The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Thursday in Nashville. The first two cases will be heard at 8:30 a.m. at Lipscomb University as part of the American Legion Auxiliary’s Volunteer Girls State program. Then, later that day at 2 p.m., the court will hear two cases at the Supreme Court Building. 

Joe Russell, Rutherford County sheriff's office administrator, last week requested a public defender represent him following his indictment on federal fraud charges. But the Daily News Journal reports that the request comes just weeks after Russell obtained a permit to build a $600,000 home. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Bryant approved Russell’s request for representation, but warned him that he could face additional charges if his application for a public defender contained any fraudulent information. 

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee today issued a stay of the trials of former University of Tennessee football players A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. Prosecutors requested the hold due to an appeal still pending in the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals over access to social media by the players' accuser and witnesses. McGee also denied a request by the News Sentinel to access sealed records in the case. 

“Eight, as you know, is not a good number for a multi-member court,” according to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who remarked on the court’s unfilled vacancy at the conference for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Ginsburg added that when the court is evenly divided “that means no opinions and no precedential value.” Read more from the ABA Journal. 

The annual $400 professional privilege tax is due on Wednesday. Professionals who are subject to the tax may file and pay it online. More information is available from the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

Former University of Tennessee College of Law Dean Douglas A. Blaze recently received the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Blaze serves as the director of UT Law’s Institute for Professional Leadership and serves as chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission.

The city of Memphis will soon return over $2.38 million to more than 900 NBA players as part of a 2015 settlement in a suit challenging the city’s “jock tax.” The National Basketball Players Association sued the state over the tax and claimed some players paid more in the tax than what they earned from the games. The National Hockey League Players' Association also sued the state over the tax and settled in 2015 for $3.27 million. Read more from The Commercial Appeal. 

Shelby County Chancellor Jim Kyle last week recused himself from hearing a lawsuit filed by former Memphis City Court Clerk candidate Wanda Halbert related to the results of last year's election. Kyle's wife is a candidate in a contested election this year and the Shelby County Election Commission asked him to remove himself after he had a “run-in with the SCEC staff," the Commercial Appeal reports. Halbert filed a lawsuit in October after losing the City Court clerk race to Kay Robilio in a race where voting machine reports didn't match final tallies.

The Daily News Journal reports Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold will remain in office despite being indicted last week on federal fraud charges. Residents have started an online petition to remove Arnold from office, but Arnold said that he has “no intentions of resigning.” Rutherford and two other men are accused of pocketing thousands of dollars off the sale of JailCigs to inmates. 

The Tennessee Bar Association will be closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday. The TBA will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m.