A brief burst of humor today broke the starchy formality of the Supreme Court as Justice Antonin Scalia mangled the name of his friend and colleague Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Scalia called Ginsburg "Goldberg" while announcing from the bench that she was dissenting from a court ruling on immigration, sparking a ripple of laughter from lawyers and members of the public in the courtroom. WCYB has more from CNN.

Richard Hughes, public defender for the 10th Judicial District, will host an educational program on June 30 to explain the process by which certain offenders may have the chance to expunge their criminal records. The session is scheduled to run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hughes’ office located at 85?Central Ave. in Cleveland. For more information, contact the public defender’s office at (423) 478-0329. The Cleveland Banner has more.

Flavis J. Lee Casson Jr. died last week (June 9) at the age of 75. He attended the University of Tennessee Law School, never intending to practice law, but feeling that the knowledge would help him in his other endeavors. A memorial service was held Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland on June 12. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Holston United Methodist Home for Children Cleveland.

The Supreme Court ruled today that one of the nation's biggest law firms is not entitled to recover $5.2 million in legal fees it incurred in the course of a bankruptcy proceeding. The 6-3 ruling said the firm Baker Botts could not collect additional fees it billed during a side dispute over whether the firm should be paid $117 million in fees earned representing Tucson-based copper-mining giant Asarco in the underlying bankruptcy. The court found that federal law does not allow a bankruptcy court to award attorney fees solely for the extra work performed to justify fees in the underlying case. The Daily Times has more from the Associated Press.

A tight legal market and a push to make legal representation more affordable have prompted law schools in California and other states to fund startup law firms, the Associated Press reports. About two dozen so-called legal incubators or fellowship programs have cropped up nationwide in recent years to teach a few select law graduates the basics of legal practice and expand services to people who otherwise couldn't afford a lawyer. WMC News 5 has more.

Charles Hill Beaty died Friday (June 12). He was 66. Beaty earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee and practiced in Gallatin for 40 years. He also served as Sumner County Criminal Court Judge in 1994. Visitation and a celebration of life were held today at Gallatin Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gallatin Church of Christ.

The American Bar Association today culminated a yearlong celebration of the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta with a rededication of its ABA Memorial at Runnymede, England, accompanied by a host of dignitaries, including Princess Anne and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. ABA President William C. Hubbard, who led the rededication ceremony at the memorial erected to the legacy of the “Great Charter” and the principles it represents, highlighted the contributions of Magna Carta to modern democracies and human rights. A number of Tennessee lawyers attended the event.

The sixth annual “Lawyers for Littles” Bowl for Kid’s Sake event helped raise over $21,500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. Twenty-three teams participated in the bowling event on June 4, representing all spheres of the legal profession, including law firms, corporate counsel, government agencies and bar associations. Money raised in events like “Lawyers for Littles” is used to conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety and to provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships. For more information contact Elizabeth Sitgreaves or Bart Pickett.

The 2015 Jon E. Hastings Memorial Award Writing Competition winner is Patty Whitehead, a third-year law student at Belmont University College of Law. Sponsored by the TBA Environmental Law Section, the Hastings award is a juried competition for the best legal writing on a topic of Tennessee or federal environmental law and is open to law students enrolled in a Tennessee law school. Whitehead's paper "Opportunities for Environmental Justice Review in Title V Permits Under the Tennessee Air Quality Act" addresses disproportionate air quality among minority and low-income communities under Title V permit rules.

Tennessee lawyers can now report their pro bono hours from the previous year at any time and be recognized through the “Attorneys for Justice” program if they provide 50 or more hours of pro bono service. Learn more from the AOC.