Attorneys for the city of Memphis say they require cell phone records from Tyre Nichols' parents, friends and telephone companies to prepare a defense in a civil lawsuit from Nichols' mother RowVaughn Wells. She is seeking $550 million in damages for the death of her son following his interactions with local police. The amount, according to Wells, is based on Nichols' life aspirations, potential earnings and health. The city says it needs to be able to corroborate that depiction of Nichols. The request for records came in a court filing that also argued the case could "essentially bankrupt" the city. Wells is challenging subpoenas for the records, arguing the move is an invasion of privacy and harassment. The Commercial Appeal reports on the issue.

LBMC, an accounting and business consulting firm, recently announced it has expanded its practice areas to include family law support services. The service will be led by new shareholders Cheryl Panther and Scott Womack and will provide expertise and specialized support for litigated divorce and family law matters, as well as collaborative and mediation processes. Prior to joining LBMC, Panther founded Panther Financial Planning and Panther Financial Divorce Solutions. She is also a Rule 31 mediator. Womack previously served as senior vice president at Mercer Capital. He works closely with family law attorneys in divorce matters including valuation of assets, forensic accounting and expert testimony. Read more in a release from the company.

West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) has added Memphis native Claudia Williams Hyman as its newest pro bono staff attorney in Memphis. Hyman will oversee the case assessment and placement process, working closely with pro bono volunteers to ensure high-quality legal representation. She also will lead the development of pro bono clinics, train staff and volunteers, and play a critical role in coordinating pro bono services for families in Shelby, Tipton, Fayette and Lauderdale counties. Additionally, she will engage in statewide pro bono initiatives and strengthen relationships with private bar attorneys to expand volunteer participation. WTLS began serving clients in Shelby and surrounding counties in July.

The Administrative Office of the Courts is out with a profile of 20th Judicial District General Sessions Court Judge Ana Escobar, a Nashville native who was the first in her family to go to law school. Escobar attended George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. She thought she would be a lobbyist but after spending a summer in the Nashville Public Defender’s Office, she says she “fell in love with criminal law.” Her ability to speak Spanish also has opened doors. As a prosecutor, she traveled to Mexico to prosecute a case. In private practice, she served dual roles as interpreter and lawyer. On the bench, she says her background and language skills put others at ease. Escobar is proud to be the first elected Hispanic judge in Tennessee. Of her current role Escobar says, “I love just dealing with people and trying to figure out how to help or give accountability to people.”

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments over Tennessee’s law banning transgender medical care for minors on Dec. 4, SCOTUSblog reports. The Tennessee General Assembly passed the law banning surgeries as well as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors in 2023. The ACLU and Lambda Legal sued. While U.S. Circuit Court Judge Eli Richardson initially blocked the ban, his ruling was overturned by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which allowed the law to go into effect while parties appeal. In briefs to the high court, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti defended the law while the ACLU argued against it. The American Bar Association also filed an amicus brief opposing the law, and the Biden administration joined as a party opposed to the case. The case is the first of its kind to reach the high court and the ACLU’s Chase Strangio will be the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the court. Bloomberg Law has more on that development. A decision is expected next summer.

A three-judge panel heard arguments Friday over Nashville Booting’s request for relief from a Tennessee law that went into effect in July, effectively banning third-party booting companies from operating at private parking lots. According to the Nashville Banner, the company's attorney claims the law has essentially shuttered the business. In court, the company argued that the law violates the contract clause of the U.S. Constitution by nullifying dozens of contracts the company had in place with property owners. Attorneys for the state argued that legislating in the public interest can supersede the contract clause. The judges did not rule on a request for temporary relief. Scroll to the sixth story in the Banner's newsletter for more on the story.

Germantown Municipal Court Judge Rhea Clift has been sworn in after winning the election in August, assuming the seat her father, Ray Clift, held for 40 years. He retired two years ago. The younger Clift worked at the district attorney’s office for nine years and later served as assistant prosecutor in Bartlett. She then became the city's chief prosecutor in 2020. Clift won the election in August capturing 63% of the vote over Justin Gee. During the swearing in ceremony, she said, “Thank you, Mom and Dad. You gave me a great name.” The Daily Memphian has more on the story.

Memphis faces a surge of gun thefts from cars, with more than 2,100 stolen in 2023, an increase of 641% during the past decade, the Daily Memphian reports. By contrast, in 2011, 287 guns were stolen from cars in Memphis. The increase follows passage of Tennessee's 2014 "guns in cars" law, which allows gun owners to store firearms in their cars if the weapons are properly secured. The law does not impose penalties for non-compliance and does not require owners to report thefts. In addition to the guns in cars law, Tennessee allows gun owners to carry openly in public without a permit. Gun safety advocates tell the paper that repealing permitless carry would have an “overnight” effect on gun thefts from cars. State Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, an original sponsor of the guns in cars law, says gun owners need to properly secure their guns.

Middle Tennessee residents are joining environmental groups in calling for stronger state protections for the Duck River, one of the most biodiverse freshwater rivers in North America, Tennessee Lookout reports. The Southern Environmental Law Center is representing the Tennessee Wildlife Federation in an appeal against several state permits including one that would allow Columbia Power and Water Systems to develop a second water withdrawal site without additional restrictions during low water flows. Opponents of the permits argue that two factors — drought and utility companies’ plans to withdraw millions more gallons of water from the river to keep up with development and growth — are putting the river and the species that call it home in peril. The Duck River Conservancy, a preservation advocacy group, is advocating for a comprehensive water conservation and drought management plan for the region.

Despite the blockbuster job market for new law graduates in 2023, racial and ethnicity disparities in employment rates remained, according to recent data released by the National Association for Law Placement. Disparities were seen in legal jobs that require bar admission with 84% of those going to white graduates, as well as all legal jobs with 94% of those going to white law graduates, Reuters reports. Even as gaps narrowed for most minority groups, the employment disparity between white and Latino law graduates increased from last year. Those disparities are widest when looking at legal jobs that require bar admission. The new figures came amid an unusually robust job market for 2023 law graduates. Overall 92.6% of them landed jobs within 10 months of graduation — up half a percentage point from 2022.