The Nashville Business Journal has published its 2016 Best of the Bar winners. The 79 winners will be recognized at a cocktail reception June 2.  

Last year, nearly 2,000 of Tennessee law enforcement’s juvenile arrests were of children ages 6-12. The highest ranking offense for that age group was simple assault, The Tennessean reports. "Arresting children of that age is just not appropriate, except in extreme circumstances,” Craig Hargrow, director of juvenile justice for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. Juvenile justice experts argue the focus needs to be on “alternative restorative practices” instead of police action. 

Beacon Center Legal Foundation filed its first statewide legal challenge on behalf of a Memphis resident who wants to change the state’s occupational license requirement for shampooing. According the the foundation, hair washers must complete educational training and receive a license before they are allowed to wash hair in Tennessee. However, Beacon says, there are no schools currently operating in the state that offer the course that is a mandated component of the hair washing license. “These laws are designed by people already in the business who are attempting to unfairly shield themselves from competition at the expense of hard working Tennesseans,” said Braden Boucek, Beacon Director of Litigation. 

Philip Oliphant was named Director of Advocacy for Memphis Area Legal Services. He previously worked as a litigator for the last nine years in the Memphis City Attorney’s office. Oliphant also served as chief of staff for Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bernice Donald in 2011.  

Father appeals the trial court?s determination that termination of his parental rights is in the child?s best interest. The trial court found clear and convincing evidence to terminate Father?s parental rights on grounds of abandonment by wanton disregard, persistent conditions, and substantial non-compliance with a permanency plan. The trial court thereafter determined that termination is in the child?s best interest. Discerning no error, we affirm both the trial court?s rulings regarding grounds and its determination that termination is in the child?s best interest.

Father filed a petition to modify the parties’ permanent parenting plan to make him the primary residential parent. The trial court granted Father’s petition, finding that there had been a material change of circumstances and that a change of primary residential parent was in the best interest of the two younger children. Because the trial court applied an erroneous legal standard in making its determination of a material change of circumstances, we vacate and remand.

The annual $400 professional privilege tax must be filed and paid by June 1. Professionals who are subject to the tax may file and pay it online. More information is available from the Tennessee Department of Revenue. 

Gov. Bill Haslam said today that he will allow the guns-on-campus bill – which permits full-time faculty and staff of state public colleges and universities with handgun-carry permits to carry their guns on campus – to become a law without his signature. Under the bill, employees are required to notify the local law enforcement agency with primary responsibility for security on their campus. Read more from The Tennessean. 

Gov. Bill Haslam has signed the Fantasy Sports Tax Act, which legalizes and regulates fantasy sports betting, The Times Free Press reports. The legislation (SB 2109) will create an exemption from state anti-gambling provisions. Attorney General Hebert Slatery issued a legal opinion in April declaring that fantasy sports were illegal gambling in Tennessee under existing law. Fantasy sports giants DraftKings and FanDuel hired a Nashville lobbying firm and former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner to lobby for the legislation on their behalf.