The Department of Children’s Services will release at no cost all records from July 2012 going forward of children who died or nearly died while in its custody, the Tennessean reports. During an ongoing legal battle with the Tennessean and other news organizations to release the files, DCS originally said it would charge the news organizations over $30,000 to make copies of more than 200 records from January 2009 to June 2012. In response to a second request from The Tennessean and other media groups for more recent records spanning the period from July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, the agency again set a high price tag. This week however, an attorney for the agency said DCS Commissioner Jim Henry now views releasing the records as part of the agency’s day-to-day responsibilities.

Rep. David Hawk was convicted of reckless endangerment by an East Tennessee jury yesterday, the Johnson City Press reports. The case stems from an incident in which his ex-wife alleged he had struck her. Judge Paul Summers earlier dismissed a felony charge of aggravated assault against Hawk, saying that prosecutors hadn't proved that his ex-wife suffered serious bodily injuries.

Eleven Jackson-Madison County School students were named Constitution Week essay winners by the Jackson-Madison chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution during a ceremony held yesterday, the Jackson Sun reports. Students were asked to answer several questions in the essay, including “how does our government establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility?” and “how does the government promote general welfare among the people?” “Constitutional literacy is in a bad state among young adults once they reach college,” said Micah Watson, an associate professor of political science at Union University. “Seeing young people learning early is a bright spot. I’m glad to see the DAR and the community doing more to educate our youth.”

The 2,860 page annotated Constitution is now available for free in an app released Tuesday in honor of Constitution Day, the ABA Journal reports. The app was released by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Library of Congress, and the Government Printing Office and is available from iTunes.

As the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity approaches its fifth year, leaders of the initiative are reviewing what they've accomplished in their efforts to give women, minority attorneys and law students opportunities to network with industry decision-makers and develop leadership skills. Each year, member law firms and legal departments select one or two diverse attorneys who have displayed leadership potential to join the LCLC Fellows and spend the next year being mentored by top attorneys, attending leadership and networking functions and going on “ learning experiences.” Learn more abou the program from the National Law Journal.

Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper is suing to remove Lewis County trustee Clark Carroll after state comptroller’s office auditors found $45,000 missing. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the audit found that Carroll failed to deposit property tax payments on numerous occasions, wrote checks to himself from the county’s bank account and fabricated information on check memos, check stubs and receipts for deposits. Cooper is asking the court to suspend Carroll while the case is pending.

The Judicial Conference this week announced new measures to trim costs, including cutting how much courthouse space is used and advocating for changes to let judges issue sentences less than mandatory minimums. “While the Judiciary has been engaged in an aggressive cost containment effort for the last decade, sequestration reduced overall Judiciary funding by nearly $350 million. This has triggered broad cuts in court staff and programs and emphasized the need for continued cost containment within the Judiciary,” the conference said in a press release. GavelGrab has the story. 

Median pay for first-year associates at firms with more than 700 lawyers has rebounded to $160,000 after dipping to $145,000 last year, the ABA Journal reports. According to a press release by the National Association for Law Placement, the median starting pay was $78,000 in firms of 2 to 25 lawyers, $110,000 in firms of 26 to 50 lawyers and 101 to 250 lawyers, $100,000 in firms of 51 to 100 lawyers, $160,000 in firms of 251 to 500 lawyers, and $125,000 in firms of 501 to 700 lawyers.

Attorneys for Pilot Flying J say they will provide plaintiffs with records including email documentation of rebate or discount deals that were made with trucking companies, Knoxnews reports. Appearing in Knox County Circuit Court this morning regarding the civil lawsuit over alleged fuel rebate fraud, Pilot attorney Albert Harb told Judge Harold Wimberly that it may take a week to collect the documents, but that the only way to tell for sure if the trucking companies received the promised deal is by looking at invoices on fuel purchased from Pilot since 2005. Harb also asked trucking companies to provide their own documents.

The law firm Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell PLC is expanding its presence in Raymond James Tower at 50 N. Front St. in Memphis, the Memphis Business Journal reports. The expansion grows its office space by 30 percent, bringing a larger conference room, more attorney offices and room for future growth. Founded in Jackson in 1975, Rainey Kizer is one of larger firms in the state with 38 attorneys.