Marrell Graham, the son of Samuel Pettyjohn, a key FBI witness in Gov. Ray Blanton’s “cash-for-clemency” scandal in the late 1970s, is suing the FBI. Pettyjohn was killed in downtown Chattanooga in 1979. Graham’s federal lawsuit claims that the agency’s actions led to the deprivation of “the loss of income, services, protection, care, assistance ... counsel and advice of his father.” Pettyjohn agreed to cooperate with the FBI after he was subpoenaed to testify about corrupt officials selling prison pardons. The Associated Press has the full story.

The Tennessean has sued Metro Nashville government for the release of documents related to the March 27 Covenant School shooting. Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, and Tennessean reporter Rachel Wegner also have signed on to the suit. According to the complaint, The Tennessean has filed multiple public records requests with the Metro Nashville Police Department to either view or obtain copies of documents in the case. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Michael Patrick Leahy of The Tennessee Star has also filed public records requests and 66 Republican members of the Tennessee General Assembly submitted a letter Monday requesting the documents’ release. Covenant School parents are opposed to making the shooter’s writings public.

Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice and current NSL Dean William Koch was honored by the Harry Phillips Chapter of the American Inns of Court this week. The organization voted May 16 to establish the Bill Koch-Harry Phillips American Inns of Court Scholarship. The award will be for a third-year law student in the top 20% of his or her class entering a fourth year of legal training at the Nashville School of Law. Author and former Tennessean reporter Keel Hunt penned this opinion piece on Koch’s contributions to the legal community.

Nashville attorney Joanne Sowell filed paperwork establishing a Democratic campaign for Senate with the Federal Election Commission last month. Sowell is an attorney at the Wood Stabell Law Group, whose managing attorney Nancy Wood Stabell is listed as Sowell’s campaign treasurer. Sowell received her law degree from Tulane University Law School and has worked or volunteered with several local nonprofits, including Room in the Inn, Emerge Tennessee and Impact100. The Nashville Post reports that at least one other Democrat, Dylan Fain of Nashville, has filed paperwork establishing a campaign.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed the remaining claims against Hamilton County Sherriff’s deputy Jacob Goforth in the “baptism case” against former deputy Daniel Wilkey. Wilkey arrested a woman during a traffic stop and then “baptized” her in Soddy Lake. Goforth allegedly arrived on the scene and a lawsuit against him says that he should have tried to stop the baptism. The Chattanoogan reports that attorney Jerry Tidwell said, "In a unanimous opinion, the court ruled that deputy Goforth was entitled to qualified immunity as his actions violated no clearly established constitutional right of the late Shandle Riley.”

Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins ruled Thursday that two Memphis mayoral candidates can continue their campaigns, citing a 1996 ballot referendum that eliminated the five-year residency requirement. Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner and Memphis NAACP President Van Turner sued the Shelby County Election Commission over the requirement that candidates must have lived in Memphis for at least five years to be eligible. The Commercial Appeal quotes Jenkins’ ruling, saying, "The court finds and concludes it does not find any ambiguity at all … rather the reading is quite simple on its face, particularly when read in its proper context which retains the integrity of the ordinance without adding or taking away from it. That is to say, the mayoral qualification clause is dependent on the qualifications of the (city council members).”

Two free legal help clinics are scheduled for next week in Nashville, hosted by the Legal Aid Society for Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS). May 24 is a veterans only clinic from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. CDT at Operation Stand Down, 112 12th Ave. S. Nashville 37203. On May 27, a clinic will take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m. CDT at Belmont Ministry Center, 2005 12th Ave. S, Nashville 37204.

Mark your calendar for Dec. 1 and plan to attend the Annual Environmental Forum! More details will be available soon on the CLE website.

You can't win your case in a deposition, but it can be one of the most important discovery tools (if not the most important) in preparing your case for trial. This webcast program on Tuesday from noon-1 p.m. CDT will cover tips and techniques on taking depositions, defending them and using them as your case progresses, including how to prepare yourself and your client for depositions. Speakers will include Samantha Ellis of Ritchie, Dillard, Davies & Johnson (Knoxville); Jeffrey Moore of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz (Memphis); and Quinton Thompson of Morgan and Morgan (Memphis).

The Division of State Audit in the Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury is currently conducting a performance audit of the Court Systems Indigent Defense Procedures for assigning, compensating and reimbursing private attorneys. Attorneys practicing in Tennessee are invited to participate in a brief survey. The questions in the survey should be interpreted to refer to cases where attorneys are appointed to represent indigent clients under Tennessee Supreme Court Rules 13, 40 and 40A. Click here for more information.