The Franklin Ethics Commission has found that Alderman Gabrielle Hanson violated two provisions of the city’s ethics code and recommended that she be censured. WPLN reports that the commission found that Hanson used her position as an elected official to attempt to solicit gifts and secure privileges for the African American Heritage Society, violating sections I-805 and I-808 of the Franklin Municipal Code. The hearing stems from an email that Hanson sent in early June to Nashville International Airport (BNA) President Doug Kreulen. Hanson asked the airport to withdraw financial support from a Juneteenth festival put on by the Franklin Justice and Equity Coalition — an organization she characterized as “radical” and anti-police — or send an equal donation to the African American Heritage Society.

For years, dozens of criminal cases in Davidson County were dropped because the person arrested was found not mentally competent to stand trial. Davidson County Judge Melissa Blackburn, who oversees the Mental Health Court, says, "That was happening every single day with anyone deemed incompetent ...” Blackburn’s office found that over an 18-month period, 182 people had been declared not competent to stand trial and two thirds of those were re-arrested within three months. A $600,000 grant from Metro Nashville is helping by funding an incompetency docket and providing additional treatment, NewsChannel 5 reports. Read more about the program.

The TBA House of Delegates has vacancies in several of its districts. In accordance with Article 29 of the TBA Bylaws, if no candidate files a declaration of candidacy for district delegate in a district or if there is no district delegate by reason of death, declination or other cause, the officers of the House of Delegates may fill the vacancy with the term to commence at the time of appointment.

The following seats covering these counties are available: 7th Judicial District (Anderson); 9th Judicial District (Loudon, Meigs, Morgan and Roane); 14th Judicial District (Coffee); 15th Judicial District (Jackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale and Wilson); 17th Judicial District (Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore); 20th Judicial District (Davidson); 22nd Judicial District (Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne); 23rd Judicial District (Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart); 24th Judicial District (Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin and Henry); 26th Judicial District (Chester, Henderson and Madison); 28th Judicial District (Crockett, Gibson and Haywood).

If you would like to be considered for any of these positions, please fill out this form with your interest by Aug. 11.

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts will livestream a hearing on a motion for temporary injunction in the Nashville and Davidson County v. Bill Lee "airport case" tomorrow at 1 p.m. CDT. This case is being heard before a three-judge panel in the ground floor jury assembly room of the Metropolitan Nashville Courthouse. Go here for the livestream.

Metro Human Relations Commission Chair Maryam Abolfazli today filed an ethics complaint against two Metro Employee Benefit Board members, reports the Tennessean. Abolfazli has requested a formal review of Edna Jones and Harold Finch by the city's Ethical Conduct Board for comments they made before voting against expanding coverage for gender-affirming care last month. The complaint argues the two members abused their public positions by discriminating against a certain class of Metro employees. The Metro Employee Benefits Board voted 5-3 last month against covering gender-affirming surgeries for adults as part of the city's health benefits.

A city court judge found that former state legislator Jeremy Durham violated Hendersonville’s short-term vacation rental ordinance nearly a dozen times between Dec. 26, 2022, and April 15, 2023, reports the Hendersonville Standard. Durham's company J and J Ventures LLC has been ordered to pay court costs and a $550 fine for illegally operating a vacation rental property. Durham has 10 days to appeal the ruling to Sumner County Circuit Court. The city defines a short-term or vacation rental as a unit or structure rented and/or used exclusively by a person or group for lodging for less than 30 days.

Circuit Court Judge Mark Rogers will retire Aug. 31, the Tennessean reports. Rogers has presided over the 16th Judicial District for 19 years, hearing cases in Rutherford and Cannon counties. He was appointed to the seat in 2004 by former Gov. Phil Bredesen, replacing retired Circuit Court Judge Steve Daniel. Rogers won three eight-year terms starting in 2006 as a Democrat and in 2014 and 2022 as an independent. The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission will conduct screening interviews with applicants for the seat on Aug. 30 at 9 a.m. CDT at the Rutherford County Courthouse in Murfreesboro. The commission will choose three finalists for Gov. Bill Lee to consider for appointment to finish Rogers’ term. 

The U.S. Department of Justice announced today it is opening a civil rights investigation into the City of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law, reports the Commercial Appeal. The investigation will focus on MPD’s use of force and stops, searches and arrests and whether it engages in discriminatory policing. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. The investigation will include riding with city police officers and holding community meetings. The announcement comes six months after Memphis police officers beat 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, who died from his injuries three days later. Read Ritz's statement.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission next month will consider applicants for two court openings. Five applicants for a vacancy on the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court will be reviewed when the commission meets on Aug. 30. They are: Terry A. Fann, Stephen E. Grauberger, Derek R. Howard, R. Michelle Howser and Micheal A. Jones. The commission will meet in the Historic Courthouse’s Rutherford County Commission Meeting Room in Murfreesboro at 9 a.m. CDT. The vacancy is being created by the upcoming retirement of Judge J. Mark Rogers on Sept. 1. Then on Aug. 31, the commission will meet in Franklin to consider four applicants for the 21st Judicial District Circuit Court. They are: Russell D. Gill, B. Todd Martin, Erin W. Nations and David H. Veile. The meeting will take place at 9 a.m. CDT in the Mayor and Aldermen Board Room at Franklin City Hall. This vacancy is being created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Michael W. Binkley on Sept. 29. The commission is expected to vote immediately following each of the meetings and forward three names for each district to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration.

Former House Speaker Glen Casada has filed a motion to dismiss federal corruption charges against him, Tennessee Lookout reports. A federal trial for Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren is scheduled to begin Oct. 3. In the motion, Casada argues that the charges against him are inflated and that the lawmakers who did business with a vendor called Phoenix Solutions received the services they requested. Prosecutors accuse Casada of concealing Cothren’s identity as the vendor and directing House business to Cothren in return for kickbacks.