Eleven children and eight staff members at the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center have recovered after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus in June, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Kathy Sinback, administrator for the juvenile court, said several of the youth displayed mild symptoms, while others were asymptomatic. All new admissions are currently being placed in quarantine for two weeks before joining the general population at the facility, which currently houses 39 boys and girls. Gary Sallee, chief legal officer for the private company that manages the facility, told the Lookout in an email that the “statistics indicate that the numbers of positive cases within the facility fall far below the equivalent statistics for the population at large.” 

The Tennessee General Assembly convened today for what is expected to be a three-day special session to address three main issues, including one matter that would increase punishments for some protestors, the Tennessean reports. New legislation is being filed in response to a nearly two-month, round-the-clock demonstration across the street from the Capitol that has resulted in misdemeanor arrests and seizure of protestors’ equipment. However, Gov. Bill Lee’s office is at odds with House Majority Leader William Lamberth’s version of the bill. The legislation would make camping overnight on certain state property a felony and would create mandatory minimum sentences for that offense and for assaulting or spitting at a law enforcement officer. The legislation would also strip district attorneys of their discretion to not prosecute certain protest-related offenses. Lee’s office on Monday said Lamberth’s bill “is not our preferred version,” and was working to reduce some of the mandatory minimums in a revised bill that will be brought by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin.

Collierville Lawyer Calvin Joseph McCullough died on Aug. 4. He was 90. After earning his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University, McCullough served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his discharge, McCullough went on to enroll in night classes at Southern University Law Center, earning his law degree in 1962. He later joined the law firm of Wilkes, Neely and Evans in Memphis. McCullough spent more than 55 years practicing law and was the grandfather of Circuit Court Judge Mary Wagner. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a private memorial service was held with immediate family only. Memorials may be sent to Collierville First Baptist Church Senior Ministry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or Memphis Union Mission.

The TBA’s 2020 Summer FastTrack program will be held as a virtual program with sessions specifically designed for practitioners in  the Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville areas. The Nashville program will take place on Aug. 14. Don’t miss the opportunity to join area judges and attorneys for four one-hour presentations and an optional lunchtime Zoom mixer. Attendees will hear from Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark, Timothy Chinaris with Belmont University College of Law and Sean Martin with Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard. Registrants also will receive eight hours of prepaid credit to use on any of the TBA’s online or virtual CLE offerings and three hours of exclusive online videos designed specifically for general practitioners on topics such as working from home, law practice management and tips for growing your practice. Sign up now and get 15 hours of CLE credit through this one program!

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will conduct 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 will take place Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 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 11:30 a.m. CDT. LAS is looking for attorney volunteers to help answer legal questions during these clinics. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131. See the list of clinics for all of August. 

The Knoxville Bar Association will hold a virtual Legal Advice Clinic for Veterans on Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. EDT. This will be a general advice clinic that will cover a wide variety of legal issues, including family law, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, criminal defense, consumer protection, contract disputes, child support and personal injury. Volunteers are needed. Sign up here to participate or contact Tracy Chain at tchain@knoxbar.org with any questions. View a flyer for the event.

The Administrative Office of the Courts released this wrap up of results from yesterday’s judicial races. In addition to the races covered in other stories, Smith County General Sessions Court Judge Michael Collins defeated Carthage attorney Branden Bellar for the 15th Judicial District Circuit Court seat being vacated by Judge John D. Wooten Jr. and Judge Brooklynn Townsend, who was appointed to the Polk County General Sessions Court last November, prevailed over Polk County attorney Laura M. Crawford.

Three legislative seats being vacated by Republicans this year drew multiple candidates in Republican primaries. In the race to replace District 3 Rep. Timothy Hill of Blountville, Scotty Campbell prevailed over Neal Kerney 73% to 26%. In the race to replace District 18 Rep. Martin Daniel of Knoxville, Eddie Mannis is expected to defeat Gina Oster by a slight margin. In the race to replace District 26 Sen. Dolores Gresham of Memphis, Bolivar Vice Mayor Page Walley defeated former state Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton 53% to 47%.

Despite all of the state House seats and half of the Senate seats up for reelection yesterday, most incumbents went unchallenged in their primaries or easily defeated challengers. However, four House members did lose their re-election bids. They are: Republicans Matthew Hill of Jonesborough, Rick Tillis of Lewisburg, and Micah Van Huss of Gray; and Democrat Rick Staples of Knoxville. Hill — a former deputy speaker and 16 year veteran of the General Assembly — lost to Rebecca Alexander in a 27 point landslide. Tillis lost to Todd Warner by an eight point margin. And Van Huss suffered a 15 point loss to Tim Hicks. Staples will lose to either Sam McKenzie or Matthew Park, who are locked in a tight race for first place. The Tennessean has a wrap up of all contested races.

President Donald Trump yesterday invoked emergency economic powers to impose broad sanctions against TikTok, a move that increases pressure on the Chinese-owned app to sell its U.S. assets to an American company, National Public Radio reports. The order, which takes effect in 45 days, prohibits any transactions between TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, and U.S. citizens. Security officials have warned that TikTok captures vast amounts of information from its users and could share that information with Chinese authorities. Also yesterday, Trump signed a similar order restricting business between China-based Tencent Holdings and U.S. citizens. Tencent owns WeChat, an all-in-one app used for messaging, social media and mobile payments.