The TBA Board of Governors chose Aaron J. Chapman to fill the open District 1 seat on the board during its recent meeting in Nashville. Chapman, a solo practice attorney in Morristown, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and currently serves in the TBA House of Delegates, as well as on the board of Legal Aid of East Tennessee. The First District includes the counties of Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington.

President Joe Biden has signed into law the most wide-ranging gun violence prevention bill passed by Congress in nearly 30 years, The Hill reports. The bill, known as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, enhances background checks for gun purchasers between the age of 18 and 21, makes obtaining firearms through straw purchases or trafficking a federal offense, and clarifies the definition of a federally licensed firearm dealer. It allocates $750 million to help states administer red flag laws, which seek to keep guns away from people deemed a threat to themselves or others, and includes funding for mental health treatment. Finally, it closes the so-called “boyfriend loophole” by barring individuals from possessing a firearm for at least five years if they are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence involving a current or former romantic partner.

A recent survey by The National Judicial College shows that 97% of the judges who responded think U.S. Supreme Court justices should be bound by an ethics code. The college, which provides training for judges, conducted the poll after the U.S. House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill directing the Supreme Court to adopt such a code. Lower-court federal judges are already subject to a code of conduct. But while Supreme Court justices consult the code and other sources for ethical guidance, they are not bound by it, Reuters reports. The Supreme Court did not respond to requests for comment. But in his 2011 end-of-the-year report, Chief Justice John Roberts said the court had "no reason" to adopt the code because “every Justice seeks to follow high ethical standards."

The TBA is hosting a new book club that will meet quarterly over the next 12 months. We want your input in choosing the first book. The first series of books involves a theme of racial relations and disparities through personal, societal and legal perspectives. We have created a webpage featuring three suggested books to kick off this initiative. Learn more and vote on the first book by July 11, then watch for more details to participate in this virtual book club.

University of Tennessee College of Law graduates Monique Brown-Dixon, Kameron Dawson, Cashauna Lattimore and Sarah Nwankwo will each receive $2,500 to help them pay off law school debt through the Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz Loan Repayment Assistance Program. The firm annually provides financial support to graduates who obtain employment in the field of public interest law. Brown-Dixon, a 2019 graduate, is an assistant district attorney in Camden County, Georgia. Dawson, also a 2019 graduate, works with the Nashville-based organization A Better Balance to advance justice for workers. Lattimore, a 2011 graduate, works with the 4th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office in Dandridge. And Nwankwo, a 2022 graduate, will work in the juvenile division of the Fulton County, Georgia, Public Defender’s Office after passing the bar.

A 2004 study of Rutherford County’s juvenile detention policies found that the county was incarcerating too many children for minor misdemeanor offenses, including truancy and school fights. It recommended that the county pursue alternatives, such as providing shelter beds in rooms without bars for runaways and others facing minor charges. The study, conducted by a consultant, had input from officials, including Judge Donna Scott Davenport, but its recommendations ultimately were ignored, the Tennessean reports. In fact, records show that county commissioners voted twice to reject its recommendations. Observers now say the county could have saved itself millions of dollars in payments to victims had it paid more attention to the study.

Brentwood attorney Connie Reguli was sentenced to probation and jail on Friday following her conviction earlier this year in a 2018 case that saw a missing child recovered from her home. According to the Nashville Post, Reguli was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and 30 days in the Williamson County Jail for her two felony convictions. She also received 11 months and 29 days of a suspended sentence after 30 days served for the misdemeanor charge, all of which will run concurrently. Reguli remains free on bond and will have a motions hearing in August for a new trial that she is seeking, as she previously said that she will appeal her conviction. Reguli remains suspended from the practice of law while the Board of Professional Responsibility determines final action on her case.

Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk vowed not to prosecute abortion-related cases after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last week, the Tennessean reports. Funk said in a news release that despite the court's decision, he would not “prosecute any woman who chooses to have a medical procedure to terminate a pregnancy or any medical doctor who performs this procedure at the request of their patient.” Two years ago, he made the same commitment after the state legislature passed a law requiring doctors to share certain information about medication abortions. On the national level, Attorney General Merrick Garland criticized the ruling but said the Justice Department will protect the right to seek abortions across state lines. He also warned states against outlawing the shipment of abortion pills into their jurisdiction and urged Congress to codify abortion rights in law. Bloomberg Law has more on his comments.

The annual TBA Elder Law Forum is just a couple of weeks away! This year's program will focus on essentials such as conservatorship alternatives, Medicaid planning, VA benefits, special needs trusts and ethics. The event will take place in person at the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library. Breakfast will be provided to all attendees, with Elder Law Section members invited to attend a luncheon to welcome new section chair Karl Warden. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from top experts and to meet with colleagues from across the state at the first in-person Elder Law Forum in two years. Register now to attend the July 15 program.

The TBA is hosting a new book club that will meet quarterly over the next 12 months, and we want your input in choosing the first book. The first series of books involves a theme of racial relations and disparities through personal, societal and legal perspectives. We have created a webpage featuring three suggested books to kick off this initiative. Learn more and vote on the first book by July 11, then watch for more details to participate in this virtual book club.