Five attorneys have applied for the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court vacancy, which includes Rutherford and Cannon counties. Those attorneys include: Joshua T. Crain, Trevor H. Lynch, John G. Mitchell III, Gingeree Smith and James A. Turner. The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will hold a virtual hearing using Zoom on Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. CST. The Commission will vote immediately after the hearing and forward three names to Gov. Bill Lee for consideration. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Administrative Office of the Court’s YouTube page. Interested individuals may also watch the livestream in the Jury Assembly Room of the Rutherford County Judicial Center, 116 W. Lytle St., Room 101, Murfreesboro. To address the Commission by video conferencing, email Ceesha Lofton or call 615-741-2687 by 4 p.m. CDT on Oct. 29.

The Governor's Council for Judicial Appointments will hold a hearing to fill the Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section vacancy on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. CDT on both days. This hearing will be held virtually and will be livestreamed for public viewing on the Administrative Office of the Court’s YouTube page. Interested individuals may also attend the virtual hearing at AOC headquarters, 511 Union St., Ste. 600, Nashville 37219, to watch and/or speak in opposition to any applicant. Anyone who wishes to address the Council via video conferencing should contact Ceesha Lofton or call 615-741-2687.  

TBA CLE will host Elder Law Basics 2020 on Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. CDT. This virtual program is designed for attorneys new to the practice, or those looking to brush up on their knowledge in the area. Programming includes an overview for the intangibles of Elder Law, including powers of attorney, estate recovery, reverse mortgages, how clients can find and afford health care in retirement, ethics and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from seasoned practitioners providing the information you need to stay on top of developments and changes in the field. Course material and instructions on how to connect to the program via Zoom Webinar will be sent to registrants the week of the program.

George Scoville, an associate in the Lewis Thomason Nashville office, has been named an adjunct fellow with the Institute for Free Speech. IFS is the nation’s largest organization dedicated solely to protecting First Amendment political speech rights. In his role as an adjunct fellow, Scoville will provide commentary on topics related to the organization’s mission. Most recently, he helped scrutinize Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s judicial record in free speech cases. Scoville represents global and national consumer product brands in products liability actions in the state and federal courts for Lewis Thomason. Additionally, he is adjunct professor of American Government and Constitutional Law in the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Belmont University. Scoville earned his law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He is a member of the TBA Young Lawyers Division, as well as a member of the Federal Practice and Litigation sections.  

Students interested in obtaining a graduate certificate in legal studies can begin online coursework at the University of Tennessee College of Law this summer. The first course offered will be “The Structure and Operation of the American Legal System.” Enrollment in the master of legal studies program officially begins in Fall 2021, but students enrolled in the certificate program may, with approval, transfer to the master’s program. The college announced in May it would offer these new options as alternatives to the traditional three-year law degree for those who need to be conversant in the law but do not wish to practice it.

The University of Memphis School of Law has announced the date and topic for its 2021 law review symposium. The event “Diagnosing America's Healthcare System: Addressing Costs and Access NOW” will take place March 5, 2021. It will focus on solutions to reduce the rising cost of healthcare, capitalize on solutions offered by AI and other technologies, address disparities and chronic discrimination, expand the role of non-physician healthcare workers, and promote community education and access initiatives. Registration information will be available soon. For details contact symposium editor John Taylor. In other news from the school, professor Alena Allen has been named the next faculty advisor for the law review. She replaces professor Andrew Jay McClurg.

Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich has asked the Memphis police to begin sending all confirmed cases of excessive use of force to her office so it can determine if criminal charges are merited. A police spokesman confirmed the department has received the request and is working on it, The Daily Memphian reports. Weirich’s request follows reports that instances of brutality have been treated as simple violations of policy and not referred to prosecutors. A police spokesman said the agency has no formal policy on when to refer cases to prosecutors.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will offer two free tax webinars focused on franchise and excise tax this month. These live virtual events will offer tax practitioners, attorneys, accountants, and others an opportunity to learn more about the topic and ask questions. On Oct. 20, the department will present “FONCE, Obligated Member.” On Oct. 27, it will present “Most Common F&E Exemptions.” Both programs will begin at 9 a.m. CDT. If you miss the live presentation, a recording of the sessions will be available on the department’s website.

A member of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s security team has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the governor to quarantine at home with his wife out of an “abundance of caution,” the governor’s office announced today. The announcement said the governor is “feeling well” and has tested negative for the virus. Read more in the developing story from the Tennessean.

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board will hold oral arguments tomorrow by video conference. Since the pandemic, arguments have been held by phone but the board says the video platform will “enhance the quality of the arguments for everyone to see each other’s facial expressions and body language as well as hear the intonation of their voices.” See the docket here. In addition, the board announced that new rules governing the appeals process for both interlocutory appeals and compensation order appeals went into effect Monday. The rules do not revise deadlines or make other significant substantive changes, but now incorporate the board’s former Practices and Procedures into the administrative rules.