Gov. Bill Lee announced in a press release an extension of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance program application deadline for Tennessee residents affected by Tropical Storm Helene. Survivors now have until Jan. 7, 2025, to apply for federal disaster assistance. Survivors in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties are eligible to apply for Individual Assistance to cover temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. Survivors can apply for Individual Assistance online or can call 1-800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to midnight EDT with multilingual operators available.

Gov. Bill Lee announced that he and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will investigate whether Tennesseans were discriminated against during relief work by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. According to WSMV, the investigation follows a report that one of FEMA's employees advised her disaster relief team to avoid homes displaying signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump in Florida after Hurricane Milton. A FEMA spokesperson said the agency is “deeply disturbed by this employee’s actions,” and the incident is under investigation.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has extended a limited disaster plan for all the trial courts in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Judicial Districts following severe flooding that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Deadlines for filings, statutes of limitation and certain court orders that were extended through Nov. 12 are now extended through Dec. 25. Read the full order.

TBA's BarBuzz podcast is back with a new episode featuring legal aid leaders Laura Brown, Debra House and Nick Gau as they share insight on access to justice, disaster relief efforts, and the impact of pro bono services on communities as a wrap up to October's Celebrate Pro Bono Month. The episode also explores opportunities for lawyers to get involved in pro bono work and disaster relief efforts, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. BarBuzz is a monthly show that recaps legal happenings from across Tennessee, upcoming events at the bar, attorney shout outs and more. It is available on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find past episodes at the BarBuzz archive.

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board have adopted a standing order complying with the Tennessee Supreme Court’s disaster plan for trial courts in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Judicial Districts, which was put in place following severe flooding from Hurricane Helene. While the courts were created by legislation rather than the state Constitution, they are subject to the Tennessee Supreme Court and have concluded that the court’s disaster plan affects claims under their jurisdictions. The plan allows a 45-day extension of mandatory deadlines for the identified districts. Read more in a release.

A recent report from the ABA Journal captures the work lawyers, bar associations and legal aid groups are doing to serve communities hit by Hurricane Helene. From efforts in Augusta, Georgia, to Asheville and other parts of western North Carolina, lawyers have stepped in to provide both physical and legal assistance to storm survivors. The article also looks at how the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s Disaster Legal Services program operates in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That program is now coordinating delivery of free legal services in at least six states according to the Journal. Tennessee lawyers interested in helping should complete this online form. The TBA Disaster Resources page offers general information for those impacted by disasters, as well as those seeking to provide assistance. The TBA's Helene Disaster Response page has information and resources specific to this disaster.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued an order allowing out-of-state lawyers to temporarily offer their services, free of charge, to residents affected by severe flooding in East Tennessee. The order follows a joint request from the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) and Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) asking the court to activate Rule 47 — which was first enacted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — to help those impacted by natural disasters. Lawyers who register may provide legal services in affected areas without seeking pro hac vice admission or paying an admission fee. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts. The state of North Carolina issued a similar order after Hurricane Helene, allowing Tennessee lawyers to provide pro bono services to storm survivors there.

Tennessee's congressional delegation on Monday sent a letter urging U.S. House and Senate leaders to provide meaningful federal aid for farmers affected by Hurricane Helene. According to WKRN News, the letter called on Congress “to take swift and thorough action in appropriating critical funding” to meet the agricultural relief demands of states affected by Hurricane Helene like Tennessee, and added that the state received copious amounts of rain and runoff from surrounding states, acutely affecting the agriculture industry. Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that farmers in affected states would receive over $233 million in indemnities, but Tennessee was not included in USDA’s estimated indemnity payments.

Due to damage from Hurricane Helene, several East Tennessee counties have alternate polling places for early voters and for Election Day. Knox News details the changes in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Tennessee Secretary of State say they are working with local election administrators to ensure every county maintains its access to voting in the lead up to election day on Nov. 5.

The family of an employee for Impact Plastics who was killed by flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, arguing that workers were forced to stay at their posts even when managers knew conditions were becoming dangerous. According to the Associated Press, many of the surviving employees have stated they were not allowed to leave the plant in time to avoid the storm’s impact. The suit argues that Impact Plastics had no required plan to safely evacuate employees even though the plant was located in a flood plain and regularly experienced water creeping into its parking lot. The suit comes after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced earlier this month that it was investigating allegations involving Impact Plastics at the direction of the local prosecutor. Impact Plastics has maintained that it monitored weather conditions and that managers dismissed employees “when water began to cover the parking lot and the adjacent service road, and the plant lost power.”