Robert Lance Johansen, the father of Lauren Johansen, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against Brooke's Bail Bonding, Freedom Monitoring Services, On Time Bail Bonding and several people in their individual capacity. Johansen was a nursing student in Mississippi who was killed by her boyfriend Bricen Rivers after he was bonded out of a Nashville jail and left the state. The Tennessean reports that the suit alleges several mistakes by the bonding and monitoring companies which lead to Johansen's death. Chief Deputy Clerk Julius Sloss of the Davidson County Criminal Court acknowledged in July 2024 that errors occurred during Rivers' release. A six-judge panel in October 2024 ruled that two bonding companies did not break local court rules when they let Rivers go.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law, together with the Black Law Students Association, recently marked the 25th anniversary of the Julian Blackshear Jr. Scholarship Gala. The event celebrates a commitment to fostering a broadly diverse and welcoming community according to a press release from the school. The Blackshear Scholarship has provided years of opportunities for students at Winston Law. Named in honor of Julian Blackshear Jr., one of the first African American alumni of the college, the scholarship reflects his legacy as an attorney and civic leader. This year, his daughter Lillian Blackshear served as the gala's keynote speaker. Read more from Knox TN Today.

The TBA encourages all lawyers to participate in the Foundations 2.0 Survey, which is available via the link below. In 2014, Foundations for Practice identified the skills, competencies and abilities lawyers need to be successful in practice. The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) have launched Foundations 2.0 to ensure the competency framework accurately reflects the present and future needs of the profession. Your participation will provide key data on the abilities lawyers need as they enter and grow in the profession. Please note that while you may receive this survey from different bar organizations, you only need to take the survey once. The survey takes about 15–25 minutes and is open through July 2. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Access the survey here.

Stuart Teicher (the CLE Performer) says ethics educators should stop scaring everyone about generative AI (gAI) as he takes a different approach to AI in legal. In a July 17 webcast, Teicher will explore five ways lawyers ethically can use gAI, and specifically Chat GPT, including communicating effectively with clients (Rule 1.4), developing case strategy (Competence, Rule 1.1) and more. Teicher also will cover how to avoid confidentiality issues inherent in gAI (Rule 1.6). Get more information and register.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia of Maryland appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee today and pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, the Associated Press reports. In their request to keep Abrego Garcia in jail pending trial, prosecutors also accused him of trafficking drugs and firearms and abusing the women he transported, though he has not been charged with those crimes. His defense challenged the credibility of government witnesses, citing their criminal records and possible motivations, and denied all criminal allegations. They also argued the charges are a political maneuver to justify his recent removal to El Salvador, which they say violated a court order protecting him from deportation due to fears of gang violence.

The CLE Performer Stuart Teicher is back with three new ethics webcasts on July 17! Shakira, Secrets and Scandals: Attorney Ethics and the World of Offshore Deals begins at 9 a.m. CDT, followed by Five Ways to Use Chat GPT Safely in the Practice of Law at 10:15, and wrapping up with The Office: What Michael Scott Teaches About Lawyer Professionalism at 11:30. Join your colleagues and earn one, two or three ethics credits.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission has received applications for two vacancies in the 30th Judicial District. The applicants for the criminal court judge vacancy are Jahari M. Dowdy, Lora D. Fowler, Raymond J. Lepone and Kenya N. Smith. The applicants for the circuit court vacancy are William Christopher Frulla, C. Scott Jones and Mitzi H. Pollard. A public hearing for these candidates will be held July 16 and 17 at 9 a.m. CDT in the Historic Courtroom (Room 325) at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687 with questions. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward nominations for each position to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. To view the applications, visit the AOC's website.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday announced the appointment of Jeff Holmes as interim commissioner for the Tennessee Department of General Services (DGS), effective today. Holmes will succeed Matt Van Epps, who stepped down on June 10 to pursue a new venture after serving in multiple roles in the Lee administration. Van Epps was appointed commissioner of DGS in September 2024. He previously held multiple roles within the Lee administration, including deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office, assistant director of procurement and contracts with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and assistant commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services. Holmes most recently was the director of planning and programming at Tennessee Board of Regents, and previously served as Tennessee’s 76th adjutant general, supervising Tennessee’s Military Department which includes the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Tennessee State Guard. Read a press release from the governor's office.

A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tennessee, aims to increase transparency at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by requiring nearly all board and committee meetings to be public, with at least one week’s notice. The legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support, would amend the TVA Act of 1933 and includes exceptions for emergencies and sensitive competitive information. Burchett argues the change is necessary to restore public trust, while TVA maintains it already meets transparency standards and welcomes further input. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has the story. The Trump administration fired one TVA board member in March and fired the TVA chair in April.

Ozone pollution levels in Memphis and surrounding areas have exceeded national health standards for the past two years, prompting environmental groups to petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for stricter regulatory enforcement. The Southern Environmental Law Center and local partners argue that local and state agencies have failed to adequately reduce emissions, leaving vulnerable communities — particularly in South Memphis — exposed to harmful air quality. The Tennessee Lookout reports that four out of five regional air monitors now exceed federal ozone limits, but South Memphis still lacks a monitor despite its industrial growth and historical pollution concerns. The EPA is being urged to formally recognize the region’s noncompliance, which could lead to tougher permit requirements for polluting facilities.