John Lee Alley died today (April 1) at 79. A graduate of the University of Tennessee Law School, Alley practiced in Chattanooga for more than 40 years. A private family service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Chattanooga, 411 Oakwood Dr.

Protesters have disrupted Supreme Court proceedings for the second time this year with shouted criticism of the court's previous rulings on campaign finance. Supreme Court police today removed five people from the courtroom after they rose, one after the other, at the start of the court's session. Similar protests occurred in January, as well as once last year. At least one person carried a camera each time and recorded the disruption. US News has more from the Associated Press.

Longtime Nashville child abuse prosecutor Brian Holmgren is no longer with the District Attorney's Office, D.A. Glenn Funk confirmed today. Funk did not specify why Holmgren left the office, but he did announce that he has discovered a backlog of more than 130 child abuse and child sexual abuse cases in Holmgren's division in which no action had been taken. As a result of the discovery, Funk said he has instituted new protocols, including monthly reviews of those types of cases. The Tennessean has more.

A Nashville judge has ruled against tax attorney Brett Carter’s lawsuit demanding the release of records from Gov. Bill Haslam's administration related to a $350,000 analysis of business-tax collections in Tennessee. Carter had filed the lawsuit in Chancery Court alleging a "willful" violation of the Tennessee Open Records Act over the state Finance and Revenue Departments' refusal to disclose details about how it decided to draft the "Revenue Modernization Act" that Haslam has proposed to lawmakers this year. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has more.

Tennessee senators approved a bill to quash local bans on guns in parks and passed an unexpected amendment that allows people with gun permits to take guns into the state capitol and capitol complex. Although a vote of approval sends the measure a step closer to Gov. Bill Haslam's desk, an amendment like the one added today could cripple the bill, the Tennessean reports.

The Justice Department urged a federal appeals court Monday to reverse a hold a Texas judge placed on President Barack Obama's immigration executive action that could spare from deportation as many as 5 million people who are in the U.S. without documents. DOJ lawyers say in the new court filing that the federal government has unique authority to enforce the nation's immigration laws and to use its limited resources to exercise discretion during the deportation process, including by deferring removal of certain groups of immigrants, such as those who do not pose a public safety threat. NBC News has more from the Associated Press.

The American Pharmacists Association has officially discouraged its members from providing drugs for use in lethal injections, a move that could heighten the hurdles faced by states attempting to execute prisoners, the Associated Press reports. The policy adopted at the group's annual meeting Monday makes an ethical stand against providing such drugs, saying they run contrary to the role of pharmacists as health care providers, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.

To mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the Chattanooga Bar Association has invited former White House head of the Special Investigations Unit Egil “Bud” Krogh to be the guest speaker at two Law Day events on May 1: the annual Law Day luncheon at noon and a morning session for high school seniors. Krogh will tell his story about his rise from young presidential counsel to his indictment and prison sentence for authorizing the burglary of Dr. Lewis Fielding’s office in an attempt to discredit Daniel Ellsberg, who released the Pentagon Papers without authorization. To attend the luncheon, contact the CBA at (423) 756-3222. Hamilton County Herald has more.

Join us for the annual Intellectual Property Spring Institute on April 17 in Nashville. This year’s sessions include practical takeaways for Tennessee lawyers on a variety of topics including developments in trademark, transformative fair use and patent litigation updates. New this year is an ethics session on lessons learned from the General Motors case.

Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby will provide the keynote remarks at this year’s annual Litigation CLE. The seven-hour program on April 17 will address tort reform and effective oral advocacy for litigators. Visit TBA CLE for more information.