Defense attorney Fletcher Long and his former law partner, Carrie Gasaway, were charged with extortion in Clarksville stemming from a 2010 dispute between the law partners and a client. Because Long is one of two attorneys currently representing Brandon Vandenburg, the former Vanderbilt football player accused in the rape of an unconscious student in his dorm room, a hearing on the case has been postponed until March 28. The Tennessean has more as the story develops.

The “Big Four” mayors of Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville signed a joint letter expressing their “united opposition” to a bill that would block Nashville from proceeding with its plans for a bus rapid transit line known as "the Amp," without approval from the state legislature, the Commercial Appeal reports. The letter — signed by Mayors Andy Berke of Chattanooga, Madeline Rogero of Knoxville, A C Wharton of Memphis and Karl Dean of Nashville — notes that while the current bill is limited to a bus system in Nashville, “it sets a dangerous precedent for future intervention by the General Assembly in the selection of regional transportation projects across the state.” The Senate Transportation Committee later dropped language from the bill that would have required the General Assembly to sign off on the Amp, the Tennessean reports.

The Tennessee Justice Center will host an Open House on March 27 to celebrate the remodeling of its offices. In January, a sprinkler pipe burst and flooded the center's basement offices. To thank local businesses and organizations for their generosity in donating gently used furniture, the TJC invites the public to stop by from 4 to 6 p.m. to enjoy food, bubbly and fun in the newly redone office.

Judicial selection and the role money plays in judicial elections will be the focus of a conference held at Vanderbilt Law School March 20-21. Titled “Justice at Risk: Research Opportunities and Policy Alternatives Regarding State Judicial Selection,” the conference will focus specifically on how the method of selecting state judges affects judicial decision making. It is jointly sponsored by the American Constitution Society, the American Judicature Society, and Vanderbilt Law.

Odell Horton Jr., a partner with the Memphis law firm Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs has been appointed to the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. The board, which consists of nine lawyers from each of the state’s disciplinary districts plus three non-lawyers from each of the state’s grand divisions, considers and votes on disciplinary actions against attorneys and delivers ethics opinions regarding rules of professional conduct. The Commercial Appeal has more.

The Memphis Bar Association will sponsor its Annual Memorial Service on May 2 at Calvary Episcopal Church. The memorial will honor 28 individuals within the Memphis legal community who have died. If you know a member who should be included or would like to write a memorial about any of the honorees, contact Mary Lynes at (901) 527-3573.

W. Thomas “Tom” Hutton died March 4 at the age of 70. A graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Hutton served with the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC for 43 years. He was a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation, Tennessee Bar Foundation, American Bar Foundation and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial be made to Memphis University School, Second Presbyterian Church or the charity of the donor’s choice.

In a new court filing, a media coalition led by the Tennessean argues that text messages and other documents it is seeking in a Vanderbilt University rape case are public records that no law or policy can shield from public view. Metro government, the state attorney general’s office and the alleged victim in the case argued against releasing the records in briefs filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, saying their release would harm the victim and compromise the defendants’ ability to receive a fair trial. Davidson County Chancery Court Judge Russell Perkins has said he intends to hold a final hearing Monday and rule in the case the following day.

The Tennessee Senate yesterday unanimously passed SB1962, known as Amelia's Law, WATE reports. Sponsored by Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, the bill is named in memory of Amelia Keown, the Maryville teenager who was killed in a car wreck by a prison parolee in August 2012. The legislation calls for a transdermal monitoring device for parolees whose crimes were directly related to drugs and alcohol. Similar to an ankle bracelet, it would test the person's blood every 30 minutes. The bill will now go to Gov. Bill Haslam. If he signs, the bill will take affect July 1.

The three Democratic candidates running to replace Davidson County District Attorney Torry Johnson appeared for the first time together as candidates as part of an hour-long discussion at The Temple in Belle Meade last night. Attorney Glenn Funk, former mayoral aide and prosecutor Diane Lance and former Assistant District Attorney Rob McGuire each discussed how they would run certain parts of the attorney general’s office, including sentencing standards, the consistency of bond amounts and the speed of indictments. The Tennessean has more.