Judge Thomas L. Moore Jr. of Weakley County and Judge A. Ben Strand Jr. of Jefferson County were the recipients of the inaugural Judge Leon Ruben Awards in recognition of outstanding service and accomplishment by General Sessions judges. The awards were presented at the annual Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference last Wednesday in Gatlinburg. The award was named in honor of Davidson County General Sessions Judge Leon Ruben for his outstanding service to the conference and in recognition of his integrity, love of the law, and his desire to seek justice. Ruben died in 2011. The Administrative Office of the Courts has the story. 

The Senate this afternoon approved a bill designed to avoid a partial government shutdown next week, CBS News reports, but the legislation now returns to the House where Republican leaders have already said they won't pass the Senate bill. If that happens and the government partially shuts down on Oct. 1, the federal judiciary says it will remain open for business for approximately 10 days. “On or around Oct. 15, the Judiciary will reassess its situation and provide further guidance," according to a press release from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. "All proceedings and deadlines remain in effect as scheduled, unless otherwise advised.”

A growing number of law schools are adding courses intended to give students a foundation in business in addition to the law, the National Law Journal reports. Law schools such as Georgetown, Elon and the University of Pennsylvania are offering programs and courses in finance and accounting, management, leadership and entrepreneurship in order to prepare graduates to practice law, whether the student ends up counseling corporate clients, goes solo or works in a small nonprofit.

"A lot of times the international things get all the attention," Memphis Mayor AC Wharton said, "but we've got wars going on right here in our streets." Wharton was part of a delegation to Washington D.C yesterday for the Department of Justice's third annual summit on preventing youth violence, WMC-TV reports. The DOJ selected Memphis as one of 10 cities to take part in the two-day event. Other invited Memphians included police director Toney Armstrong, Tennessee Department of Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons and Rev. Keith Norman.

The University of Tennessee College of Law recently hosted Abby Rubenfeld, a marriage equality advocate and Nashville-based lawyer, to discuss the Supreme Court’s June ruling declaring the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. Rubenfeld said she is working on a plan to attack Tennessee's DOMA through two separate lawsuits involving couples who married outside of the state and returned home to find that their marriage would not be recognized. "I believe in our legal system," she said. "I want to help make it work right." The UT Daily Beacon has more.

In an editorial board opinion, the Daily News Journal looks back on Constitution Week and encourages citizens to take the time to read the document fully. While current debate focuses heavily on the First, Second and Fourth Amendments, the DNJ reminds readers that other amendments afford Americans important rights and addresses all manner of issues including the abolition of slavery, voting rights, judicial power over foreign nationals, women’s suffrage, limitations on terms of presidents and even how U.S. senators are elected. “At the end of the day,” the paper states, “we are left with one indelible fact: The U.S. Constitution is an incredible document that has stood the test of time for more than 200 years.”

Peter Letsou, the new dean of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, will be the featured speaker for the Memphis Bar Foundation’s luncheon on Oct. 8. The event, being held at the Peabody Hotel, will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Letsou will discuss his vision for the law school and how his plans will impact the Memphis legal community. In addition, new foundation fellows will be recognized, grants will be awarded to local non-profit agencies and the Irvin Bogatin Awards will be presented to University of Memphis law students. For reservations, contact Charlotte Gean at (901) 527-3574

The Tennessee Bar Association’s award-winning Court Square CLE Series heads east as it continues its progression throughout the state. The next program will be held in Johnson City tomorrow (Sept. 27) at 9 a.m. The three-hour program is designed to provide attorneys with the latest developments in multiple areas of the law. To register, visit TennBar U or call director Mindy Fulks at (615) 383-7421 for more information.

House Local Government Committee Chair Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, today said he is willing to reconsider the wine in supermarkets bill this coming session. Hill, who cast the deciding vote against the bill last year, said he is willing to take the parliamentary steps needed to reverse the vote as long as proponents commit to a full debate about the bill and proposals to amend the measure, the Memphis Daily News reports.

Early voting in the special Democratic primary election for State House District 91 expands tomorrow to three satellite locations, the Memphis Daily News reports. The early voting satellite locations are open through Thursday, Oct. 3, with regular voting taking place on Oct. 8.