Legislation allowing state-college issued student IDs to be permissible for voting was postponed one week, the Commercial Appeal reports. The Tennessee Senate rejected an amendment by Minority Leader Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, to allow city and county local governments like Memphis and Shelby County to create secure photo identification cards acceptable for use. The Tennessee Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling soon on the 2011 Memphis case involving the use of library cards for voter identification that started the debate.

The American Bar Association has joined two other legal groups in condemning the impact that “severe and indiscriminate federal court budget reductions through sequestration” will have on the judicial system. The statement, jointly released with the American Association for Justice and DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar, says that sequestration will cause “costly delays,” affecting “the federal judiciary and every individual and business that depends on our courts” and urges policymakers on Capital Hill and statehouses across the county to ”provide adequate funding for our federal and state judiciaries.”

The Department of Children’s Services has released new details about the deaths of 25 children in state custody in 2011 and 2012, the Tennessean reports. The 113-page report was released in advance of hearings at the state legislature next week in which the DCS is expected to answer wide-ranging questions about the agency’s ability to serve the state’s children, data problems, rumored difficulties about DCS staff cooperating with law enforcement and unanswered calls at its child abuse hotline. Critics of the agency point out that the report does not answer lawmakers’ questions regarding the number of children who died after being investigated for abuse or neglect but who were not taken from their homes into custody. Interim Commissioner Jim Henry and other DCS officials are expected to answer questions at a separate hearing next week as well.

A number of local governments are expressing concern about efforts to redraw the state’s judicial districts. In Anderson County, officials have raised questions about whether judicial offices would have to move to another county, and whether they would lose their children’s advocacy center, crime task force, DUI prosecution grant and drug court, all of which are tied to the judicial district, Knoxnews reports. Meanwhile in Dayton, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the city council voted Monday to oppose proposed judicial redistricting after hearing a presentation by the Rhea County clerk and master. And in Washington County, Circuit Court Judge Thomas J. Seeley Jr. is opposing the idea saying that changing the local district lines would involve “unknown administrative costs and logistical headaches.” An editorial by the Johnson City Press agrees with that assessment and urges state legislators to consider those issues. 

The Pro Bono Legal Clinic Seminar held in Nashville recently helped attendees address issues and questions that arise in starting or growing a pro bono clinic. More than 50 lawyers, paralegals, judges, court clerks, and administrative staff had the opportunity to learn from each other about successful clinic operations and ways to expand or improve their clinics. Legal service providers were highlighted as a possible and viable partner for beginning a legal clinic. Read more about the seminar rom the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, which sponsored the program.

Clay Purdom didn't begin his professional career as an attorney, but the director and shareholder with Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC in Memphis has found the commercial work he does challenging and immensely enjoyable. “There’s always something new, there are hardly ever two sets of facts that are identical so it keeps you on your toes,” the Kentucky native told the Memphis Daily.

Judge Audrey M. Scott died Feb. 26 at the age of 65 at Methodist University Hospital. She was a long-time judge, serving the local EEOC and Social Security Administration Memphis Hearings Office. A Memphis native, Scott attended LeMoyne-Owen College before transferring to Howard University where she graduated with honors. She earned her law degree from Catholic University of America and returned to Memphis to begin her legal career with Memphis Area Legal Services. Visitation was held Tuesday,  with funeral services Wednesday at Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Pillow Street C.M.E Church, Youth Development. 1590 Pillow Street, Memphis,TN 38106.

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office will soon allow Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings to be handled online as part of an effort to make it more convenient and efficient for business to send required documents to the state. Secretary Tre Hargett said a new filing system, which will launch July 1, will make it possible for UCC filings to be handled through an automated process. “In these technology-oriented times in which we are living, it makes sense to automate as much of our department’s filing management systems as we can,” Secretary Hargett said. “Allowing our customers – who are the citizens of Tennessee - to file documents online is one way that we can provide them with better and faster service.”

Joseph K. McKinney has been elected President of the Napier-Looby Bar Foundation. An associate in the Nashville office of Dickinson Wright, McKinney focuses his practice in the areas of commercial and business litigation, civil litigation, labor and employment litigation, and minority business enterprises. He earned his bachelors degree from Rhodes College and his law degree from the University of Memphis.

Barbara E. Futter was recently awarded the Rutherford and Cannon Counties Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award for her outstanding service to the community in 2012. Before entering private practice in 2011, Futter served for 10 years as the managing attorney of the Murfreesboro office of the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee. In 2005, she was awarded Public Service Attorney of the Year Award from the Tennessee Bar Association Access to Justice Committee. That award recognized her for having gone above and beyond the call of duty in representing indigent clients.