The Governor’s Highway Safety Office will use $9 million in federal funds over five years to pay for a new media campaign, The Tennessean reports. The announcement comes after the department’s previous anti-DUI campaign was criticized as being sexist. “We’ve strengthened our internal review process and are happy with it now and will move forward,” Amanda Brown, a spokeswoman for the Governor's Highway Safety Office, said.

Attorney Carlos Moore announced a $2,500 reward for anyone who has video footage capturing the shooting of Darrius Stewart by Memphis police office Connor Schilling, the Memphis Flyer reports. Moore will hand the video footage to the Department of Justice and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. "As attorneys for this family, we want to leave no stone unturned," Moore said. The Department of Justice announced earlier this week it is reviewing the July shooting.

The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled a digital billboard in Brentwood must be converted back into a standard style, ending a 15-year court battle. Brentwood and Metropolitan Nashville teamed up in the lawsuit against Lamar’s Advertising. Metro initially approved construction of the billboard that sits 12-feet north of the city’s border, but then denied Lamar’s request to make the sign digital, citing it was prohibited in its zoning district. Read more from The Brentwood Homepage. 

Need 4 hours of CLE credit? The United State Supreme Court Review program will offer 4 hours of CLE on Dec. 28, 10:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the Tennessee Bar Center. More CLE hours are available on the same day at the TBA’s CLE Blast.

Retired Knoxville attorney Steven Boyd Johnson, who was a partner for many years at Butler, Vines and Babb, died on Dec. 14, the Knoxville Bar Association reports. Boyd was admitted to the bar in 1980 after receiving his law degree from Memphis State University. A receiving of friends is planned for Dec. 18 at 10 a.m., at Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston Pike in Knoxville.

The Madison County Correction Partnership Committee unanimously approved the beginning stages of collecting bids for a future expansion of the county jail, The Jackson Sun reports. The request for qualifications will allow architecture firms to submit plans for expanding the Jackson-Madison County Criminal Justice Complex.

U.S. Rep Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., praised Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., and former Rep. Bob Clement for their leadership in acquiring funds for the new federal courthouse in Nashville. The Nashville Post reports Congress included the funding for the $182 million project in its appropriations bill. "For safety reasons, Nashville has to have a new courthouse, and we've needed one for more than 20 years. This is a huge win for our city,” Cooper said.

TBA President Bill Harbison and Executive Director Allan Ramsaur together today released the following comment: “We join Rep. Cooper who has been generous with his praise for Senator Alexander and Rep. Fleishman for their leadership in making this project a reality. Jim also deserves a great deal of appreciation for helping to assure the safety and security of those who will use then new courthouse.”

A state audit revealed the Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk’s office faces $175,135 in penalties and interest because of software problems, the Daily News Journal reports. Circuit Court Clerk Melissa Harrell blamed the penalties on former Circuit Court Clerk Laura Bohling. "Prior to my election to the position of Circuit Court Clerk in August 2014, the previous court clerk had been working for close to two years to implement a new software system that, in the end, cost the taxpayers of Rutherford County close to $1 million in equipment, labor and overhead costs," Harrell said. The audit also noted  "discrepancies in operations at the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department are currently being investigated."

Executions in the United States have dropped to the lowest level since 1991, the Associated Press reports. The Death Penalty Information Center said 28 inmates were executed as of Dec. 15, far below the peak of 98 in 1999. “What we’re seeing is the cumulative effect of falling public support for the death penalty,” Robert Dunham, the group’s executive director, said.

Garry Christopher Forsythe, the former owner of Forsythe Title and Escrow, faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud, Hendersonville Star News reports. Forsythe, of Hendersonville, admitted to misusing more than $2.2 million in escrow funding provided by real estate buyers and lenders. His sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2016. The Tennessee Supreme Court temporarily suspended Forsythe from the practice of law in 2009 pending the outcome of this case.