Memphis native Shayla Purifoy had planned to become a police officer before deciding that the legal profession was the right fit for her. She began working on domestic violence cases through a general civil litigation clinic after taking a social welfare and policy course at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Now with Memphis Area Legal Services, Purifoy works with immigrant women who are victims of domestic abuse. “I just enjoy helping people,” she told the Memphis Daily News.

U.S. District Court Judge William J. Haynes Jr. barred the state from defunding Planned Parenthood of Tennessee in contracts totaling more than $170,000 last year. According to WATE News Channel 6,  Haynes blocked Republican leaders' efforts to keep Planned Parenthood from participating in a federally funded venereal disease prevention program aimed at reducing the infection rate of HIV and syphilis.

Lincoln University’s Duncan School of Law faces a crucial test this week when a team from the American Bar Association (ABA) arrives on campus to assess the school in a new attempt to win accreditation after being turned down two years ago. The Wall Street Journal looks at the school's efforts and what it means to students at the school. (subscription required).

Three judicial candidates have been submitted to Gov. Bill Haslam for the vacancy in the 17th district that serves Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore counties. After a public hearing and interview on March 8, the Judicial Nominating Commission recommended Forest A. Durand Jr., Brooke Charles Grubb and Barbara G. Medley. Read more about each candidate at the Administrative Office of the Courts website.

Six attorneys have applied to fill the Chancery Court vacancy in the 3rd Judicial District, which serves Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins and Green counties. The vacancy was created by the appointment of Chancellor Thomas R. Frierson to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a public meeting on April 12 at the General Morgan Inn in Greeneville to interview Douglas R. Beier, Beth Boniface, Douglas T. Jenkins, William Erwin Phillips, Christopher L. Seaton and Linda Thomas Woolsey. The retirement of the Hon. Kindall T. Lawson has also led to an opening on the Circuit Court in the 3rd district. Candidates Douglas R. Beier, Michael A. Faulk, Alex E. Pearson, Christopher L. Seaton and Linda Thomas Woolsey will be interviewed to fill the position at a public meeting on April 11.

The Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a public meeting on March 27 to interview 10 attorneys who have applied to fill the Criminal Court vacancy in the 30th judicial district serving Shelby County. The vacancy was created by the death of Judge W. Otis Higgs. The Administrative Office of the Courts announced the following candidates: David Michael Bell, Latonya Sue Burrow, Dean Thomas DeCandia, Garland Ingram Erguden, Damon Keith Griffin, Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Kevin Russell Rardin, Carolyn Sherri Watkins, Glenn Wright and David Michael Zak.

U.S. News and World Reports is now factoring in new job information for law graduates when assigning law school rankings, the ABA Journal reports. Graduate placement rates account for 20 percent of a school’s overall score. Greater weight is now given for permanent, full-time jobs that require bar passage or for which a J.D. is an advantage. Vanderbilt Law School ranks at number 15 in the report, while the University of Tennessee College of Law is ranked number 61 and the University of Memphis' Cecil C.Humphreys School of Law is at 144.

The wine-in-grocery-stores bill failed to win approval by one vote today in a House committee, the Commercial Appeal reports. The bill’s House sponsor, Rep. John Lundberg, R-Bristol, said the measure isn’t dead and that he will try to press ahead, possibly with a separate bill. The vote occurred after Lundberg initially moved to delay the vote for a week, but Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, objected and called for an immediate vote. Earlier in the day, the Senate Finance Committee delayed the wine-grocery-stores bill for one week in order to give all sides time to negotiate a compromise.

Department of Children’s Services Interim commissioner Jim Henry told a House Government Operations Committee today that improvements have been made since he stepped in about a month ago. Henry said changes include having regional administrators call his personal cell phone when a child is reported dead and immediately notifying lawmakers in that child's district. A death review process has also been established and cases are reviewed monthly. Knoxnews has the story. 

Shelby County criminal court prosecutor Kate Edmands was severely injured in an attack inside her home last week, the Commercial Appeal reports. As of Monday night, no arrests had been made and Vince Higgins, a spokesman for district attorney Amy Weirich, wouldn’t speculate on whether the attack could have been an act of retaliation related to the violent criminals Edmands routinely prosecutes. “The extent of her injuries were initially critical,” Higgins said Monday. “She’s stabilized and as of today she’s in intensive care."