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Help4TNDay Kicks Off Saturday

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
Tennessee lawyers are invited to participate in Help4TNDay activities throughout the month of April. Events will bring attention to the ongoing need for free and low-cost legal services and highlight the groups that provide these services to disadvantaged Tennesseans. Opportunities include volunteering to help clients in need through Tennessee Free Legal Answers (TFLA) or at a local legal clinic. The events kick-off this Saturday with a statewide virtual legal clinic, where attorneys across the state will answer questions on TFLA from noon to 2 p.m. Simultaneously, the TBA will host an on-site TFLA Clinic and Luncheon in Nashville. To participate in the TBA event, contact Liz Todaro. Help4TNDay is a joint effort by the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, the Administrative Office of the Courts, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and the Tennessee Bar Association. 

Shelby County Adds 3rd Grand Jury to Address Case Backlog

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
Shelby County has added a third grand jury in hopes of reducing the length of time defendants wait in jail while also whittling down the case backlog, The Daily Memphian reports. The county's 10 criminal court judges earlier this month agreed unanimously to the addition. With the third panel, grand juries will now meet three days a week instead of two. The new Wednesday panel deals with misdemeanor cases, while felony cases will be heard Tuesdays and Thursdays.

House Rep. Rick Staples Faces Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
Knoxville Democratic Rep. Rick Staples is facing disciplinary action after an internal investigation determined he violated the legislature’s sexual harassment policy, the Tennessean reports. Staples is expected to be removed from the House Ethics Committee, to which Speaker Glen Casada appointed him in January. The woman who's complaint launched the investigation is involved in Democratic politics in the state and said Staples had made inappropriate remarks to her on previous occasions, and she decided to move forward with a complaint now since she said this time Staples touched her inappropriately.

Sullivan County Lawyer Disbarred

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
Sullivan County lawyer Everett Hoge Mechem was disbarred today by the Tennessee Supreme Court. He was previously disbarred on April 28, 2017, and had not been reinstated from that disbarment. On Feb. 23, 2018, a petition for discipline was filed containing one complaint of misconduct, in which Mechem represented clients in a personal injury lawsuit and accepted a settlement that was not authorized by his clients. Further, after depositing the settlement funds into his trust account, no distribution was made to his clients and Mechem misappropriated the funds. He entered a conditional guilty plea admitting that his conduct violated the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Applications Open for 13th District Criminal Court Judge

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications to fill a criminal court judge vacancy in the 13th Judicial District, which covers Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White counties. This vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of the Hon. David A. Patterson, who will end his service effective June 30. Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 30 years of age, have been residents of the state for five years, and are residents of the district. Application should be submitted to the Administrative Office of the Courts by noon CDT on April 17. Each candidate must submit an original as well as a digital copy of his or her application. Read more here.

Florida Attorney Disbarred in Tennessee

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2019
Gregory Eric Schwartz, an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Florida, was disbarred from the practice of law on Tuesday, retroactive to Jan. 20. Schwartz’s license to practice law in Florida was revoked by the Supreme Court of Florida on Nov. 21, 2018. On Feb. 27, the Supreme Court of Tennessee entered a notice of reciprocal discipline directing Schwartz to demonstrate why the discipline imposed in Florida should not be similarly imposed here, and Schwartz provided no response.

23rd Annual Labor & Employment Forum Set for May 3

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 2, 2019
The TBA's Labor and Employment Forum provides timely, specialized and practical information on a range of labor and employment law topics. The CLE sessions will focus on mediation and employment cases, accommodations in the modern era, case law updates, a judicial panel and a unique, interactive ethics session focused on attorney well-being and the power of laughter. Earn up to 5.5 general hours and 1 ethics hour.

Services Thursday for Knoxville Attorney Bob Stivers

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 2, 2019
Robert "Bob" Milton Stivers Jr. of Knoxville died on March 31 at the age of 73. A native of Oak Ridge, he spent his childhood in Memphis before returning to East Tennessee in 1963 to attended college. Stivers went on to graduate from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1969. During his 50-year legal career he served as the president of Oak Ridge Bar Association, was a member of The Hamilton Burnett American Inn of Court and the State Bar Archives Committee. A celebration of life will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Central United Methodist Church, 201 3rd Ave. In lieu of flowers, take a kid fishing, make contributions to Central United Methodist Church or donate to a favorite charity.

Bill Would Place Restrictions on Voter Registration Efforts, Impose Penalties for Deficient Forms

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 2, 2019
Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office is behind a new bill that would require groups leading voter registration efforts to undergo training and potentially face fines for submitting too many incomplete forms, the Tennessean reports. The proposal also would assess a civil penalty against groups that turn in more than 100 deficient voter registration applications. This week, HB 1079 and SB 971 are set to be heard in legislative committees in their respective chambers. The measure is being met with criticism from groups who organize voter registration drives. They say that it discourages groups from being involved in the registration process.

House Passes Bill That Allow Adoption Agencies to Refuse LGBT Couples

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 2, 2019
A bill that would allow adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples based on religious objections has passed in the House of Representatives, the Tennessean reports. The Senate version, sponsored by Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, was scheduled to be heard in judiciary committee today. The House bill, sponsored by  Rep. Tim Rudd, R-Murfreesboro passed on a vote of 67-22, with three members not casting votes. The bill declares that no licensed adoption agency would be required to participate in a child placement if doing so would "violate the agency's written religious or moral convictions or policies." It also prohibits the Department of Children's Services from denying an agency's application because of the group's refusal to place a child with a family based on religious objections.
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