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CoreCivic Audit Reveals Gangs, Staffing Issues at Private Prisons

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
A new state audit has revealed a host of problems with private prison operator CoreCivic and specifically at its newest facility, the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, The Tennessean reports. The report found that staffing and vacancy data provided by the prison operator cannot be trusted. It also found a problem with numerous gang-affiliated inmates. A sample showed that 44 critical posts were left unstaffed, and former employees reported feeling unsafe at work.

Sessions Considers Second Special Counsel to Investigate Clinton, Others

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is considering a second special counsel to investigate concerns related to the 2016 election, such as alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation and the sale of a uranium company to Russia, The Washington Post reports. Sessions directed senior federal prosecutors to explore the matters and report back to him. The action came in response to a list of concerns sent to the Justice Department by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), mostly related to Hillary Clinton and former FBI director James B. Comey.

Shelby Commission Directs Mayor to Drop Lawsuit Against Chair

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
The Shelby County Commission last night voted to direct Mayor Mark Luttrell to drop a lawsuit against its chairwoman, who controls an opioid lawsuit against large pharmaceutical companies. The Commercial Appeal reports that the commission also directed the Luttrell administration to not file any lawsuits without prior approval from a majority of the commissioners. Luttrell’s administration sued chairwoman Heidi Shafer and the commission on Nov. 6 for her decision to hire a law firm to sue pharma manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid crisis. The administration maintains that the mayor’s office should control the power to hire attorneys and launch lawsuits on behalf of the county.

Doss Will Face Primary Challenger in House District 70 Race

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
Rep. Barry Doss, an incumbent Republican in the Tennessee House for District 70, will face a primary challenger in 2018. Humphrey on the Hill reports that Clay Doggett, a businessman from Pulaski, has announced he will seek the GOP nomination for the seat. Doss, of Leoma, currently serves as the House Transportation Committee chairman and served as the House sponsor for Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act last session.

Haslam Appoints Townsend as Special Judge in Polk County

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Brooklynn M. Townsend as special judge for the General Sessions Court of Polk County to fill a temporary vacancy due to the disability of Judge Billy D. Baliles. Since 2007, Townsend, 37, has been an assistant district attorney general for the 10th Judicial District, and since May 2015 she has been the Polk County team leader. In that role, she has provided administrative leadership and managed day-to-day functions of the district attorney’s office in Polk County, including appearances in Criminal Court, General Sessions Court and Juvenile Court. 

S.C. Justice to Judges: Stop Jailing Poor Defendants Without Lawyers

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 14, 2017
The chief justice of South Carolina’s Supreme Court has sternly warned lower level judges that defendants must be advised of their right to a lawyer, and that poor defendants must be provided with a lawyer before they can be jailed. The ABA Journal reports that Chief Justice Donald Beatty also said defendants could not be jailed for missing their trial if they had not been informed of their rights. The statements have resulted in thousands of arrest warrants being suspended while summary courts figure out which cases are affected by Beatty’s instructions.

Nashville, Knoxville Bar Associations to Host Memorial Events This Week

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 13, 2017
The Nashville Bar and the Knoxville Bar Associations have memorial services planned for this week to honor those in the legal community lost in the past year. The NBA’s event will be held on Thursday, at the Downtown Presbyterian Church, 154 5th Ave N, at 11 a.m. Lunch will be served immediately following in the church’s Fellowship Hall. The KBA event will be held on Friday at 3 p.m. at the Tennessee Supreme Court Courtroom, 505 Main Street on the 2nd floor.

Labor and Employment Online Updates

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 13, 2017
NLRB decision, wage and hour, state and federal developments and evolving gender issues in employment are part of this year’s 1-Click CLE offerings. Register for all these updates with one click.

Traffic Ticket App Startup Sues Florida Bar for Antitrust Violations

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 13, 2017
A Florida startup that matches lawyers to drivers who’ve received traffic tickets is suing the Florida Bar and a law firm for allegedly launching a “coordinated attack” to kill its business, the ABA Journal reports. Mobile app developer TIKD Services filed suit in federal court against the Florida Bar and a competitor called The Ticket Clinic. The Florida Bar began investigating TIKD 10 months ago, probing into whether the company was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, and issued an informal opinion about it. Additionally The Ticket Clinic filed ethics complaints against attorneys who worked with TIKD customers, according to the lawsuit.

Tennessee to Join Settlement Against Veterans Charity

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Nov 13, 2017
Tennessee will join 24 other states in a settlement that will shut down a veterans charity that scammed $15 million from donors, The Tennessean reports. VietNow National Headquarters Inc., also known as Veterans Now, will be forced to close down after reportedly only spending 20 percent of its collected donations on charitable organizations. As a condition of the settlement, remaining funds from the organization will be donated to Fisher House and Operation Homefront.
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