Legal technology and TBA member advantage company Clio has announced it will heighten its focus and investment on technology for mid-sized law firms of more than 20 employees, according to the legal blog LawSites. Clio states that more than 1,000 mid-sized law firms already subscribe to its services, so it will more heavily invest in products tailored to that market. In conjunction with the announcement, Clio released its 2024 Legal Trends for Mid-Sized Firms report, which finds a significant discrepancy in the adoption of cloud-based legal practice management software between mid-sized and smaller law firms, signaling a potential gap in artificial intelligence readiness and technological integration across the mid-sized segment.

Franklin Republicans Rep. Jake McCalmon and Sen. Jack Johnson have introduced HB1906/SB1801, which would extend the statute of limitations for minor victims of child sexual abuse by 15 years. Fox 17 Nashville reports that the bill would give minor victims of trafficking for a commercial sex act up to 30 years after they turn 18 to sue for injuries or illnesses that occurred during the abuse. Currently, victims are able to file civil actions against alleged perpetrators for up to 15 years after their 18th birthday.

Several bills have been moving through the legislative process this week. A House panel has advanced a bill that would make it illegal for an adult to help a minor get an abortion without parental consent. The TN Ledger reports that, if enacted, the measure would make it illegal for an adult who "recruits, harbors or transports" a pregnant minor within the state to get an abortion without consent from the minor's parents or guardians. In other news, the proposed ELVIS Act unanimously passed the House Banking and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee following testimony from singer and actress Chrissy Metz, songwriter board member Jamie Moore and Recording Industry Association of America Senior Vice President of Public Policy Jessie Richard. The bill would protect the individual voice, image and likeness against irresponsible uses of AI technology, according to the Tennessean. A bill to require students to have firearm safety training at school has passed the House Education Instruction Subcommittee, WPLN reports. And legislation that would give officiants the power to refuse to marry anyone with whose habits or lifestyle they disagree is headed to the governor for his signature, reports Fox Chattanooga. Opponents say the bill is unnecessary and that the law already allows pastors to refuse to perform marriages. Finally, two bills have been delayed, according to news reports. "Jillian's Law," which would close a loophole for those currently deemed incompetent to stand trial, has been paused until legislators "ensure it does not become law without the funding to pay for it," according to WJHL. Also delayed was proposed legislation that would ban the practice of running for two offices at the same, The Tennessee Journal reports.

TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast is new with TBA lobbyist Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley. This week they discuss several bills that are moving through the legislative process, including HB2320/SB2375 on debtor/creditor relations; the rolling professional privilege tax bill, HB2586/SB1841; HB1804/SB1690 on child custody and support; HB2710/SB2254, TBA's conservatorship bill; HB2645, the adoption birth certificate bill; and HB2644, TBA's adoption clean-up bill. Legislative Updates airs each week on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Belmont College of Law's Law Journal will present its inaugural symposium, "Drawing Back The Curtain: Discussions of Negotiations, Mediations and Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Entertainment and Sports Industries" on March 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST. The event will feature three panels of attorneys, industry professionals and professors from sports, music publishing and music recording industries. The group will discuss the increasing importance of out-of-court conversations that can profoundly influence the rights of artists and athletes regarding contractual rights, intellectual property rights, privacy rights and profitability. Attorneys can register here. See the attached flyer for more information.

It's Leap Year, so why not spend your extra day giving back to the community by volunteering with West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS)? The group will hold a virtual Simple Wills and Power of Attorney Clinic during the day on Feb. 29 CST. All volunteers will participate virtually using the WTLS document automation software and calling clients to complete their needed documents. WTLS will handle meeting with clients to sign the documents. Sign up here.

The defendant, Michael M. Cook, was convicted of one count of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated kidnapping for which he received an effective term of 25 years’ incarceration. On appeal, the defendant argues that: (1) police contamination of the condom that yielded the defendant’s DNA profile resulted in a fundamentally unfair trial under State v. Ferguson, 2 S.W.3d 912 (Tenn. 1999); (2) the trial court erred in not requiring chain of custody after the police mispackaged the condom in a way that degrades DNA; (3) the identification of the defendant’s voice based on his testimony at the Momon hearing resulted in a fundamentally unfair trial; (4) the prosecution commented on the defendant’s silence by arguing the defendant’s rights prevented a non-suggestive voice identification; (5) improper argument by the State throughout trial affected the verdict; (6) the trial court failed to give a full and complete charge of the law by not instructing the jury on identification and other instructions requested by the defendant; and (7) the cumulative errors in the case warrant reversal. Following a thorough review of the record, the briefs and oral arguments of the parties, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The defendant, Misty Paul, appeals the order of the trial court revoking her probation and ordering her to serve her modified six-year sentence in confinement. Upon our review of the record, the parties’ briefs, and oral arguments, we affirm the revocation and disposition of the defendant’s probation, but remand for the sole determination by the trial court as to whether to credit the defendant with time successfully spent in compliance with probation pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-35-310(a).

Petitioner, Edward Parnell Porter, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition, arguing that the post-conviction court erred in finding that he received the effective assistance of counsel at trial. Following our review of the entire record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Eric Tyre Patton, defendant, was convicted of two Class A felony drug offenses committed within the 1000-foot prohibited zone of an elementary school and was sentenced to consecutive terms of 25 years at 100% service. Defendant filed a motion for resentencing pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-432(h). The trial court found that granting a shorter sentence was not in the interests of justice and denied the motion. Defendant filed a petition seeking certiorari and/or extraordinary review. This court denied extraordinary review but granted the petition seeking certiorari and ordered the record to be assembled and transmitted for this court to conduct a review of the trial court’s ruling. Following a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.