Senior Judge Paul Summers on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro from building a cemetery, the Daily News Journal reports. Judge Summers determined that the Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals made a proper and thorough decision in approving the ICM cemetery while also providing adequate public notice. His ruling follows a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear an appeal pertaining to a public-notice case from another group of plaintiffs who had sued to stop construction of the Mosque.

Sen. Bob Corker introduced legislation yesterday to bolster the government’s ability to help parents rescue children abducted overseas, the Tennessean reports. The bill, introduced by the Tennessee Republican along with Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, is named the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act. David Goldman was a New Jersey parent who waged a five-year battle to get his son Sean back from Brazil.

In a specially convened meeting Friday, Nashville General Sessions judges unanimously ordered that a new procedure be put in place to handle requests for early release of domestic violence suspects, the Tennessean reports. The judges’ order comes in response to the action of General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland, who authorized the early release of a domestic violence suspect following his arrest. The new order says that any request to alter a 12-hour hold typically placed on arrested domestic violence suspects must be heard by one of three General Sessions judges designated to take domestic violence cases. All parties — including the District Attorney, the suspect and the victim — must get a chance to be heard before any conditions of the hold can change.   Ben Raybin of Hollins, Raybin & Weissman PC provides more details on the 12-hour “cooling off” hold in a recent blog post.

Fifteen Republicans lawmakers have asked for the immediate resignation of state Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman. In a letter sent to Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday, the legislators -- including several with tea party affiliations -- accuse Huffman of withholding scores to conceal low results on the TCAP test. They also raise the possibility the department, in performing "post-equating," removed questions from tests to alter and improve results. Haslam spokesman Dave Smith accused the group of playing politics and denies the allegation of tampering and altering scores. The Tennessean has more.

Longtime Ninth District Public Defender Joe Walker died Wednesday (June 18) at a West Knoxville hospital. He was 69. Walker was named public defender in September 1989 and was first elected to the position in August 1990. In May 1991, he and his son were involved in a car wreck that left them both quadriplegics. The accident did not stop him from doing his job, Assistant Ninth Judicial District Public Defender Walter Johnson told Knoxnews. Funeral services are pending.

Tennessee attorneys are invited to join in celebrating the retirement of Tennessee Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch Jr. at a July 7 event in the Supreme Court Building in Nashville, beginning at 11 a.m. Justice Koch announced earlier this year that he is retiring in order serve as dean of Nashville School of Law. RSVP to Lisa Hazlett-Wallace by July 1.

State lawmakers are calling for strengthening a Tennessee domestic violence law following the early release of a suspect who police said returned home to abuse his girlfriend a second time, the Tennessean reports. Nashville General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland has come under fire for authorizing the release after only three hours in jail. Tennessee law says that domestic abuse and stalking suspects should be held in jail for 12 hours after an arrest if they are determined to be a continued danger to victims. House Speaker Beth Harwell, Rep. William Lamberth, R-Cottontown, State Rep. Gary Odom, D-Nashville, and Rep. Sherry Jones, D-Nashville, all pledged to introduce similar laws and make strengthening domestic violence laws a “priority when they get back in session.” Several are calling for Moreland’s resignation, including Tennessean writer Frank Daniels, mayoral candidate Megan Barry and Davidson County Republican Party Chairman Robert Duvall.

The Washington Post examines why being a public defender is increasingly bad for a candidate’s political future in a June 17 article. Political candidates in Arkansas and South Carolina were subjected to attacks for having "personally defended dangerous criminals" as part of their jobs as defense attorneys. The paper notes one of the reasons Debo Adegbile’s nomination to lead the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division was rejected was because he once helped prepare a brief in defense of a man convicted of murdering a police officer. Potential presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also faced attack for her work as a defense attorney early in her career. Steven Benjamin, the immediate past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, called the attacks on criminal defense attorneys and public defenders assigned by the state “grossly unfair.” "Public defenders and court-appointed attorneys are the backbone of the criminal justice system," he said. "Without them, the criminal justice system couldn't function."

Jane Crisp, owner-operator of Chigger Ridge Bed and Breakfast and Horse Farm in Pegram, is seeking the District 78 Tennessee House of Representatives seat as a Democrat, the Tennessean reports. Crisp worked as a probation officer during law school and became Director of Project First Offender upon graduation. Besides private practice, she was a Regional Attorney and later lead attorney with the State of Tennessee, pursuing civil prosecution of child abuse and neglect and adult protection cases.

A group of Crossville-area conservative Republicans will host a pre-election meeting with local, state and federal Republican candidates, including those running for judicial posts. The event will be held at St. George Marina in Fairfield Glade on June 28 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The format for the afternoon meeting will provide voters with a brief description of the requirements and duties for each political and judicial office. A picnic lunch plate will be available for $7 per person. The Crossville Chronicle has more.