The national Justice at Stake organization is concerned about preserving the impartiality of Tennessee courts after news broke that the three targeted Tennessee Supreme Court justices — Chief Justice Gary Wade, Justice Cornelia Clark and Justice Sharon Lee — have raised $600,000 for a coordinated campaign to defend against attacks from Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, who has outlined a plan to oust the three justices. “It’s discouraging to hear that Tennessee’s courts are about to face the kind of special-interest tsunami that is targeting courts across the country,” JAS Executive Director Bert Brandenburg said in a statement released yesterday. “Retention elections are designed to keep partisan politics out of the courts — not turn judges into politicians in black robes." GavelGrab has more.

The Tennessee Supreme Court rejected Clarksville-based attorney Fletcher Whaley Long’s constitutional challenge to the professional discipline of a public censure. Long challenged the constitutionality of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, governing disciplinary enforcement of attorneys and contended in part that the Rule violated due process, because it combines investigative, enforcement, and adjudicative authority in the same agency, the Board of Professional Responsibility. Justice Sharon G. Lee explained in the opinion that the Board’s Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel investigates allegations and institutes disciplinary proceedings if necessary. However, hearing panels composed of independent attorneys appointed by the Board then adjudicate the proceedings. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more.

The law license of Stephanie Derrick Gray was transferred to disability inactive status on June 2. Gray cannot practice law while on disability inactive status. She may return after reinstatement by the Tennessee Supreme Court upon showing of clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and she is fit to resume the practice of law. View the BPR notice.

The Informed Voters Project and the National Constitution Center are hosting a town hall meeting “A Judge’s Perspective on Current Threats to A Fair and Impartial Judiciary" Monday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The event will provide an insider’s look at the challenges state court judges face in charged political environments with Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Justice Barbara J. Pariente of the Florida Supreme Court, and former Chief Justice Marsha Ternus of the Iowa Supreme Court. C-Span is covering the symposium and will air it in July. To see the program real time, visit the IVP website.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is hiring a half dozen lawyers for litigation-support work at its back-office operations center in Nashville, the ABA Journal reports. Pillsbury chairman Jim Rishwain says the hiring of the lawyers, as well as a handful of paralegals and consultants, is “another step in the evolution of our business model.”

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest non-profit law firm, has partnered with Operation Stand Down Nashville (OSDN) and drawn on its Volunteer Lawyer Program to ensure at-risk veterans are receiving the resources they need. The program staffs monthly clinics at OSDN that provide general advice and legal counsel to veterans on a wide range of topics, including custody, drivers’ licenses, divorce and landlord-tenant issues. The Murfreesboro Post has more.

Davidson County’s General Sessions Court judges asked for a raise of nearly $2,500 during their budget hearing with Metro Council last week, the Tennessean reports. The judges currently make about $165,000. Presiding Judge Bill Higgins pointed out to council members that the Metro Charter requires General Sessions judges be paid at the same rate as their Circuit Court counterparts. While Higgins and the other 10 General Sessions judges make equal to the eight Circuit Court judges’ current pay, the Circuit Court judges, who are paid by the state, are due to get a 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment, or about $2,478, starting July 1.

Three Tennessee Republican state representatives on Monday gave a "yes" vote for three constitutional amendments — involving abortion, judicial selection and a state income tax — scheduled for the November ballot. GOP state representatives Jon Lundberg, Tony Shipley and Timothy Hill gave the three amendments a thumbs up during a Greater Kingsport Republican Women's luncheon, the Times News Net reports.

The position of Franklin Municipal Court Judge will be vacant for the first time in 27 years following current Judge Tom Taylor’s election to Williamson County General Sessions Court in the May primary, Franklin Home Page reports. Although the process of selecting a new judge is still being discussed among Franklin’s elected officials, the mayor and aldermen hope to fill the position by Sept. 1.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. will be keynote speaker to the ABA’s policy-making House of Delegates during the group's Annual Meeting in Boston this August. Roberts will talk about the historical and present-day significance of the Magna Carta, kicking off the ABA’s commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the signing of the document in 1215. The ABA journal has more.