Gov. Bill Lee has issued Executive Order 72, which extends remote notarization and witnessing of documents through Feb. 27, 2021. He also issued Executive Order 71, which extends authority for remote meetings.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued a statewide order suspending all in-person proceedings in municipal, juvenile, general sessions, trial, and appellate courts beginning Dec. 28 through Jan. 31, and all jury trials through Feb. 26. According to the order, the decision was made due to the “recent record number of COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations” and applies to all courts and court clerks’ offices except administrative courts within the Executive Branch, and federal courts and federal court clerks’ offices across the state. The suspension of trials is subject only to exceptions which may be granted by Chief Justice Jeffrey S. Bivins on a case-by-case basis. Read more from the Tennessean.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has added an audit counsel practice area that assists clients with strategy and preparation for future audits relating to the coronavirus aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, Paycheck Protection Program loans, Department of Health and Human Services provider relief funds and other legislative developments and financial opportunities that have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. Shareholder Cathy Dorvil will lead the practice area, which includes COVID-19 Task Force Co-Chairs Jim Catanzaro and Justin Furrow, the Hamilton County Herald reports. In announcing the move, Chambliss says it expects the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct future audits. The audit counsel team will provide support for compliance and government investigations, regulatory and administrative proceedings and more.

In a rare statewide address last night, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he had issued Executive Order 70 to restrict some — but not all — indoor public gatherings to 10 people and to limit spectators at indoor youth sporting events. Exempt events include weddings, worship services and those where people can stay six feet apart. The governor also urged Tennesseans to follow COVID-19 guidelines, including wearing a mask to slow the spread of the virus, but stopped short of a mask mandate. The new order came on the heels of news that First Lady Maria Lee had tested positive for COVID-19. The new guidance will remain in place through Jan. 19, 2021. Nashville Public Radio has more on the development.

The Tennessee Department of Health launched an online dashboard today that will provide real-time tracking of COVID-19 vaccinations in the state. The dashboard will be updated every week on Tuesday and Friday at 5 p.m. CST and will include data on the number of doses that have been administered broken down by county and population demographics. Future versions will also provide data on Tennesseans who have been fully vaccinated with both their first and second doses. The news comes as Tennessee is poised to receive its first shipment of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. The state will receive a total of 115,000 doses, which will be shipped to county health departments and smaller hospitals that did not receive Pfizer doses according to the Nashville Post.

Lewis County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Michael Hinson received a public reprimand from the Board of Judicial Conduct yesterday. In a letter sent to Hinson, the board said he was being reprimanded for conducting judicial business “outside the parameters of the COVID-19 Judicial District Plan for the 21st Judicial District as approved by the Tennessee Supreme Court.” The board goes on to list the violations, including failing to limit the number of individuals in the courtroom and enforce social distancing requirements. The board also notes that Hinson made a disrespectful comment about Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Bivins. Judge Hinson acknowledged the problems, cooperated with the disciplinary counsel and accepted the reprimand.

With COVID-19 surging across the state, House Minority Leader Karen Camper says the legislature should concentrate on controlling the virus and disseminating a vaccine when it convenes in January, Tennessee Lookout reports. Gov. Bill Lee’s administration already has a vaccine distribution plan on the Department of Health website, and the governor is set to hold a briefing tomorrow as doses are distributed across the state. But with the rise in numbers, Camper contends state lawmakers should be involved in the process. Republican leaders, by contrast, say they are satisfied with the state’s distribution plan, which is based on CDC guidelines. Late today, Dr. William Polk, a Nashville surgeon, received the first dose of the vaccine in the state, the Commercial Appeal reports. Polk received the dose at Clinical Research Associates, a company that has been collecting data as part of the Pfizer clinical trial.

Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the county, Blount County’s Justice Center will close to the public on Friday, WATE reports. The center is set to reopen Jan. 4, 2021. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says the move will not affect patrol or corrections operations. Video visitation from the 24-hour jail lobby will continue to be limited to three stations with only 10 people allowed in the area. Area residents are encouraged to use the video visitation tool from home. The Blount County General Sessions Court will hold in-custody criminal dockets on Dec. 21 and Dec. 30, but all other court dates have been rescheduled.

The criminal division of the Hamilton County General Sessions Court will close on Dec. 18 and will hear only in-custody cases due to court personnel testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, the Times Free Press reports. The court will reopen on Jan. 4, 2021, but many cases will be reset for March or later. Cases involving multiple defendants will also be rescheduled unless the defense objects. For defendants who are incarcerated, preliminary hearings will be held on Dec. 21 and 28 beginning at 8:30 a.m. As of Monday afternoon, Criminal Court Clerk Vince Dean told the paper his office would remain open.

Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, the Knoxville Bar Association office will close Monday until further notice. The association reports it has taken extensive steps to ensure all staff can work from home without any disruption to normal business operations. The Lawyer Referral & Information Service also will continue to provide access to appropriate legal services with team members responding to calls and online requests. Get contact information for staff on the KBA website.