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McGee Confirmed as Court of Appeals Judge

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 30, 2019
Judge Carma Dennis McGee was confirmed during a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly as the newest member of the Tennessee Court of Appeals – Western Division. She is the first Court of Appeals judge to go through the confirmation process that was enacted in 2016 by Executive Order 54. McGee was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee on April 10 after being one of three candidates out of 14 applicants recommended by the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments. She previously served as a chancellor in Tennessee’s 24th Judicial District, serving Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin and Henry counties.

Maury County Lawyer Censured

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 30, 2019
Maury County lawyer Kevin S. Latta today received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Latta represented a criminal defendant in post-trial proceedings and on appeal. Over the course of two years, he failed to respond in any way to five orders from the Court of Appeals instructing him to inform the court of the status of the appeal, and he failed to respond to three court orders setting deadlines to file his appellate brief. Latta also failed to adequately communicate with and respond to inquiries from his client. In mitigation, the court permitted the client’s appeal to move forward.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Resigns

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted his resignation letter to the White House today, Fox News reports. It is effective May 11. Rosenstein previously served as deputy assistant attorney general and U.S. attorney. The deputy resigned following the conclusion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia. Rosenstein served as the primary liaison between the department headquarters and Mueller's office.

Former DA's Conference Executive Director Wally Kirby Dies at 72

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
Pleasant View lawyer James Wallace “Wally” Kirby died on April 22 at the age of 72. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised in Macon County, he received his law degree from Nashville School of Law. Upon graduation he went to work for W. B. Lockert Jr., as an assistant district attorney for the 23rd Judicial District, covering Cheatham, Dickson, Humphreys, Stewart and Houston counties. While working for the 23rd Judicial District he served under three District Attorneys, Lockert, Kenneth Atkins, and Dan Alsobrooks. He became the Senior District Attorney in 1990, Deputy District Attorney in 1997 and remained until he was appointed as the Executive Director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference in July 1999.

House, Senate Close to Consensus on Budget

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
Both chambers in the Tennessee legislature appear to be reaching a consensus on a $38.5 billion budget, including fully funding a Medicaid waiver for disabled children, the Tennessean reports. While the Senate last week proposed funding only a portion of the Katie Beckett waiver program — citing concerns about the House's plan to use revenue from expanded online sales tax collection — a key Senate committee on Monday moved to fully fund the $27 million program through other revenue sources. The Senate has not changed its plans to reduce the professional privilege tax from $400 to $300.

Law Day Events Set for This Week

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
Law Day 2019 is Wednesday, and there are several events scheduled across Tennessee to celebrate. The Knoxville Bar Association will present "Leadership Lessons for An Angry Age, ‘Crossing the Aisle: How Bipartisanship Brought Tennessee to the 21st Century and Could Save America,’" featuring author and columnist Keel Hunt. The event will be Wednesday 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Knoxville Hilton Downtown. The Nashville Bar Association plans to celebrate with a luncheon on Friday. The event’s keynote speaker will be Judge Martha Craig “Cissy” Daughtrey, and the Jack Norman Sr. and Liberty Bell awards will be given to Mariah Wooten and Judge Joe P. Binkley Jr., respectively. This year’s theme is Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society. 

Volunteers Needed for Thursday Evening Clinic in Franklin

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
Mercy Health Clinic and Legal Aid Society are partnering to host their monthly Legal Help Clinic at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. The clinic will be Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at 908 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, Tennessee, 37064. All lawyers are invited to help at this advice-only clinic. Plenty of materials will be available to assist volunteers. To volunteer or for more information please contact Jorge Salles Diaz, 615-780-7131.

Tennessee AG Considers Taking Fight for Lawsuit Cap to U.S. Supreme Court

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
After a federal appeals court ruled that a Tennessee law capping punitive damages in lawsuits at $750,000 is unconstitutional, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery is considering taking the battle to the U.S. Supreme Court, Knoxnews reports. The article also features stories from Knoxville business owners who are asking Slatery to side with victims of business wrongdoing and let the law die, after they say they were bullied by a company they sued over the death of their son.

23 Vandy Law Students Complete Pro Bono Pledge

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
At a recent awards ceremony, Vanderbilt Law recognized the 23 law students who completed the Pro Bono Pledge, a program that encourages community service and volunteerism amongst future graduates. Students pursuing a three-year law degree must complete at least 75 hours of service, while one-year students in the LL. M. program must complete 25. The students logged a combined 6,908 hours of pro bono legal work and community service activities.

Legal Action Over Voucher Plan Possible from Shelby, Davidson Counties

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 29, 2019
The school boards for Davidson and Shelby counties said today that they are considering legal action against Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher proposal, the Nashville Post reports. The boards said they considered the legislation, which has passed both House and Senate, to be unconstitutional because it targets only certain counties. Other potential legal action looms because of a provision that excludes children of undocumented immigrants from participating, since the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states must educate students regardless of immigration status.
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