Gov. Bill Haslam granted executive clemency to 11 people today, though Cyntoia Brown was not on the list, WSMV reports. Haslam said the list comprised of individuals "who made positive contributions to their communities" or "will receive another chance to become contributing members of society." National and local criminal justice reform advocates had been pushing for Haslam to pardon Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison at 16 for the murder of a man who hired her for sex. Haslam continues to review other cases for potential clemency. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court has revised the factors for courts to consider when deciding the enforceability of a release of liability signed by someone before participating in an activity or obtaining a service. In a case brought by Frederick Copeland against medical transport company MedicOne Medical Response Delta Region Inc., in which Copeland, after signing an agreement releasing MedicOne from liability, was injured while getting into one of the company's vans. Copeland sued, but a lower court and an appeals court both found the released enforceable. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court found that the release was not enforceable because Copeland did not have equal bargaining power with MedicOne when he signed the release, the language of the release was unclear and overly broad, and the release involved an activity with important public interest implications. Read Justice Sharon Lee's unanimous opinion.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division is now accepting applications for appointed board positions for the 2019-2020 bar year, serving under future TBA YLD President Troy Weston. To be eligible to submit an application, you must be 36 or younger on June 14, 2019, or be in the first five years of your practice. Attorneys appointed to positions will be required to attend all mandatory meetings. Submissions are due by Feb. 28. Read more and view the full application here.

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