The 16th Judicial District Recovery Court recently celebrated the graduation of five individuals who completed an 18-month program focused on intervention, treatment and rehabilitation for substance use disorders. At an event marking the occasion, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah K. Campbell delivered remarks and congratulations to the participants. Also on hand were Rutherford Mayor Joe Carr, Recovery Courts Support Foundation President and attorney Thomas Parkerson, Recovery Courts Director LaChelle Ricks and Circuit Court Judge Jimmy Turner. Yahoo News has more in a story from the Daily News Journal. The court, which serves Cannon and Rutherford counties, has seen 400 participants graduate since the program was founded in 2000, by now retired Circuit Court Judge Don R. Ash. More information is available online or in this YouTube video.

The Biden administration last week announced new guidance on how federal agencies can and cannot use artificial intelligence, National Public Radio reports. In a memo released by the Office of Management and Budget, officials said the guidance is a significant step in trying to ensure safe use of AI by balancing risk and innovation. Among the provisions, the guidance directs each agency to appoint a chief artificial intelligence officer and lays out plans to hire 100 AI professionals by the summer. Agencies have until Dec. 1 to implement the required safeguards.

The Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) Bankruptcy Moot Court team made its first appearance at the Sixth Annual Midwest Moot Court Competition last month. The team, comprised of Kelli Holmes, Rowan Jordan and Courtney Keegan-Smith, placed second overall. The school also recently fielded a team for the 32nd Annual Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition in New York. In this event, the team finished with the fourth highest brief score. Read more on the school’s Facebook page. Finally, the school sent two teams to the Texas Young Lawyers National Trial Competition. Two members advanced to the semifinals and finished in sixth place.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Richardson Wyrick, of the District Court for the Eastern Grand Division of Tennessee in Greeneville, will be the commencement speaker for the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) graduating class of 2024. Wyrick, a former TBA president, will address the 96 graduating students on May 9 at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, beginning at 4 p.m. EDT. Read more about her career in a news release from the school.

The Tennessee Bar Association is accepting nominations for its 2024 Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award now through this Friday. The Drowota Award is given to a judge or judicial branch official of a federal, state or local court in Tennessee who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion and dedication to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice, as exemplified by the career of former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Frank F. Drowota III. The award will be presented at the TBA Annual Convention's Bench Bar Luncheon on June 13.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled today that Meta Platforms cannot delay a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) probe into alleged privacy failures by its Facebook unit while the company pursues a lawsuit challenging the agency's authority. Reuters reports that the court found that Meta had not shown its challenge was likely to be successful. The court said Meta has "not met its heavy burden of showing entitlement to an injunction pending appeal." The same appeals court panel on March 12 denied a separate request by Meta in a related case to pause the FTC’s probe, which was announced last year, despite Meta's objections that it already paid a $5 billion fine and agreed to a range of safeguards.

Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday signed off on the repeal of police traffic stop reforms made in Memphis after the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by officers in January 2023, despite pleas from Nichols’ parents to give them a chance to find compromise, reports the Associated Press. The governor’s signature means the law immediately renders some of Memphis’ ordinances null and void, including one that outlawed so-called "pretextual" traffic stops, such as those for a broken taillight and other minor violations.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) has announced that Maha Ayesh has been promoted to associate dean for academic affairs. Ayesh has served as LMU Law’s director of experiential learning since October 2020. During that time, she has overseen a growing externship program while developing clinical offerings to provide students with practical experience and meeting the law school’s mission to serve the underserved. These efforts have included a domestic violence clinic and mediation clinic in neighboring Sevier County and an immigration clinic with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. Ayesh also has taught a variety of doctrinal and experiential courses and served on the law school’s Curriculum Committee, allowing her to gain an understanding of its curricular process and needs.

Belmont College of Law’s transactional and mock trial teams have experienced success this year, with teams and individuals earning regional and national recognition. Ally Bojczuk (3L), Kendall McMullen (2L) and Katelyn Watlington (3L) were declared national champions at the L. Edward Bryant Jr. National Health Law Transactional Competition. Nate Conder (3L), Garrison Luckett (3L) and Kaitlyn Phillips (3L) were regional finalists at the National Trial Competition (NTC) in Birmingham, Alabama. Belmont’s team of Zach Lambert (3L), Hunter Lindsey (3L), Taylor Patton (2L) and Alexis Phelps (3L) were regional semifinalists at the American Association of Justice Mock Trial Competition. And Torin Shanahan (3L) and Mary Kate Tumelty (2L) represented Belmont and advanced to the semifinal round of the Magnolia Cup Negotiation Competition, a new competition for the school.

The Tennessee House on Thursday voted to vacate the Tennessee State University (TSU) board in its entirety. The Tennessean reports that a $2-million external forensic audit, commissioned by legislators and released on Thursday, found no instances of fraud or malfeasance at the historically Black university in Nashville, though it noted that a 250% increase in scholarships between 2019 and 2023 was not sustainable. Gov. Bill Lee signed the legislation into law on Thursday evening and announced eight new appointees. They include TBA members Terica Smith, Charles Traughber and Dakasha Winton. All new appointees are TSU graduates.