The U.S. Justice Department sued Walmart yesterday, accusing it of fueling the nation’s opioid crisis by pressuring pharmacies to fill potentially suspicious prescriptions for the painkillers, the Associated Press reports. The government alleges Walmart violated federal law by making it difficult for pharmacists to follow the law (which requires pharmacies to report suspicious orders to the Drug Enforcement Administration), putting “enormous pressure" on them to fill a high volume of prescriptions, and prohibiting blanket refusals for suspicious orders. Walmart operates more than 5,000 pharmacies in its stores around the country. It rejected the government’s allegations saying the investigation was “tainted by historical ethics violations." Read the full article in the Citizen Tribune.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading a coalition of 20 state attorneys general in challenging the constitutionality of two abortion bans enacted in Tennessee, her office reports. The group filed an amicus brief in the case Memphis Center for Reproductive Health, et al. v. Herbert Slatery, et al. now pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. The brief asks the court to affirm a lower court injunction that prevents enforcement of the laws, arguing they create unconstitutional barriers to safe, legal abortions and disproportionately impact Black, minority and low-income women.

Still looking for CLE hours before the end of the year? The TBA’s Year End CLE Blast has unveiled two new archived webcasts available starting today. The Ethics of Healthy Lawyering features Chris Stiegemeyer of the Bar Plan Foundation talking about how to recognize risk and problematic behaviors and how to adequately respond to them to avoid stress and burnout. A Lawyer’s Role in Assuring Good Faith Mediation features Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Rhynette Hurd discussing a lawyer's role in mediation and best practices for mediation. Check out all Blast offerings here.

Johnson City lawyer Douglas Carter has been randomly selected as the Week 4 CLE Blast prize winner! The Year End Blast is underway and to make this season a little merrier, the TBA is offering weekly prizes and one overall prize at the end of the month thanks to presenting sponsor Clio. Those who purchase a CLE program in December will automatically be entered in the drawings. Others may enter without purchase. Need CLE before the end of the year? Check out all the TBA offerings here.

A news item in yesterday’s issue of TBA Today was not clear that an order issued by the Tennessee Supreme Court contained two dates. The order suspended in-person court proceedings through the end of January and suspended jury trials through the end of February. The order applies to all municipal, juvenile, general sessions, trial, and appellate courts beginning Monday. 

The TBA will be closing at 3 p.m. CST today and will remain closed all day on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen Monday at 8 a.m.  Online CLE programming will remain available throughout the holidays.

Gov. Bill Lee has issued Executive Order 72, which extends remote notarization and witnessing of documents through Feb. 27, 2021. He also issued Executive Order 71, which extends authority for remote meetings.

The U.S. Senate this week confirmed former House speaker Beth Harwell and East Tennessee State University President Brian Noland to serve on the board of directors for the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Associated Press reports. Harwell, a longtime Nashville Republican lawmaker, was elected speaker in 2011, but left the legislature in an unsuccessful bid for governor in 2018. Since the race, she has been working as a visiting professor of political science at Middle Tennessee State University. Noland has been president of Johnson City’s ETSU since 2011. President Donald Trump nominated both Harwell and Nolan for the board in January.  

Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey was recently named the recipient of a 2020 Volunteer Spirit Award. Bailey was chosen for the award for his contributions to the betterment of Greene County and its citizens, including the role he played in bringing a much-needed Isaiah 117 house to the area. Isaiah 117 houses provide housing for children who are waiting to be placed in foster care after being removed from their homes. Bailey also presided over the Greene County Recovery Court, a program focused on nonviolent offenders with substance use disorders. Now in its 19th year, the Spirit Award is presented by the Greeneville Sun newspaper and the organization Youth Builders of Greeneville. Read more on the story from the Administrative Office of the Court.

Crowded holiday parties and family gatherings may feel like Christmastime traditions of the past, but in an article for the Tennessean, Memphis attorney and former TBA president Bill Haltom writes of his gratefulness for Christmases past and his optimism for those yet to come. “COVID Christmas,” Haltom says, has even made him long for the stressful events of past holiday seasons, like frantic shopping sprees, assembling toys into the night on Christmas Eve and the Haltom Family’s annual “Christmas Fight.” Even still, Haltom says he is experiencing an unexpected feeling of gratitude this Christmas and looking forward to future holidays. “And I during these silent nights, I will be dreaming of Christmases yet to come after the advent of vaccines and the epiphany that the pandemic has passed.”