Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has reached a settlement with the nonprofit Satanic Temple in a federal lawsuit. The suit claimed that MSCS discriminated against the After School Satan Club (ASSC), a program of the Satanic Temple, which sought to rent space for after school activities at Chimneyrock Elementary School in Cordova. The Daily Memphian reports that the Freedom from Religion Foundation represented the ASSC in the matter, and that MSCS will pay more than $15,000 to settle the lawsuit.

Public health clinics in Tennessee will no longer give teens access to certain health care — including birth control, sexually transmitted infection treatment and pregnancy testing — without parental consent, according to the Department of Health. The department's interpretation of the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, which went into effect July 1, is changing the way doctors and nurses interact with teenage patients seeking care at public health clinics, Tennessee Lookout reports. Before the law took effect, teens 14 and older could access contraceptives, HIV and pregnancy tests, and a range of primary health care from public health clinics without parental consent. Now, the department is requiring that a parent be present or give verbal consent over the phone. The department also is interpreting the law to require that all health care providers obtain parental consent before offering counseling or psychological services, but it remains unclear how the state intends to apply this provision of the law to the spectrum of mental health professionals.

Make plans now to join colleagues for a one-hour webcast "Disability Law: Changes in Past Relevant Work" on Aug. 7 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. CDT. Hear from Knoxville lawyer Emma Drozdowski Webb with Drozdowski & Rabin and Gallatin lawyer Chris George with George & George, who will discuss recent Social Security regulatory changes that positively impact claimants and recipients.

Davidson County attorney Marvin Don Himmelberg has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. In defending a juvenile client against criminal charges, the court found that Himmelberg failed to appear for the client’s arraignment hearing, jeopardizing the client’s plea deal, and failed to refund any part of the client’s fee. These actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.

A lawsuit filed in federal court on July 9 alleges that Cheekwood Botanical Gardens orchestrated a “coup” over the past year to take over operations of the annual Swan Ball. The complaint says that when it became clear that Cheekwood was attempting to “assert control over the operations of the [planning] committee,” the board unanimously voted to formalize itself as a separate and autonomous nonprofit in May, reports the Nashville Banner. It also filed a federal trademark application for “Swan Ball,” which it argues should prevent Cheekwood from continuing to control it. With the exception of a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Swan Ball has been put on every year since 1963 as a fundraiser for the Nashville nonprofit.

Johnson City attorneys Brad Griffith and Solange McDaniel announce the formation of the firm Griffith McDaniel PLLC, located at 926 W. Oakland Ave., #206, Johnson City, TN 37604. Griffith focuses his practice on personal injury, general civil litigation and mediation; McDaniel's practice centers on social security disability, family law and conservatorships.

A second employee complaint against Rutherford County Property Assessor Rob Mitchell has been filed, accusing him of ignoring conflict of interest issues involving real estate. According to the Daily News Journal, John Key, a residential appraiser in Mitchell's office, claims that Mitchell allowed another employee to work "as a licensed real estate professional for the past five years," which he considers a conflict of interest. Another appraiser, Robert Kincade, filed a complaint in June, accusing management of "directing staff to unlawfully withhold updates on improvements to properties." Mitchell responded to the first complaint, saying, "Any and all of the recent ethics complaints filed against our office are categorically false and untrue."

The University of Memphis Law Review is currently accepting articles proposals, speakers and panel participants for its annual symposium scheduled for Feb. 21, 2025. The symposium is titled "The Ripple Effect: Understanding the Impact of Controversial Court Decisions on the Public's Confidence in the Judiciary." More information on the call for papers and how to submit proposals may be found here.

Democrats in state District 19, which covers part of Knox County, are hoping to challenge Rep. Dave Wright, R-Corryton, by supporting the write-in candidacy of Michael Leon Daugherty on the Aug. 1 ballot, Knox News reports. Daugherty did not get on the ballot by the filing deadline, so he will need 5% of voters (about 2,200 people) to write in his name during the primary in order to be included on the general election ballot in November. Daugherty, a retired civics teacher, told the news outlet that elected officials must to do more to provide adequate health care, pass sensible gun safety laws, increase the minimum wage, support those suffering from addiction and protect public education.

A new state law will allow developers to hire their own inspectors to check for environmental, safety and building violations on construction sites, bypassing codes departments and fire marshals. They also will be able to hire their own wetlands consultants to conduct reviews of permits, if delays by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) exceed 30 days. Gov. Bill Lee, who made the measure a key policy priority this year, said it is intended to streamline the building process and cut down on delays in obtaining permits, particularly in rapidly growing Tennessee communities. The Tennessee Lookout reports that a review of the processes in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville show that the average wait time for inspections ranges from the same day to six days for complex or large commercial projects, and TDEC’s average review and issuance of a general permit takes approximately four and a half days.