Rep. Scott DesJarlais is one of a handful of Republicans who broke ranks to vote against John Boehner for House speaker, Nooga reports. In a statement, the conservative from Tennessee's Fourth District said his vote for another Ohio congressman, Jim Jordan, was in response to thousands of calls his office received. “Speaker Boehner has certainly accomplished a lot during his tenure ... However, I join my constituents in their belief that we need a new direction and a fresh approach,” he said. Boehner received 216 of 408 votes cast to remain speaker.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Charmiane G. Claxton ruled yesterday that lawyer Robert Spence can’t represent clients who are suing the city of Memphis over alleged mishandling of rape kits because Spence once served as city attorney himself. The city had asked the judge to disqualify Spence and his firm, saying he had access to sensitive information as city attorney and that the lawsuit called into question his own actions as a key policymaker in government. Spence said he plans to appeal. The Commercial Appeal has the story.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen plans to propose two bills that focus on deadly force by law enforcement, LocalMemphis reports. One bill would require officers to report detailed information to a national database and the other would call for an independent commission to review deadly force and decide if it was justified. Currently, that job falls to the district attorney.

Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, said that three separate bills tightening abortion laws are in the works, although she’s not sure which one she will file. According to Lynn, Tennessee Right to Life is working with outside legal counsel to draft bills that would re-instate laws struck down by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2000. Rep. Rick Womick, R-Rockvale, has already pre-filed an abortion-related bill, but Tennessee Right to Life, which lobbied heavily in favor of Tennessee’s recently passed constitutional amendment, is not lending its support to the bill. The Daily Herald has more.

The U.S. Supreme Court justices will meet in private on Friday and could decide whether to take up cases involving state bans on marriage for same-sex couples, GavelGrab reports. The session comes in the wake of the first marriages occurring for same-sex couples in Florida. In addition, a federal appeals court will consider on Friday existing bans in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. 

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings has named 10 attorneys to partner, including Johanna L. Jumper in the Nashville office. Jumper earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and holds a bachelors degree from Syracuse University. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings is based in Birmingham and also has offices in Nashville, Mississippi, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. The NashvillePost has more.

Combine your passions for learning and sports at the upcoming Predators CLE on Feb. 24. Nashville Predators attorney Sean Marshall will discuss legal issues facing players and give an update on other compelling sports law issues during this two-hour CLE event at Bridgestone Arena. The program includes a pregame social hour and tickets to the Predators matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. You will also have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets for friends or family. Visit TBA CLE to register or for more information.

Jack Waddey has left the Waddey & Patterson firm he co-founded in 1992 to be a partner at Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. The shareholders of Waddey's former home have moved quickly to rename the firm Patterson PC. At Waller, Waddey will join an IP law team of 10. He has worked in IP law for more than 35 years and helped build his former firm into one of the region's top intellectual property boutiques. The Nashville Post has more.

The family of former Chattanooga City Judge Walter Williams said he suffered a stroke, but is expected to make a full recovery. Williams is reportedly receiving treatment at a local healthcare facility after the incident on Sunday. Since leaving the bench, he has been a partner in the firm of McCoon, Williams and Hegeman. The Chattanoogan has more.

In less than a month, Gov. Bill Haslam embarks on possibly the biggest political challenge of his career: trying to pass "Insure Tennessee," his plan to use federal Medicaid expansion dollars to create new health programs for an estimated 200,000 lower-income Tennesseans. Haslam said his plan is not traditional Medicaid expansions, but emphasizes personal responsibility, requiring Tennessee residents newly eligible for some publicly financed health coverage to take an active role in making better health care decisions. Not all Republicans are behind the plan, however. Republicans have the numbers to get any bill passed without any Democrats supporting it, but if there are enough Republicans opposed to any plan, Democratic support in the House will be key, the Tennessean reports.