Nashville-based author and lawyer Lewis Laska has sent 20,000 postcards to voters in Senate District 7 encouraging them not to vote for incumbent Sen. Stacey Campfield in the Aug. 7 primary election. Laska says he believes Stacey Campfield is not fit to hold public office. Campfield, who is running against Knox County Commissioner Dr. Richard Briggs, issued a statement in response, saying Laska simply wants to defeat those responsible for proving conservative policies work. WATE has the story.

U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney ruled yesterday that California’s death penalty violates the U.S. Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, the LA Times reports. Carney called the California death penalty system “dysfunctional," with the result being an inordinate and unpredictable period of delay preceding an actual execution.

Friends and family gathered today for the formal investiture ceremony to install Justice Jeffrey Bivins as the newest member of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Chief Justice Gary Wade was joined by Justices Connie Clark, William Koch and Sharon Lee at the ceremony at the Franklin Theatre. Gov. Bill Haslam administered the oath of office. TBA President Jonathan Steen was on hand to present a gavel to Justice Bivins.

Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper yesterday announced a proposed settlement of claims for monetary relief against Apple Inc. related to its participation in a price-fixing conspiracy in the market for E-books. The settlement agreement, which remains subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, would resolve claims for consumer damages brought by Tennessee and 32 other states and territories, according to a press release. Although the company insists it did nothing wrong, Apple agreed to the settlement, contingent on the federal appeal, the ABA Journal reports. If the court upholds last summer's bench verdict by a federal judge in Manhattan that Apple colluded with publishers, the company will pay $400 million.

Smyrna Town Court judge candidate W. Alan Rose continues to face felony drug- and weapon-related charges heading into Friday’s early voting for the Aug. 7 election, the Daily News Journal reports. Rose faces charges of possession of a Schedule II narcotic for sale and delivery, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a dangerous weapon while committing a dangerous felony. Rose is running against incumbent Judge Keta J. Barnes, Lynn England Alexander, Jeremy Gourley and Cherie W. Meece.

The ad wars have begun in the battle for control of the Tennessee Supreme Court and News Channel 5 is reporting that questionable statements are coming from both sides. The campaign for the three incumbent justices hit the air first with a positive TV spot that focused on their oath to support the state and federal constitutions, adding that they "kept their word—protecting individuals rights, the Second Amendment right to bear arms and upholding nearly 90 percent of death sentences." However, News Channel 5 investigators found there was not a single case where the Second Amendment was an issue. In opposition, the Tennessee Forum sent out a mailer accusing the justices of working with President Barack Obama and “refusing to fight Obamacare.” While investigators found that one person hired to work on the justices’ campaign used to work on Obama’s campaign, the latter claim is false since the Tennessee Supreme Court has never been asked to rule on Obamacare.

The Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police today announced support for fair and impartial courts and endorsed the retention of Chief Justice Gary Wade, Justice Connie Clark and Justice Sharon Lee. “A fair and independent judiciary is the hallmark of our three-part system of government,” Sgt. Robert O. Weaver said in a press release. “Appellate Court judges review the cases and apply the laws written by the legislature and enforced by the executive branch. Judges need to be able to perform their duties without being beholden to the political winds of the other branches.”

Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court has been selected as one of eight courts in the nation in which the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will establish a new child welfare program. Juvenile Court reform has often focused on delinquent children who come into court for their actions — the nonprofit council now plans to examine the reason why children come to the court in the first place. The Memphis Daily News has the story.

District Attorney General Tony Clark and challenger Dan Smith faced off Tuesday night at a Tea Party-sponsored debate, the Johnson City Press reports. Clark is running as a Republican, while Smith identifies himself as a Republican, but is running as a “conservative independent.” He said he chose to run as an independent since there was not a Republican primary held in Johnson County so those voters didn’t get a say in who the Republican candidate would be, and because the DA does not make policy and therefore should not be a partisan office.

In a case on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, a Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled yesterday that the University of Texas can continue using race as a factor in undergraduate admissions, the Associated Press reports. The judges voted 2-1 that barring the university from using race would ultimately lead to a less diverse student body in defiance of previous legal precedent that promoting diversity was an important part of education.