Twenty-two high-school students were sworn in to the Blount County Youth Court Wednesday at the county courthouse, the Daily Times reports. Launched last year, the Blount youth court provides an alternative for first-time offenders accused of certain nonviolent crimes. Youth jurors — chosen from applicants from across the county’s school systems — hear cases, ask questions, make evaluations and are vested with the power to take any number of remedial actions. Learn more about youth courts across the state on the TBA website. 

Same-sex couples from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee will be seeking U.S. Supreme Court review after yesterday’s decision by a three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the states' bans on gay marriages. Plaintiffs in all four states will skip the step of asking the full 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider the case and go directly to the Supreme Court, lawyers told BuzzFeed News today. “[G]iven the urgency of the issues for the Tennessee plaintiff couples, we will be asking the Supreme Court to review the Sixth Circuit decision rather than seeking en banc review,” National Center for Lesbian Rights lawyer Shannon Minter said. Abby Rubenfeld, lead lawyer for the Tennessee plaintiffs, said they hope to file within two weeks so they still can be on the docket for this term.

State Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, has filed legislation to implement a new system of appointment of the judges by the governor for full eight-year terms upon confirmation by the state legislature. Tennesseans would only get a vote on the judges if they choose to seek new eight-year terms, at which time they would face statewide “retain” or “reject” votes under the provisions of constitutional Amendment 2, which won voter support Tuesday. The Commercial Appeal has more.

The Tennessee Bar Association announced today it is pursuing legislation that would require respondents be served notice of the filing of a petition for divorce or separation before the court action is made public. “Our Family Law Section has been in discussions about how to address what they see as a growing problem,” said TBA President Jonathan Steen. “Respondents find out that their spouse has filed for divorce before safety plans can be put in place or before restraining orders can be served. We think a targeted solution to this problem is that information about the filing of divorce should be delayed until the respondent is served.”

The TBA will work with domestic violence prevention groups, lawmakers, judges and court officials to craft a solution that balances protection of those involved in divorce cases with the public’s need to know about what is happening in their courts. For more information, visit the TBA website.

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) will host a free Veterans Legal Clinic Monday at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central in Memphis. The clinic is designed to assist veterans with civil legal issues such as consumer debt, child support, housing and other non-criminal matters. Attorneys will be on site to offer free legal help from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the clinic call (901) 432-7524.

Clifford Knott McGown Jr. received a public censure on Nov. 1 for failing to file an answer to a third party complaint, failing to file a response to a motion for default judgment, failing to file a motion to set aside the default judgment, and failing to reasonably communicate with his client. During the representation of a second client, McGown failed to file the appropriate pleading or to otherwise pursue his client’s modification of a custody case, and failed to respond to telephone calls. View the BPR notice.

Deanna Bell Johnson of Franklin has been appointed as circuit court judge for the 21st Judicial District by Gov. Bill Haslam. Johnson will fill the vacancy created by Judge Timothy Easter’s appointment to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more.

The Electric Power Board (EPB) today lost its initial bid to dismiss a $10 million whistleblower lawsuit brought by former city contractor Don Lepard, who claims the utility overbilled taxpayers for years and then tried to cover it up by bullying his company, Global Green Lighting. At a hearing this morning to rule on EPB's motion to dismiss Lepard's suit, Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Hollingsworth said that it comes down to whether EPB is one and the same with the City of Chattanooga. If EPB and Chattanooga are found to be the same, "this case is over," said Hollingsworth, citing state laws that prevent the city from suing itself. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has the story.

Through a $1.5 million federal grant, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is providing increased funding to veterans' courts in Shelby, Montgomery and Davidson counties, the Leaf Chronicle reports. The result is an expansion of services, over a three-year period, giving hundreds more service members in Tennessee the option of pursuing treatment and recovery programs rather than incarceration.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit today reversed district court rulings that had struck down gay marriage bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. The six cases before the three-judge panel involved not only whether gays and lesbians should be able to marry, but whether marriages performed elsewhere should be recognized, whether same-sex couples should be able to adopt children, and whether their names should be placed on partners' death certificates. The ruling gives the same-sex marriage movement its first major setback after a lengthy string of victories, creating a split among the nation's circuit courts that virtually guarantees Supreme Court review, USA Today reports. The ruling also gives Supreme Court justices an appellate ruling that runs counter to four others from the 4th, 7th, 9th and 10th circuits. Those rulings struck down same-sex marriage bans in Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho and Nevada and led to similar action in neighboring states.