Baker Donelson announced the three recipients of its annual Baker Donelson Diversity Scholarship, including Daisy Karlson, who will spend the summer as a summer associate in the firm’s Nashville office. The scholarship is awarded to law students who have completed their first year of law school. The other recipients, selected from 124 applicants, are Chanse Barnes and David Moore.

Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, will keep his position as Majority Whip after House Republican caucus members did not cast enough votes today to reconsider his leadership role. The Tennessean reports a vote was required to suspend the rules in order to discuss the issues surrounding Durham. During a press conference following the meeting, Durham said “he fought to keep his position in order take a stand against the ‘liberal media.'"

The dispute over how much money attorneys who represented opponents to Tennessee's same-sex marriage law will be paid took another turn on Friday, when the state Attorney General's office filed a response to the attorneys who want at least $2.3 million for their work, the Tennessean reports. The AG's take on how much the state wants to pay is under seal, because, as Attorney General Herbert Slatery says in court filings, some of the information filed by the opposing lawyers is also under seal. Friday's filing is a step in trying to get that information unsealed. “We believe the documents supporting the plaintiffs’ application should be transparent," Slatery spokesman Harlow Sumerford said. "After all, the fees will be paid by Tennessee taxpayers.” 

The Memphis Shelby County Education Association, a local teacher union, is suing Shelby County Schools for continuing to collect dues out of teachers’ paychecks for the Tennessee Education Association, although SCS disaffiliated with the TEA last year. A chancery court judge ruled Monday that Shelby County schools can continue to collect dues out of its teachers’ paychecks during the lawsuit. SCS attorney Rodney Moore said no money collected from about 4,2000 employees has been transferred to TEA. "My complaint says they stole this money from these people," said Keith Williams, MSCEA executive director. Read more from The Commerical Appeal.

Attorneys for A.J. Johnson and Michael Wiliams, ex-Vol football players accused of rape, are asking the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals to rule on a legal issue over access to social media accounts of witnesses. Knox County Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee in November denied a request for a social media subpoena, but later authorized the appeal, known as an interlocutory appeal because it is filed pretrial, in hopes of getting legal guidance on both the defense's right to such information and the method in which it should be obtained. McGee has repeatedly said the case is plowing new legal ground at a time when communication via social media, Internet messaging services and text messages is now the norm. Read more from the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Baptist Healing Trust filed a lawsuit against Pension Benefits Guaranty Corp. in an attempt to protect Baptist's $123.9 million in assets during the sale of Baptist Hospital to Saint Thomas Health. The federal pension agency received authority in 2013 from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Middle District of Tennessee to pursue the Nashville non-profit’s assets, The Tennessean reports. Baptist Healing Trust has awarded more than $72 million in grants and supports programs that help people enroll in health insurance on the federally run exchange. "We are just so passionate, so heartfelt about what we do, that we’re going to do whatever it takes to protect that work,” said Cathy Self, CEO and president of Baptist Healing Trust.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco selected former FBI chief and attorney Robert Mueller to mediate more than 500 consumer lawsuits against Volkwagen for its deceptive software used to pass emissions tests. Chattanooga firm Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway PC filed a class action lawsuit against the automaker in October 2015, joining more than 175 class actions filed in 32 states. Read more from Bloomberg BNA.

The Hawkins County Rescue Squad presented a plaque of appreciation to jail and local officials recognizing inmates' work in renovating a new trench rescue trailer, Kingsport Times-News reports. The inmates, who logged 9,457 hours of service in 2015, also converted the old trench rescue trailer into a support and mobile command center trailer. “Hopefully after working steady for us while serving their time they’re mentally and physically prepared to go out and find a steady job when they get out of jail,” Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said.

Defendant, Kervin Jackson, was convicted of first degree murder for the shooting death of his brother-in-law. On appeal, he argues that the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction because the State failed to establish premeditation. After a review of the evidence and authorities, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

The defendant, Joe Travis Northern, appeals the dismissal of his motion, filed pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1, to correct what he believes to be an illegal sentence. Because the defendant has failed to prepare an adequate record for review, we affirm.