Sumner County Chancellor Tom E. Gray will not seek re-election in 2014, the Tennessean reports. In a statement yesterday, Gray, 71, said he considered many factors in making the decision. “The term is for eight years, and I cannot keep the pace that I set in 1982,” he said. “Another factor is that I would like to be available to do things with my family, travel a bit and do genealogy research.” Three Gallatin attorneys — Jim Hawkins, Mark Smith and Joe Thompson — have already indicated an interest in the position but have not made an official announcement.

Knox County Commissioner Ed Shouse says he plans to run for county trustee in 2014, Knoxnews reports. Shouse, who has more than 35 years of experience in banking and finance, said he believes that experience would help him as tax collector. “There’s one job at the courthouse in county government that I always thought I’d be good at, and that’s the trustee,” Shouse told the News Sentinel yesterday. Craig Leuthhold, who was appointed in July to finish trustee John J. Duncan’ term after he resigned amid charges of misappropriating funds, may also run in 2014.

A Supreme Court ruling 13 years ago that threw out 48-hour mandatory waiting periods for abortions and requirements that all but first-term abortions be performed in hospitals is back in the spotlight in Tennessee. According to Fox News 17, anti-abortion rights activists like state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey are already planning high-dollar fundraisers one year before a constitutional amendment will be presented next fall. The amendment would give lawmakers more power to restrict access to abortions.

A new poll shows that 87 percent of voters believes campaign and special interest spending on judicial elections have an influence on a judge’s decision. “As this poll makes clear, Americans are worried that our fair courts are at risk,” said Alicia Bannon, counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “We need stricter rules for when judges have to step aside from cases, so that judges aren’t hearing cases involving donors who spent large sums getting them elected. We also need stronger disclosure laws so the public knows who is spending money trying to shape our courts.” Gavel Grab has more.

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander is cosponsoring a bill to repeal the federal estate tax, the Nashville Business Journal reports. The legislation, introduced by Sen. John Thune (R- South Dakota) in June, is like one passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in April 2012 that will eliminate Tennessee's inheritance tax after 2015. "Nobody should be forced to sell the farm or family-owned small business they've just inherited in order to pay the tax bill," Alexander said in a news release.

Knox County Circuit Court Judge Dale Workman says he will not seek re-election after 24 years of service. In a press release, Workman expressed his desire to spend more time with his wife, three children and four grandchildren.

A University of Tennessee College of Law team took top honor in the negotiation component of the Securities Dispute Resolution Triathlon sponsored by St. John’s University’s Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Brooke Baird, Cara Rains and Ryan Franklin made up the team.

Tennessee, Mississippi and Utah today were awarded $90,000 to assist jurisdictions in providing adequate representation to indigent defendants. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the awards as part of $6.7 million in grants to state and local criminal and civil legal services organizations that provide legal defense services for the poor. The grants from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are part of the Justice Department’s efforts to improve indigent defense.

Sumner County Criminal Court Judge Dee David Gay recused himself yesterday from a decade-old murder case, the Hendersonville Star reports. Gay acknowledged he did some minor work on the case while he was as assistant district attorney in the 18th Judicial District, which encompasses Sumner. Gay said he would refer the case to Sumner County Chancellor Tom Gray, who he expects will assign the case to another judge. The Tennessean has more.

Prison Legal News, a prisoners’ rights organization, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Wayne Anderson, claiming the department is censoring and refusing to deliver its publications and newsletter to inmates held at the Sullivan County Jail in violation of the 1st and 14th amendments. The Times News has the story.