A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Anderson County Family Justice Center was held today in Oak Ridge, the Oakridger reports. The center is a place for victims of elder abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence to meet with police, advocates and prosecutors. No appointments are needed and services are free. The center is located at 301 Broadway Ave., Unit 1A, Oak Ridge 37830. A mural on the side of the building was also unveiled.

Knoxville area legal organizations will hold an in-person veterans’ legal advice clinic on July 14 from noon to 2 p.m. EDT at the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St. Those seeking advice should preregister at 865-637-0484. Lawyers who would like to volunteer can sign up online. Legal advice is provided on issues such as family law, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, criminal defense, consumer protection, contract disputes, child support and personal injury. To learn more download a flyer or sign up for an "Understanding VA Benefits" webinar on July 13 at 10 a.m. EDT.

The TBA will hold its 2021 Elder Law Forum virtually next Friday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT. This year's program will feature information on elder abuse and undue influence, VA benefits, Medicaid updates and more. Speakers include Amelia Crotwell and Julie Price with Elder Law of East Tennessee, Barbara McGinnis with Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law, and Bryson Eubanks with Kane and Crowell. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from seasoned experts and catch up on the latest developments in the field.

Top aides to two Republican leaders in the state House are leaving their positions for other roles in government, the Nashville Post reports. James Dunn, top aide to House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, is the new executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. He succeeds Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman. Holt Whitt, previously the interim chief of staff to GOP House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, has been hired as a senior human resources adviser in Gov. Bill Lee’s administration. Whitt was placed on paid leave in January after being questioned by the FBI as part of an investigation into Tennessee lawmakers. The Tennessean reports that federal prosecutors consider Whitt a witness to possible crimes, not a suspect. 

Judge Phillip R. Hilliard has barred public access to an informal hearing on the license suspension of a facility for unaccompanied migrant children in Chattanooga, the Associated Press reports. The license of the Baptiste Group was suspended after an employee was arrested and charged with sexual battery following an investigation by the Department of Children’s Services into child abuse claims. Representing the Baptiste Group, attorney Mark Baugh argued that the names of the children housed at the facility would not be revealed and asked that the proceedings be kept open to the public and news outlets. Hilliard ultimately ruled that the state had an obligation to ensure the privacy of certain records that he said “outweighs any right or need for the proceeding to be made open at this point.” 

The YMCA Virtual Nationwide Judicial Competition is searching for volunteers to help score and preside over Zoom court sessions on July 27-29. Teenagers from more than 12 states will be competing. Morning sessions will run from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. CDT and afternoon sessions are from 2 to 4 p.m. CDT. Sessions are two hours in length and volunteers will need time at the end to fill out score sheets. Volunteer evaluators are also needed in both mock and appellate divisions. Those interested can sign up to volunteer online.        

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board in recent weeks has made several key rulings regarding medical records. The opinions examined the admissibility of Form C-32 at two different stages—summary judgement and at an expediated hearing. Full descriptions of those opinions can be found on the Court of Workers’ Compensation’s website.

East Ridge City Court Judge J. Cris Helton has resigned and will step down from the bench effective Aug. 1, the Chattanoogan reports. City officials say Helton cited health reasons for his departure. Helton was elected to the bench in 2014, defeating incumbent Arvin Reingold.

A Nashville woman recently named Miss Tennessee has some special connections to the Tennessee Bar Association. Tally Bevis, the daughter of Springfield attorney and TBA member Charlotte Fleming and Dan Bevis, is also the niece of TBA IT Coordinator Dave Bevis. She took home the crown Saturday during the competition in downtown Memphis. Fleming is the managing partner of the Fleming Law Firm & Mediation Center. According to the Commercial Appeal, Bevis’ social impact initiative is a nonprofit she hopes will combat voter apathy called Vote with a Vision. Her current goals for the organization are registering 10,000 voters, engaging young voters and protecting voter access—something she worries is under attack. “We see people are disproportionately affected and disenfranchised because of long wait times, voter suppression and really strict voter ID laws,” Bevis said. "It is not only a responsibility to vote, but it is a constitutional right. And so I want to protect that in the next year." Next up for Bevis is the December Miss America competition in Connecticut. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court today reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit that had been refiled after having been previously dismissed ahead of trial. The decision stems from a 2014 lawsuit filed by Regions Bank against a Shelby County man. Finding that Regions did not timely prosecute the case, the trial court dismissed the suit, but did not give notice to either party. Upon learning of the dismissal, Regions asked the trial court to set aside the dismissal and allow the suit to proceed. The court denied that request but noted the dismissal didn’t prevent Regions from refiling at a later time. However, when Regions refiled the suit, the trial court dismissed it, citing res judicata. The Supreme Court unanimously held that the original dismissal did not prevent refiling the lawsuit because that dismissal had not resolved the lawsuit on its merits. Read the high court’s opinion authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins on the Administrative Office of the Courts website.