The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Sumner County lawyer William Douglas Hooper on Dec. 9 for one year retroactive to entry of the order of temporary suspension on July 3, 2014. Hooper is accused of not communicating with his client, failing to inform his client of motions and pleadings filed against him and failing to appear in court on behalf of his client. Read the BPR release.

Memphis lawyer and mayor-elect Jim Strickland capitalizes on Star Wars pandemonium with a new Youtube video showcasing his knowledge of a galaxy far, far away. The light-hearted video, titled “Force for Good," was posted yesterday by the Greater Memphis Chamber and features Strickland arguing Star Wars theories during city meetings. Greater Memphis Chamber employees, Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Tigers basketball coach Josh Pastner make appearances. Strickland also today continued to add members to his city hall team, including attorney Alan Crone, who will serve as special counsel to the mayor, the Commercial Appeal reports.

Untested sexual assault kits in Memphis will soon be stored in a sexual assault DNA Evidence Storage Facility, WMC Action News 5 reports. Authorities are keeping the location of the $1 million facility private so criminals will not gain access to the evidence. Memphis police have been working since 2013 to process more than 13,000 untested rape kits; several victims have filed class action lawsuits against the city for failing to test those kits. "As director, I am committed in ensuring that this department possesses the tools and resources to bring sexual predators to justice and to provide closure to their victims," Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said. 

Some cases on Signal Mountain are now being sent to Hamilton County General Sessions Court, instead of being heard in Signal Mountain Court. WRCB reports some citizens are concerned that officers are spending more time and money traveling back and forth to Hamilton County for court. Signal Mountain police chief Mike Williams argues the new policy is more efficient and says 99 percent of the department’s citations are still processed in the town.  

The Maury County Safety Committee approved a plan Tuesday that will improve security at both court facilities and fix a recurring problem with the phone system, The Daily Herald reports. “Our own phone system negates the advantages of the 911 phone center being able to see what our address is,” Mark Blackwood, Emergency Management Director for Maury County, said. The plan, presented by Blackwood, also includes installing additional cameras at the Part I Court in downtown Columbia to cover blind spots in the building.

The Supreme Court debated on Wednesday whether race should continue to be a factor in college admissions, NPR reports. The Court remains divided in the case that centers on Abigail Fisher, a white college applicant who claims she was not admitted to the University of Texas because of her race. The Court’s four liberal justices support affirmative action programs, while the four conservative justices say race should not be a factor in admissions. Justice Elena Kagan is recused from the case because she participated in the case when she served as solicitor general in the Obama administration. This is the case’s second trip through the Supreme Court. "We're just arguing the same case. It's as if nothing has happened,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said.

The Puryear Mayor and Board of Aldermen appointed Andy Clark as the town’s new municipal judge, The Paris Post-Intelligencer reports. Clark will replace Paul Hessing in January; Hessing did not seek reappointment.

An editorial in the Knoxville News Sentinel says recent changes by the state Supreme Court to the Code of Judicial Conduct regarding judges and judicial candidates’ election campaign conduct “do not appear to impinge on the integrity of the judicial system.” While the editorial laments that the changes make the contests for judicial seats more political, it argues the changes “reflect the new reality that Tennessee's judicial elections are becoming more like other political contests.”

A Williamson County grand jury declined to pursue an investigation of state House Majority Whip Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, on prescription fraud charges, The Tennessean reports. A drug task force recommended last year indicting Durham after a 2013 incident in which agents alleged Durham tried to fill an outdated prescription. “This situation is from two and a half years ago and was fully vetted by 12 Williamson County citizens who quickly agreed that nothing illegal occurred,” Durham said Wednesday in a statement.

Six candidates have been recommended to the Sixth Circuit Judicial Council for appointment to a bankruptcy judge vacancy in the Middle District of Tennessee. The candidates are: Natalie M. Cox of Wilmington, Delaware; Paul G. Jennings of Nashville; Nancy B. King of Nashville; William L. Norton III of Nashville; M. Kimberly Stagg of Nashville; and Charles M. Walker of Nashville. The Sixth Circuit Judicial Council will narrow the list to three recommended candidates. The Judicial Council and the Court of Appeals are accepting written comments regarding the qualifications of the six nominees. Send comments by Dec. 21 to Office of the Circuit Executive, 503 Potter Stewart United States Courthouse, 100 East Fifth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.