The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday released a statement clarifying the process that would unfold if the current reprieve issued by Gov. Bill Lee for Pervis Payne is allowed to expire. The governor issued a temporary reprieve for Payne due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Nov. 6, 2020. It is set to expire on April 9. The court notes that upon expiration of the reprieve, it has the authority to reset the execution for a future date. The statement was issued to address confusion that the execution would take place on April 9 if the reprieve is allowed to expire.

The Rev. James Lawson, civil rights icon and Vanderbilt University professor emeritus, has received the NAACP Chairman’s Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Lawson was honored for his work as a social change advocate and his contributions to the civil rights movement, specifically for his role in nonviolent protests in the south in the 1960s. Lawson’s mark on the Vanderbilt community is profound, the school reports. After joining the divinity school in 1958, Lawson helped organize sit-ins to desegregate lunch counters in downtown Nashville. Those activities led to his expulsion from Vanderbilt in 1960. Eventually, Vanderbilt and Lawson reconciled, and in 1996 he received the Vanderbilt Divinity School’s first Distinguished Alumni Award.

Construction of a new Sumner County Courthouse in downtown Gallatin is expected to begin later this year, according to officials involved with the project. As early as this week, demolition work could start on an existing building located on the property, Main Street Nashville reports. Once that building is removed, crews will spend an estimated three months performing various site work on the property. Without any delays, construction of the new courthouse would begin in late summer and will last for two years. The five-story, predominantly brick building will feature more than 46,000 square feet of space and will consolidate all of the county’s courts under one roof once it opens in 2023. County officials also expect to complete the purchase of property for a planned parking garage nearby within the next 30 days.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold its third annual Breakfast of Champions virtually next Wednesday from 8 to 9 a.m. CDT. This signature fundraising event brings together Middle Tennessee’s legal community and business leaders to support the work of LAS. This year, Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton will join the event as the guest speaker.

Davidson County attorney Jason Wade Barnette was permanently disbarred from the practice of law yesterday. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that Barnette consented to disbarment because he could not successfully defend himself against the disciplinary charges. The court found that Barnette failed to communicate with clients and inform clients that he had been suspended; allowed default judgments to be entered against clients; posted misleading information on his web page suggesting he was authorized to practice law in another state; and failed to disburse settlement funds to his client. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 1.16, 5.5, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.4(a), (d) and (g).

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Shelby County lawyer Scott Bradley Ostrow to the practice of law on March 10. The court took the action after Ostrow demonstrated that he had paid the required reinstatement fee and all delinquent annual registration fees. The reinstatement was made retroactive to Feb. 23.

Entries for the TBA Administrative Law Section's 2nd Annual Writing Competition for law students currently enrolled in a Tennessee law school are due Monday. The section hosts the competition to promote an interest in and understanding of administrative law in the state and strengthen the relationship among administrative law professors, students and practitioners in Tennessee. The winning submission will be published in the Administrative Law Section newsletter and the winner will be awarded $800. More information and the rules for entering are available here. Learn more about how writing competitions can enhance writing skills in a recent Tennessee Bar Journal article.

The TBA Appellate Practice Section will host a free roundtable discussion on April 12 from 11 a.m. to noon CDT to look at the state of diversity in appellate practice. The program will feature Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille McMullen, Tennessee Solicitor General Andree Blumstein, and Juvaria Khan, founder and executive director of The Appellate Project. Will Perry with Butler Snow will moderate the discussion. One hour of CLE credit is available on request for a fee of $45. An optional Q&A will follow the webinar.

Local government practice is an ever-changing arena with a unique blend of constitutional, statutory and case law. This year’s Local Government Forum program, which will take place over two days, will include topics such as ethics for municipal employees, law enforcement use of force, municipal court jurisdiction, blasting policies and more. Register here for the April 29 and 30 sessions.

The Memphis Bar Association and Center for Excellence in Decision Making will present Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America on April 6 from 3 to 6 p.m. CDT. The virtual program will be presented by the director of the Who We Are Project, Jeffrey Robinson, and will explore how legalized discrimination and state-sanctioned brutality, murder, dispossession and disenfranchisement put African Americans at a great disadvantage when trying to accumulate wealth and gain access to jobs, housing, education and healthcare. The webinar is free to all registrants.