The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday reinstated President Joe Biden's executive order mandating that federal civilian employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. By a 2-1 vote, a panel of the court lifted an injunction imposed by a district court judge in Texas in January, Reuters reports. Biden announced last fall that he would require about 3.5 million government workers to get vaccinated by Nov. 22 (barring a religious or medical accommodation) or face discipline or firing. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Biden's vaccination-or-testing mandate for large businesses but allowed a separate federal vaccine requirement for healthcare facilities to stand. Yahoo News has the story.

William T. Ridley was recently sworn in as Cumberland County General Sessions Judge after being appointed to the position by the Cumberland County Commission, the Crossville Chronicle reports. Following the vote, Chancellor Ronald Thurman administered the oath of office. Ridley will serve until Sept. 1, when a new judge is sworn in after the general election. He serves as attorney for the city of Crossville and is a candidate for the 13th Judicial District Circuit Court. He is unopposed in the May 3 primary and will be on the Aug. 4 ballot with incumbent Judge Amy Hollars. Steven C. Douglas, who served as general sessions judge from 1998 to 2006 and had indicated interest in the appointment, withdrew his name prior to the commission vote.

Two Republicans are vying to succeed Judge Jean Stanley, who is not seeking reelection as the 1st Judicial District Circuit Court, Part II judge, the Johnson City Press reports. Suzanne Cook, a litigator and adjunct faculty member at the University of Tennessee College of Law, will face Lois Bunton-Shults-Davis, a past special master, receiver and mediator, on the May 3 primary ballot. Both candidates answered questions from the paper on why they want to serve on the bench, how they would describe their temperament, and what improvements they would like to see made to the judicial process.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division, Belmont Law and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands last week hosted an expungement clinic in Murfreesboro. The clinic was held in partnership with Murfreesboro Cold Patrol, a homelessness outreach organization. Nine attorneys and nine law students volunteered their time to serve individuals experiencing homelessness, facing expungement issues and needing advice on fee waivers and voting rights reinstatement. To get involved in future clinics, contact YLD Access to Justice Coordinator Alix Rogers.

The Knoxville Bar Association will hold its annual Law Day luncheon on April 29 at the Hilton Knoxville Downtown. The event will showcase the work of the association and its young lawyers group, the Barristers. The Barristers also will present the Law & Liberty Award. This year’s Law Day theme, “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change,” explores the provisions of the Constitution that delegate power, articulate rights and offer mechanisms for change.

The Davidson County Election Commission will take its legal battle over a 2021 anti-tax hike referendum to the Tennessee Supreme Court after voting 3-2 yesterday to appeal. The referendum at the center of the litigation included initiatives aimed at curbing Metro government's power to increase property taxes, the Tennessean reports. A trial court judge ruled against the commission last June and the Court of Appeals affirmed that decision in March. The Supreme Court previously declined to hear the case on an expedited basis, but commission attorneys say the case poses significant questions of law, which the high court may choose to hear under normal circumstances.

The state of Tennessee yesterday filed an emergency motion to stay a lower court ruling that blocked the General Assembly's Senate redistricting map and ordered the chamber to submit a new map in 15 days. In the appeal, Attorney General Herbert Slattery argued that those who brought suit over the redistricting map unnecessarily delayed in doing so. The injunction issued earlier in the day Thursday could result in “electoral chaos," Slattery said, since it came less than 24 hours before the candidate filing deadline for Senate legislative elections. The court extended that deadline to May 5, the Tennessean reports. Tennessee Democratic Party-backed plaintiffs sued over the map in February, arguing that the legislature unconstitutionally numbered Senate districts nonconsecutively.

Shelby County commissioners recently approved adding $10.9 million to the budget for renovating the former Shelby Training Center for the new Youth Justice and Education Center, which will house a courtroom, educational classrooms, gymnasium and detention facilities. That brings total funding for the project to $28 million, the Commercial Appeal reports. But some are concerned that the design of the building prioritizes incarceration over rehabilitation, News 5 reports. The current juvenile detention facility at 616 Adams has long drawn negative attention. A 2017 report noted that not all cells have natural light and that none are ADA accessible. Poor air conditioning and consistent mechanical problems also have caused issues over the years.

The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is seeking speakers for its annual educational conference set for Aug. 15-17 at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. The bureau specifically is looking for engaging and informative presentations that can improve injury outcomes, cooperation between stakeholders and the quality and efficiency of the state workers' compensation system. Topics should be of interest to a potential audience of 400+ that will include employers and human resource representatives, employee representatives, plaintiff and defense attorneys, insurance carriers and adjusters, nurse case managers, risk managers, health care providers and safety professionals. Requests to present should be sent to tn.workcomp@tn.gov by May 13 and include the name(s) of the presenter(s), a summary of the topic(s) to be discussed, learning objectives and a biography of each presenter. Contact Jeff Francis, 615-253-6269 for more information.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold three clinics this week. On Tuesday, the group will hold a general clinic at 4:40 p.m. at the Gallatin Civic Center, 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., 37066. On Wednesday, a clinic for veterans will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT in Nashville at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S., 37203. Then on Thursday, a clinic will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro, 37130. All times central. Those attending must wear a mask. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all April clinics.