U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger earned a reputation as a tough prosecutor after convicting a former Tennessee governor during her stint at the U.S. attorney’s office. The 1981 case, which dealt with selling liquor licenses to political friends, gave her credibility in a male-dominated space. “It really set me up as a woman who was tough and could do litigation,” said Trauger, who serves in the Middle District of Tennessee. From helping to form the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women to becoming the first female district judge in the Middle District of Tennessee, Trauger has been a trailblazer for women’s advancement in the law. A new video profile from the U.S. Courts explores her unlikely journey.

Tennessee Bar Association leaders recently met with the members of the state’s congressional delegation in Washington. D.C., as part of the American Bar Association's (ABA) annual Day on the Hill. TBA President Jim Barry, President-elect Ed Lanquist, YLD President-elect Sean Aiello, ABA Resource Committee Chair Jonathan Cole and Executive Director Sheree Wright participated in the visits and other activities planned as part of the Day on the Hill event. Members of the group met with representatives from all nine congressional offices and both senators. The focus of this year’s ABA Day on the Hill was promoting support and funding for the Legal Services Corporation, as well as increased funding for federal public defenders, support for attorney-client confidentiality over prison email systems, reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and reforms to student lending. See photos from the event.

The list of those applicants who achieved a passing score on the February 2024 Uniform Bar Examination in Tennessee will be released tomorrow by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. Results will be posted by the board by 2 p.m. CDT and will be available on the TBA.org website as soon as they are released.

The Tennessee Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure has started broadcasting its quarterly meetings. The video feed from the April 5 meeting is now available to view on YouTube.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has appointed University of Tennessee College of Law Associate Professor and Clinical Director Joy Radice to serve as the next chair of the Access to Justice Commission. Her two-year term began on April 1. The court also appointed two new members to the commission. They are Junaid Odubeko, a partner in Bradley’s Nashville office, and Sevier County General Sessions Court Judge Dwight E. Stokes. The court also reappointed McKenna Cox for a second three-year term, which will end on March 31, 2027. Finally, the court thanked two term-limited members — Nashville lawyer John Farringer with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Alexander McVeagh — for their service. The commission exists to provide collaborative leadership to create solutions and resources that address and eliminate barriers to justice for all. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Legal technology company Aderant and Vanderbilt University Law School have joined forces to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the practice of law. Aderant, a global provider of legal business management solutions, has introduced AI tools like MADDI to enhance law business management. The platform also is being used by the Vanderbilt AI Law Lab to explore how AI intersects with the delivery of legal services and access to justice. According to a news release, the partners kicked off the collaboration this week with an address to the law school by Aderant’s chief technology officer. The law lab’s co-director will appear at Aderant’s 2024 Global Momentum conference in Nashville May 6-9.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is down to two sites for the planned new federal courthouse in Chattanooga, Chattanoogan.com reports. Those locations are: the TVA Building that spans Broad Street and the Hawk Hill site where the AT&T Field now stands. The 8th Street site is no longer under consideration. According to the news source, GSA anticipates a final site selection by this fall. According to WDEF, local officials are expressing opposition to the Hawk Hill site. The proposed new courthouse would encompass approximately 190,478 square feet, and include seven courtrooms, nine chambers and 40 secured parking spaces. View planning documents on the GSA website.

New law school rankings from U.S. News & World Report are out with fewer big changes than previous years, according to Reuters. Schools in the top four spots remained in the same position and there were relatively few changes among the so-called T-14 schools. Further down the list, though, there was significant movement. Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law and Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law both had the largest gain, moving up 28 positions. The University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law had the largest drop, declining 37. For Tennessee schools, Vanderbilt University Law School came in at 19 (down from 16 last year); University of Tennessee College of Law came in at 52 (down one spot from last year); Belmont University College of Law ranked 91 (up from 105 last year); University of Memphis School of Law placed at 140 (down from 125 last year); and Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law came in at 165 (up from 175 last year). See the full list for this year. Compare results to the 2023 list.

The Shelby County Election Commission is accepting petitions through April 12 at noon CDT to fill the Criminal Court Division 9 seat formerly held by Melissa Boyd. The Daily Memphian reports that candidates must be at least 30 years old, be a resident of Shelby County and be licensed to practice law. Accepted petitioners’ names will appear on the Aug. 1 ballot. Early voting is July 12-27. Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips said in a release to the news outlet that all petitioners should be aware of pending legislation that could remove Boyd’s former seat, making any petitions null and void.

Shelby County Circuit Judge Carol Chumney on Monday ruled that Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant acted in self-defense when he punched Joshua Holloway (then 17) at Mornant's home in July 2022. The decision states that Morant "enjoys a presumption of civil immunity" under Tennessee's self-defense immunity statute and that the burden of proof shifts to Holloway and his legal team to prove that Morant did not act in self-defense. ESPN has the story.