Memphis lawyer and Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commissioner Sean Hunt died Monday at the age of 56, Serenity Funeral Home reports. Hunt, who was chair of the TBA's Dispute Resolution Section, also served on the Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) board and as chair for two stints. He received the WJ Michael Cody Pro Bono Award from MALS in 2007. In 2009, he founded Hunt Law, serving Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia, after working as a partner with Spicer, Flynn & Rudstrom and Leitner, Williams, Dooley, Carpenter & Napolitan in Chattanooga and Nashville. Hunt earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1988. He was also a frequent CLE speaker for the TBA. Read more about his career.

Twenty-sixth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Donald H. Allen, 30th Judicial District Criminal Court Judge John Wheeler Campbell Sr. and Henry County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Snyder were today selected as finalists for the Court of Criminal Appeals vacancy in the Western Section. The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments considered five applicants for the position, which was vacated by Judge Alan E. Glenn in July. The three finalists now go to the governor for his consideration.

Hamilton County General Sessions Court judges Lila Statom and Alex McVeagh today announced a renewed push to increase veteran participation in Hamilton County’s misdemeanor mental health and drug recovery courts. The goal of the initiative is to incorporate a veterans’ track within each of the county’s existing treatment courts. Tennessee has 82 recovery courts, including 10 veterans treatment courts, which provide more than punitive incarceration for non-violent individuals who enter the criminal justice system. According to McVeagh, the courts “create needed structure, address the root problems and help the participants turn their lives around ...” Read more in a release from the pair.

The current Tennessee Bar Journal, which has a focus on attorney well-being, includes the regular column, "The Buddy System," by Buddy Stockwell. This month Stockwell writes about addictive technology, another element that can negatively affect your well-being. "Perhaps no single development in the last 30 years has increased pressure on lawyers more so than advances in communications technology," he writes. With all the good technology has brought to our lives and practices, it can also be an addiction. Read about the warning signs and how to get help if you or someone you know need it.

Maury County's plans to establish a new justice center will likely cost more than expected if the county choses to move the entire court system to a new site purchased earlier this year, the Daily News Journal reports. The county had initially planned to spend $10 million to purchase and renovate the former site of The Daily Herald at 115 South Main St. in Columbia. That plan anticipated moving the full court system to the building. But the commission has been told that accommodating all offices will require the addition of a second floor, which also will involve raising the roof. The other option would be to split up the offices. Juvenile Court Judge Doug Chapman suggested putting the county general sessions and circuit court in two separate locations. But others argued that approach would create confusion for the public and add to the operating budget.

As new technologies continue to outpace laws governing protection of personal data, Tennessee lawmakers are considering regulations to protect consumer data privacy on the internet. This spring, Rep. Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, filed legislation aimed at offering protections to consumers who use online platforms. This week, a special committee met to hear testimony from stakeholders on how the proposed legislation could impact them, Mainstreet Nashville reports. The hearing focused on concerns about the patchwork of state laws that are being enacted across the country with witnesses from the business community calling for a single federal standard.

Tennessee state Rep. Mark Hall, R-Cleveland, has announced his intention to run for the state Senate seat of retiring Sen. Mike Bell, Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The District 9 seat represents Polk, McMinn, Meigs and Monroe counties. Others considering a run for the seat include former Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson, who also served as a state representative for eight years and as chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Before election to the House, he also served as a Bradley County commissioner for more than a dozen years. Yahoo News has the article.

A jury trial for disbarred Hendersonville attorney Andy Allman began in Sumner County Criminal Court this week, the Hendersonville Standard reports. Allman was suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2016 and ultimately disbarred in 2018 after close to 200 complaints were filed against him. Following an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, a Sumner County grand jury indicted Allman on 28 charges in 2017. A separate grand jury indicted him on 11 more charges later that year. He is charged with several counts of theft for allegedly stealing money clients gave him to hold in trust and impersonating a licensed professional for practicing law while suspended. Allman’s trial has been delayed several times for a variety of reasons including COVID-19 and the withdrawal of at least two of his attorneys.

State Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, a former speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, announced today that he will retire when his term ends next year. The move will leave the District 63 House seat open without an incumbent for the first time in two decades, News Channel 5 reports. Casada, who has held the seat since 2001, resigned the speakership in 2019 after reports surfaced of racist and sexually explicit text messages between him and a former aide. 

Mark Mohammadpour, founder and chief wellness officer of Chasing the Sun, which offers corporate well-being coaching, tells Ragan Communications that companies need to rethink how they support remote and hybrid workers during this season. His recommendations include (1) helping employees manage change with compassion and consistency; (2) reinforcing company values to increase workers’ trust and productivity; and (3) engaging in active listening of employees through conversation, surveys and advocacy committees. He also urges employers to provide flexibility in how hybrid work is structured, empower people to use their vacation time, and cancel meetings that take up unnecessary time.