Lawrence “Larry” Pivnick announced he is seeking the Democratic nomination for the congressional seat to represent Tennessee’s eighth district. Pivnick, who defines himself as a social progressive, has served for the past 40 years as a professor of law at the University of Memphis, and was the founder and director of the University of Memphis Legal Clinic.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands has announced John T. Blankenship of Blankenship & Blankenship law firm will lead the Board of Directors as president for two years. Other members of the Executive Committee includes first vice president Robert J. Martineau, second vice president Charles K. Grant, third vice president Susan L. Kay, secretary Turner McCullough Jr., treasurer J. Andrew Goddard, member-at-large Charles H. Warfield and past-president James L. Weatherly. View the press release. 

The 8th Annual ACC-SEC Alumni Golf Tournament benefitting CASA of Nashville will be held Aug. 8 at Gaylord Springs Golf Links from noon to 7:30 p.m. Registration for the four-man scramble includes a full lunch, 18 holes of golf, prizes and a dinner program. You do not have to be an ACC or SEC alum to play, just come out and have fun while helping CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) in its mission of advocating for abused and neglected children.

The TBA Mentoring Program still needs criminal and corporate law attorneys with at least eight years of legal practice experience to join the program as mentors for upcoming classes. The program specifically needs attorneys in Brentwood, Franklin, Gatlinburg and Nashville. Visit the TBA website or contact Christy Gibson for more information.

Democrat Terry Adams's U.S. Senate campaign was running on fumes, financially speaking, as of June 30, according to his second-quarter disclosure, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The Knoxville attorney reported having just $10,507 in cash on hand and $4,500 in debt. Adams faces multimillionaire Gordon Ball, a fellow Knoxville lawyer, in the Aug. 7 primary. Ball's disclosure was not yet available on the FEC website today.

Memphis Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan said she saw a man beating a disabled woman and jumped into action, WREG reports. Skahan, who is running for re-election next month, said she called 911 and chased the accused abuser in her car. “Do something,” she implored of anyone who witnesses violence. “Don’t let this continue. That’s how people get killed.”

Incumbent Ben Hall McFarlin and challenger Kevin Hodges of Smyrna are squared off in the race for General Sessions Judge, Part I, which will be decided in the Aug. 7 election. Both candidates recently answered questions from the Murfreesboro Post as part of the newspaper’s series focusing on judicial elections. Hodges is running as a Republican while McFarlin is opposing him as an Independent.

The public is invited to attend a forum on Criminal Justice and Mental Health “A Mental Health Court for Hamilton County,” next Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga. “A mental health court in Hamilton County will significantly reduce costs and improve public safety by connecting mentally ill defendants with community resources,” Judge Christie Sell said. “The goal is to reduce the likelihood of continued crime by stabilizing these individuals, who cost more than 7 times more to jail and who are subject to worsening mental conditions when incarcerated.” The Chattanoogan has more.

Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Penny White said she supports Chief Justice Gary Wade and Justices Cornelia Clark and Sharon Lee and believes they will be retained despite the political attack against them. In 1996, White became the only justice not to be retained by voters on a statewide ballot after facing an ouster campaign that portrayed her as soft on capital punishment — an argument being used today against Wade, Clark and Lee. White said she could not defend herself from the attacks due to judicial ethics rules at the time that kept her from speaking. "The whole playing field for judicial elections was different than it is today,"  White told the Daily Times. "They are now well within their rights to speak out."

Sen. Lamar Alexander has declared his support for passage of all four amendments to the state constitutions that will be on the November ballot, including Amendment 2 dealing with the gubernatorial appointment of judges to the state Supreme Court and other appellate courts. Amendment 1 would insert into the constitution new provisions giving the Legislature authority to enact abortion restrictions, Amendment 3 would prohibit the Legislature from ever enacting a state income tax and Amendment 4 would allow veterans groups to hold fundraising raffles and the like that involve gambling. Knoxnews has more.