Gov. Bill Haslam appears to be coasting easily to a second term. Less than a year before Tennesseans take to the polls next November, Haslam does not face a serious challenge from the left or the right, the Tennessean reports. A poll released last week by Vanderbilt University shows Haslam has a 61 percent approval rating, and campaign finances show he has at least $2 million in the bank. But the Republican governor appears to be taking little for granted, the newspaper notes. The Haslam campaign is preparing a major fundraiser in Nashville early next year with a top donor’s circle of $100,000, an escalation in the money battle even as Democrats struggle to find a credible challenger.

Charles Grant, the new president of the Nashville Bar Association, tells the Nashville Business Journal that while the proposed constitutional amendment to change the way judges are selected is not perfect, it is better than popular elections for filling appellate and Supreme Courts posts. "Our view is that the direct election of appellate judges is not in the best interest of Tennesseans," Grant said. An attorney at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz and the first African American president in the association's 182-year history added, "While the constitutional amendment is not the ideal solution, it is much better than the popular election of them, where candidates run and [are] elected due to powerful interests," The Nashville Business Journal reports.

In a nearly around the clock push, the Senate has confirmed a slate of non-controversial judicial and executive nominees, the Blog of the Legal Times reports. Because Republicans have forced Democrats to use all the time required under Senate rules to get to confirmation votes, the Senate has gone into marathon sessions this week. That has included unusual vote times such as 1 a.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. today. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says more confirmation votes will come next week.

The city of Brentwood must pay $54,744 in legal fees for the Williamson County Election Commission following a 2012 lawsuit over the use of the Brentwood Library as an early-voting polling place, the Tennessean reports.  In 2013, the Tennessee Supreme Court declined to hear the matter, officially ending the legal wrangling. Brentwood’s insurance service, TML Risk Management Pool, will cover the legal fees related to the case.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke is among new mayors from across the county who are meeting with President Barack Obama today to talk about ways the Obama administration can actively support cities' efforts to create jobs and help middle class families. “This is a great opportunity to highlight the important assets that create local jobs and strengthen Chattanooga's economy," Berke said a news release. Today's meeting with mayors complements the Obama administration's effort of the Administration "to partner with mayors working to implement policies that lead to high-paying, high-skill jobs in their communities," the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.

The Tennessean writes in a recent editorial that the sudden push for the state Supreme Court to set execution dates for 10 people on death row could be dangerous. “The state of Tennessee is infusing its commitment to the death penalty with a new level of zeal that should worry anyone who understands that our system of justice is carried out by humans and thus is fallible,” the editors write.

Attorney David Peel ponders the legality of drones in an opinion piece for the Millington Star. While drones can be used for positive, protective measures such as searching for a missing child or tracking down suspects running from law enforcement, Peel also mentions the dangers of armed drones that are used to drop missiles and surveillance drones that can listen in on civilian conversations. Nine states have already passed some laws restricting drone use, he notes, questioning whether the law can keep up with the  technology.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Hamilton County Juvenile Court and the Court Clerk’s Office held the first free legal advice clinic aimed at child support problems in Hamilton County Juvenile Court. Five lawyers, some volunteers and others with Legal Aid, sat with non-custodial parents and reviewed forms and fielded questions. LAET attorney Charlie McDaniel, who led the event, said if there’s demand the group will hold the clinic monthly. For information on the next Legal Aid clinic at Hamilton County Juvenile Court, contact Legal Aid of East Tennessee at (423) 756-4013. The Chattanooga Times Free has more. 

The Rutherford County Commission has appropriated $5 million to design a new judicial building and seek property for the project’s $7 million parking garage. According to the Daily News Journal, Mayor Ernest Burgess hopes to have a new building in place for the fast-growing county by late 2017 on the east side of Maple Street, a block north of the existing Judicial Building on the Public Square in Murfreesboro.

Women in the associate ranks declined for the fourth year in a row, while women and minorities in the partnership ranks show some improvement, according to a survey from the National Association of Law Placement (NALP). The percentage of female associates in law firms fell to 44.79 percent in 2013. Minority associate numbers recovered from a decline in 2009 to 2010, and the numbers of female and minority partners also increased slightly. Visit The Careerist for more information.