his push via the election commission for an anti-tax ballot referendum. DeLanis says he was fired from Baker Donelson last year, but the firm said he retired. The complaint names Metro Councilmember Bob Mendes as a defendant, claiming Mendes “berated” and “threatened” the commission during public debate on the referendum proceedings. Though the complaint is civil, DeLanis accues Metro and Baker of potential criminal violations, including extortion and conspiracy. He is asking for $1 million in damages.

The TBA BarBuzz podcast closes out its second season with special co-host Julia Wilburn, the new editor of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Tune in for important legal news, upcoming events and a brief recap of the TBA Annual Convention. BarBuzz is part of the TBA Podcast Network and can be found on the TBA’s website or anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) last week announced it has elected new members to its executive committee. The state’s 31 district attorneys general have chosen 9th District Attorney General Russell Johnson to serve as the committee’s president. Russell, who serves Loudon, Meigs, Morgan and Roane counties, will lead the committee in managing a budget of more than $130 million and 1,100 employees. Other elected officers include 26th District Attorney General Jody Pickens, who will serve as vice president, and 13th District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, who will serve as secretary. Newly elected committee members include: 7th District Attorney General Dave Clark; 8th District Attorney General Jared Effler; 14th District Attorney General Craig Northcott; 18th District Attorney General Ray Whitley; 28th District Attorney General Frederick Hardy Agee; and 30th District Attorney General Amy Weirich. Read more from the TNDAGC.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar today to discuss sales tax issues for headquarters, data centers and call centers. Participants will learn about credits and other tax advantages for headquartering a business in Tennessee or establishing a data center or call center in our state. Register here. Participants will learn when contractors are subject to sales tax and exemptions for certain special situations. The program is part of a series offered by the department each month. The Department of Revenue has more on upcoming webinars.

Next up from the Communications Team is Digital Media & Leadership Development Coordinator Kate Prince! Kate runs the TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) program, produces and hosts the TBA Podcast Network, writes the TBA Today newsletter twice a week and handles the TBA’s social media. When she’s not at a bowling alley or on a golf course, you can find Kate fawning over her container garden or rewatching the first season of True Detective.

The #TeamTBA series offers members a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the TBA and how each staff members 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.

Ongoing problems at the Department of Children's Services (DCS) could lead to a class action lawsuit on behalf of children in the state’s foster care system, Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 reports. Nashville attorney David Raybin, who was involved with a similar lawsuit against DCS in 2000, said “very active discussions” about a class action are taking place "unless the state steps up.” Raybin says high turnover among case workers, high caseloads and not enough foster homes mirror the problems the department faced in 2000, which led to a court takeover of DCS. Court supervision of the department stopped in 2019, but Raybin says DCS has “just slipped right back into the old ways.” He is urging DCS and Gov. Bill Lee to make changes.

If you missed the final farewell of outgoing TBA President Sherie Edwards and remarks from newly sworn-in TBA President Tasha Blakney during last week’s convention, you may now watch those presentations and more on the TBA’s Facebook page. Watch Part One and Part Two of the Lawyers Luncheon to catch up on Blakney’s goals for the upcoming year and much more. The TBA Annual Convention concluded on Saturday with TBA Young Lawyers Division’s Diversity Leadership Institute programming and service project, YLD board and executive committee meetings and a TBA Board of Governors meeting.