Failure to show up for court has serious consequences for individuals and the court system as a whole, and the reasons may be as mundane as lack of transportation, family obligations or simply forgetting to appear. Jurisdictions throughout the country are seeking ways to get more people through the courthouse doors. The North Carolina Court Appearance Project was created by court stakeholders in New Hanover, Robeson and Orange counties, with technical assistance support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the University of North Carolina School of Government Criminal Justice Innovation Lab. In August 2021, each county convened a group of judges, prosecutors, public defenders, clerks and members of law enforcement to study nonappearance rates and root causes and to propose solutions. Pew Trusts has published a summary of the findings.

LexisNexis has released a new platform for case research and document drafting called Lexis+ AI. Like ChatGPT, the AI responds in a matter of seconds to prompts and can draft summaries, legal documents and communications. The platform also provides citations, including relevant caselaw, authorities and guidance, and allows users to copy and save generated text entries into separate folders. The ABA Journal reports that Thomson Reuters, parent company of Westlaw, pledges to invest $100 million per year in new technology and will integrate generative AI into its products later this year.

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has resulted in the indictment of Monica Bridges, who served as the full-time coordinator of the Gibson County Recovery Court from October 2019 until her resignation in September 2022. The investigation began after citizens reported questionable time-reporting practices and other concerns about the court’s operations. The court allows non-violent offenders with substance abuse issues to obtain treatment while under close legal and clinical supervision. Investigators determined that Bridges received at least $25,425.25 in improper wages and payroll benefits. This includes at least $20,760.22 in unearned compensation for 1,156.24 hours she did not work; $1,665.04 in prorated matching benefits and payments for Medicare and Social Security costs incurred by the county; and $2,999.99 in supplemental pay that she did not earn.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working to clear a backlog of 230,000 court case dispositions that have not yet been linked to criminal records in the state’s background check system, which is used for prospective gun buyers, officials said. The gap means some individuals could potentially have a criminal conviction that would disqualify them from buying a gun, but the case may not show up in a background check. According to the Tennessean, while many states solely use the federal background check system, Tennessee is one of 13 states that conduct their own background checks using state and federal records.

Former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan has filed a lawsuit against surgeon Dr. James Andrews and employees of the Andrews Institute Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for malpractice and damages relating to Lewan's knee surgery performed in 2020, the Tennessean reports. Lewan alleges Andrews and his surgical team failed to properly treat his injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, resulting in permanent damage, severe pain and disability and his inability to sustain his football career.

Robert Lewis, a founding partner of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, stepped down as chairman on Wednesday after 110 of the firm’s lawyers quit in a mass departure. Lewis Brisbois has offices throughout the U.S. including Nashville. On Tuesday, John Barber, the former chair of the firm’s employment practice, told Reuters that up to 140 lawyers could eventually join a new firm he is forming with Jeffrey Ranen, the former national vice chair of the labor and employment practice at Lewis Brisbois. In January, 32 cybersecurity lawyers left Lewis Brisbois to join a rival firm, Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete. Read more from Reuters.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is calling for an accelerated trial date for a lawsuit that challenges the new state law blocking minors from accessing gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapies. The law is set to go into effect July 1. The lawsuit, brought by several Tennessee families and Memphis physician Dr. Susan Lacy, was joined by the Department of Justice. Read more at the Tennessean.

The Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) has created the Larry Daughtrey Courage in Journalism Award to be given periodically to a journalist who has covered civil justice issues of public interest to Tennesseans. The award is named after reporter and journalist Larry Daughtrey, whose career began during the civil rights movement and spanned nearly 50 years. Judges will be looking for someone who has ethically shined light on issues that might otherwise have been forgotten, presented complex issues to the public in a fair and understandable way, and displayed courage in their journalism. The deadline to receive nominations is May 15.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will begin fiscal year 2023-2024 with 10 more attorneys who will comprise a new “strategic litigation unit.” As part of a $56.2 billion budget, the legislature approved the new positions at a cost of $2.25 million, giving Skrmetti a $52.95 million payroll for 363 positions with an average salary of $146,600. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Skrmetti’s Chief of Staff Brandon Smith says the new attorney unit will focus on “proactive litigation defending the separation of powers and the constitutional rights of Tennesseans, the defense of state laws presenting significant federalism issues, and pursue transparency and accountability for certain corporate activities that undermine the democratic process and harm consumers.”

The autopsy report of Tyre Nichols, the motorist who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers, reveals that Nichols was killed by blunt force trauma to the head. The Commercial Appeal reports that Nichols' family viewed the autopsy report Wednesday, nearly four months after Nichols' death, and attorney Ben Crump said the manner of death was homicide.