State officials have announced that thousands of Tennessee prisoners are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, WPLN reports. The news comes days after an Associated Press investigation found that officials debated when to vaccinate prisoners, fearing that any decision could be deemed a “public relations nightmare.” State prisoners were among one of the last groups eligible to get the vaccine and, despite some becoming eligible earlier based on factors like pre-existing conditions and age, the Tennessee Department of Correction said last month that everyone housed in a state prison would be inoculated at the same time. State Health Commissioner Lisa Piercy refuted that claim and says any prisoner who fits the current requirements for phase 1c of the state’s vaccination rollout plan is now eligible for the shots.

The Community Legal Center of Memphis will host a benefit concert on April 1 at 7 p.m. CDT. “Cash for the CLC” will feature virtual performances and in-depth discussion on justice work in Memphis with Rosanne Cash. Local artist John Paul Keith will also be performing. The event is free to attend, but donations to the CLC are encouraged. RSVP to the benefit through the CLC’s Facebook page. Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Jerri Green.

Baltimore mediation attorney and former American Bar Association President J. Michael McWilliams died on Feb. 23. He was 81. McWilliams spent two years as an assistant attorney general of Maryland and later served as counsel to the state Department of Transportation. He participated in the 1978 gubernatorial campaign of Harry R. Hughes and later headed his transition team. McWilliams became president of the ABA in 1992 and established McWilliams Dispute Resolutions Inc. in 1997, where he stayed until his retirement in 20017. Due to the pandemic, plans for a memorial service are incomplete.

A resolution to remove Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle from the bench has failed in a Tennessee House subcommittee, the Tennessean reports. After more than an hour of debate in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee, House Resolution 23 (HR23) failed on a voice vote. The resolution was sponsored by Rep. Tim Rudd, R-Murfreesboro, who said he filed the bill in response to Lyle’s ruling to expand absentee voting in the state—a move he called judicial overreach. The TBA issued a statement in opposition of HR23 last week. “We’ve heard from TBA members from all political persuasions and views expressing concern about the impact this resolution would have on the concepts of separation of powers and a fair and impartial judiciary,” TBA President Michelle Greenway Sellers said of today’s vote. “We were pleased that the subcommittee arrived at the conclusion it did.” 

The Tennessee Senate on Monday evening passed a resolution that will allow voters to change the way the state attorney general is selected, the Chattanoogan reports. In a 25-7 vote, legislators passed Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR1) which calls for a transparent nomination process by the Tennessee Supreme Court in selecting the State Attorney General, followed by a confirmation vote of the nominee by a majority of both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly. Once the nomination is made, the legislature would have 60 days to go through the confirmation process. In the event that the candidate is rejected, then the court would have 60 days to make another nomination. SJR1 will now go before the House where it must receive a two-thirds majority. If the resolution clears the House, it must then be passed by the majority of Tennessee voters in the 2022 gubernatorial election.

The Tennessee Historical Commission today voted 25-1 in favor of removing the bust of early KKK leader and Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the state Capitol, the Tennessean reports. Historians, pastors, activists and other interested citizens were among the 30 speakers who testified during the meeting, which lasted more than five hours. Commissioners voted to relocate the bust to the Tennessee State Museum. It is unclear when the relocation process will begin or whether last month’s request from the House and Senate speakers for an attorney general’s opinion will cause delays.

Just in time for Women’s History Month, catch a rebroadcast of Tennessee's Role in Women's Suffrage and the 19th Amendment with award-winning journalist and author Elaine Weiss. As the 36th state to ratify the amendment, Tennessee put the vote for suffrage over the top. Weiss takes viewers through the story of Tennessee’s monumental role in the ratification of the 19th amendment during the centennial anniversary, honors key players and examines how the ratification impacted the legal profession. This program is worth one general CLE credit.  

A number of lawyers have been reinstated to the practice of law after being suspended for failure to pay their annual registration fee or certify that eligible funds are held in IOLTA-approved accounts. They include: six who were suspended in 2021, 13 who were suspended in 2020, three who were suspended in 2019 and two who were suspended in 2012. In addition, the 2020 suspension for one lawyer was removed but he remains on inactive status.

A statewide coalition of concerned citizens has formed the Committee for an Independent Judiciary in response to a legislative effort "to unseat a prominent Tennessee judge and change the balance of power in the state." The effort is being coordinated by Nashville attorneys Bob Boston, Aubrey Harwell and Billye Sanders; Chattanooga attorney Roger Dickson; Memphis attorney Lucian Pera; and Knoxville attorney Wayne Ritchie. According to a press release issued Friday, the committee is dedicated to educating the public and elected leaders about the perils of the HR23, which would swiftly deconstruct the state’s system of justice by allowing the legislature to influence the decisions of Tennessee judges. The group also has drafted a sample op ed and is inviting any concerned Tennessean to support the effort by learning more and signing an online petition. In related news, on Friday the Memphis Bar Association joined other legal organizations in issuing a statement “strongly condemning” the resolution. Last week, the Tennessee Bar Association issued a statement, as did the Nashville and Knoxville bar associations and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold four phone clinics this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics are Tuesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., with a special focus on disaster assistance. All times central. LAS is looking for attorneys to help answer questions. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.