The Madison County Commission this week unanimously confirmed Jay Bush as its new county attorney, the Jackson Sun reports. Bush is a sitting member of the Madison County Commission and submitted his resignation during the group’s September meeting in order to begin serving in his new role. Bush practices commercial litigation at Jackson law firm Clayton-Little. Steve Maroney served as Madison County attorney until he resigned in August after being appointed as Chancellor for the 26th Judicial District.

Chronic stress has the potential to cripple productivity levels and thwart effective advocacy for clients, but just one or two minutes of meditation and mindfulness can have immediate and far-reaching benefits, personally and professionally. Join the “How Mindfulness Can Help You Avoid Legal Burnout, Continue to Competently Perform Legal Services, and Remain Ethically Compliant” webcast on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. CDT for specific methods of integrating mindfulness into day-to-day law practice. Read more on the program and register here.

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page today signed off on two orders confirming the election of Justices Holly Kirby and Jeff Bivins to the Supreme Court Building Commissions of two cities. Kirby will serve on the Jackson commission and Bivins was elected to serve on the Nashville commission. As a result of his new role as chief justice, Page is now chair of the Jackson Supreme Court Building Commission. According to the State Courts website, the commissions control the three Supreme Court buildings in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson.

Parents from across the state spoke with legislators today about a bill that would require those reporting child abuse to identify themselves and allow those accused to petition the court for that information, the Tennessean reports. Sponsored by Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, House Bill 908/Senate Bill 1014 requires those who report child abuse, neglect and sexual abuse to disclose their names and contact information to the Department of Children's Services (DCS). That information would be kept confidential at the person’s request, but the accused can petition the court for the identity of the person who reported them. A judge could then release that information if there is “good cause shown.” Advocates for the measure say it would prevent false claims of child abuse stemming from a grudge, but DCS cautioned lawmakers that abolishing the anonymous reporting system might deter honest callers who fear retaliation by the accused. The TBA also opposes the legislation. 

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) today honored the Tennessee Supreme Court for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first day of the organization’s Equal Justice University (EJU) conference. The conference, held virtually this year, kicked off with a video of TALS Board and EJU Chair DarKenya Waller and TALS Executive Director Ann Pruitt delivering a special memento to Justice Jeff Bivins, who served as chief justice for the majority of the pandemic. Waller and Pruitt praised Bivins for his leadership of the court, and its work to keep state courts open and accessible during the pandemic. They presented Bivins with a personalized COVID can opener, adding that, just like Bivins, “it has all the tools to keep everything open.” Watch the full video on the Tennessee State Courts website.

A federal judge in Nashville yesterday delayed proceedings in a challenge to Gov. Bill Lee’s mask opt out order, instead waiting for the results of a Williamson County and Franklin Special School District school board meeting, the Tennessean reports. That school board meeting took place last night and both districts chose to extend existing mask mandates into January. Chief Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee was set to hear arguments yesterday for both a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Lee’s order, which allows parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates. Similar suits have been filed in Shelby and Knox counties. "I'm not inclined to issue orders without knowing the effect," Crenshaw said yesterday. He added that extending or ending local mask mandates may change the tenor of the lawsuit. Arguments in the case will be heard on Oct. 5, the same day Lee’s order can expire.

The U.S. Supreme Court has set a date to hear a Mississippi case that could pose a serious challenge to Roe v. Wade, NPR reports. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization tests whether all state laws that ban pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional. The high court agreed to hear the case earlier this year and yesterday set the date for Dec. 1. The scheduling announcement comes weeks after the court declined to intervene in a new Texas law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected and awards private citizens $10,000 for successfully suing anyone receiving, performing or helping facilitate an abortion. According to the Associated Press, the first lawsuits under Texas’ new law have been filed against Dr. Alan Braid, who last week publicly revealed that he had defied the law. He is being sued by two former lawyers from Arkansas and Illinois.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee, in partnership with McNabb Center, YWCA of Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley and the Knoxville Family Justice Center will hold a free legal advice clinic for victims of domestic violence on Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon EDT. The clinic will be held at the Knoxville Family Justice Center, 400 Harriet Tubman St., Knoxville 37915. Masks will be required and social distancing observed. Those interested in volunteering should contact Caitlin Torney at Legal Aid of East Tennessee ctorney@laet.org.

Dyersburg lawyer Noel Hugh “Skip” Riley II died Sept. 15 at 76. After earning a law degree in 1972 from Memphis State University, Riley began practicing law in Dyersburg and served there for almost 50 years. He was an avid fisherman and duck hunter, loved to play racquetball, and was passionate about the Tennessee VOLS. Funeral services were held yesterday at the Curry Funeral Home in Dyersburg. Interment followed in the New Haven Cemetery in Ridgely. Memorial donations may be made to Ridgely First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Church St., Ridgely, TN 38080 or Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, 848 Adams Ave., Memphis, TN 38103.

The American Bar Association (ABA) launched the 2021 Student Debt Week of Action today. The week is dedicated to bringing attention to the need for additional student loan debt relief, including through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Each day, the group will offer insights into this critical issue and resources for lawyers to reach out to elected officials. See the schedule of events or access the State Bar Toolkit.