TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

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Casada to Resign Leadership Position on Aug. 2, Calls for Special Session

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 4, 2019
More than two weeks after announcing he would resign from his leadership position, House Speaker Glen Casada today said he would step down effective Aug. 2, the Tennessean reports. Following a meeting with House Republican leadership Tuesday afternoon, Casada said in addition to resigning from his role as speaker in two months, he will ask Gov. Bill Lee to call a special session. Holt Whitt, director of policy for the speaker's office, said Casada's delayed resignation date was part of an effort to provide enough time for members to decide who will be the chamber’s next leader.

Coffee County DA Says Gay People Not Entitled to Domestic Violence Protections

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 4, 2019
News Type: Legal News
A newly discovered video shows a Middle Tennessee prosecutor stating that, if gay people in his district end up being victims of domestic violence, they should not expect him to use the state's domestic violence laws to protect them, NewsChannel5 reports. The prosecutor, Craig Northcott of Coffee County, has faced scrutiny since he was named special prosecutor three weeks ago to review whether House Speaker Glenn Casada's office tried to set up an African-American protester. Previously, Northcutt came under fire for suggesting that Muslims have no constitutional rights.

Newspaper Profiles Legal Aid Lawyers Tending Bar, Driving Uber to Make Ends Meet

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Legal News
The New York Times today profiled the struggles of legal aid attorneys who find themselves taking side jobs in the “gig economy” out of financial necessity despite having full-time jobs. Some attorneys worked as Uber drivers, dog walkers and bartenders to supplement their income. According to the president of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, a third of legal aid lawyers in New York choose to work additional jobs, and two-thirds start their careers with significant student loan debt.   

Alternative Knoxville Detention Center Seeking More Funding

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Legal News
The Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center in Knoxville, a nonprofit that serves as a jail alternative for nonviolent offenders with mental health issues, is seeking additional funding from the Knox County Commission, Knoxnews reports. The center, which opened in March 2018, is optional for offenders with behavioral health or substance abuse problems – law enforcement brings them in and they can be held there for up to 72 hours. Knox County contributed $600,000 and the city of Knoxville put in $400,000 towards the center in its first year, and now the center is requesting an additional $240,000 from the county and $160,000 from the city. 

Visa Applicants Now Required to Submit Social Media Accounts

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Legal News
Visa applicants to the United States are required to submit any information about social media accounts they have used in the past five years under a State Department policy that started on Friday, The New York Times reports. The move represents a step up from a September 2017 measure in which the Homeland Security Department proposed and enacted a regulation calling for the surveillance of social media use of all immigrants, including naturalized citizens. During the Obama administration, the State Department began to ask visa applicants to voluntarily submit their social media information.

Nashville Mayor Prepares to Cut Court Fines, Fees

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Legal News
Nashville Mayor David Briley said this week that pending a review from the Center for Justice and Safety Finance and the National League of Cities, he would support cutting court fines and fees in Davidson County, the Tennessean reports. Briley will chair a 13-person committee, including prominent members of the legal and law enforcement community, to evaluate the recommendations submitted from the review. 

Mississippi to Require More Education for Those Who Fail Bar Exam 3 Times

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Legal News
If you fail the Mississippi bar exam three times, you’ll need to go back to school if you want to make a fourth go at it, the ABA Journal reports. In a May 28 order, the state Supreme Court granted a petition from the Mississippi Board of Bar Examiners that requires an additional 12 semester hours of law school before a candidate can make a fourth attempt on the test. Mississippi's bar pass rate in 2018 was 48 percent, with 40 percent of the test takers made up of those repeating the test.

Surgeon Enters GOP Primary for Alexander's Senate Seat

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 3, 2019
News Type: Politics
Trauma surgeon Manny Sethi says he's running for the GOP nomination for Tennessee's open U.S. Senate seat, the Associated Press reports. Sethi made the announcement today, months after Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said he was not seeking reelection in 2020. In the announcement video, the 41-year-old Sethi described himself as a conservative outsider who supports President Donald Trump. Democratic Nashville attorney and former Army helicopter pilot James Mackler is also running for the seat.

Former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran Dies at 81

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 31, 2019
News Type: Passages
Former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, a Mississippi Republican who served 45 years in Washington, died yesterday, The Associated Press reports. He was 81 and had only retired one year ago. Cochran was an attorney in private practice when he was elected to the U.S. House in 1972. “Sen. Cochran believed deeply in equality and human dignity,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell. “And on a personal level, Thad’s generous and respectful spirit left a positive impact on everyone who knew him and everyone whom he served.”

Bar Foundation Awards Over $1.1 Million in Grants

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 31, 2019
News Type: Legal News
The Tennessee Bar Foundation has awarded $1,122,735, from the Tennessee Legal Initiatives Fund (TLIF) intended to be used to "extend the capacity of organizations to break the cycle of poverty and the barriers to justice by using civil legal aid and education to increase productivity and success for vulnerable populations." Organizations receiving grants include the Choosing Justice Initiative, the Community Legal Center, Dismas House Inc., Legal Aid of East Tennessee, the Memphis Bar Foundation, the Nashville Conflict Resolution Center, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, the Tennessee Justice Center, Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, The Justice Initiative, and the University of Tennessee College of Law's Legal Clinic.
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