Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich announced Monday that all April court dates for general sessions court (criminal division) and criminal court involving those who currently are not jailed will be canceled, the Commercial Appeal reports. All jury trials also have been canceled for April. Weirich said the county is working to ascertain whether grand jury hearings will take place. The move means only cases involving inmates already in custody are being heard. Also in Memphis, a detention officer who works in the Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center has tested positive for COVID-19, the paper reports. In response, county commissioners are calling for all minors in county custody to be tested, regardless of symptoms.

The Conference Design Committee for the 2020 Equal Justice University invites attorneys to submit session proposals for this year’s conference. The deadline to submit a proposal is April 17. EJU, hosted by the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, is scheduled to take place Sept. 9-11 in Murfreesboro and the group reports it is hopeful that it can proceed with its plans. Proposals are sought for ethics and professional development sessions, as well as the following practice areas: elder law, conservatorship, employment law, family law, health and benefits, housing, consumer issues, mortgages, student loans, immigration, special education and juvenile justice.

Four sessions from the 2020 Environmental Law Forum are now online. Learn more about corporate sustainability programs, ethics in environmental law, the TVA Gallatin Fossil Plant lawsuit or the Tennessee-VW settlement. The entire package also can be purchased through the TBA’s 1-click feature.

TBA President Sarah Sheppeard today extended the closure of the Tennessee Bar Center and TBA offices in Nashville. "In light of recent federal, state and local orders related to the current pandemic, the TBA’s office at 221 Fourth Avenue North in Nashville will remain closed until further notice," Sheppeard said. Please continue to look for new updates on orders, news and closures around the state in TBA Today as well as the TBA's Pandemic Resources for Tennessee Lawyers.

Nashville attorney and University of Tennessee College of Law alum Taylor Wirth has been recognized by the National LGBT Bar Association as one of the 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40. Wirth graduated from UT in 2013 and now practices at Bass, Berry and Sims in Nashville. Wirth is also involved with the Alabama-based nonprofit The Invisible Histories Project, which focuses on the collection and preservation of Southern LGBTQ stories and artifacts and with the Mosaic Institute which provides training to rising leaders of color in the education space. Honorees in this category have distinguished themselves in their field and have demonstrated profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. Award winners will be recognized in August at the 2020 Lavender Law Conference in Washington, D.C.

An attempt to stop the proposed merger between Belmont University and Watkins College of Art has been blocked by a Nashville judge, the Tennessean reports. Two students and a teacher filed a lawsuit after the schools announced in January that Watkins students would begin taking classes at Belmont in the fall and the Watkins campus would be sold, with proceeds going to an endowment for scholarships for its students. The lawsuit argued that the agreement between the schools is invalid because Watkins is a public institution and the property that would be sold belongs to the public. Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal found the students and teacher lacked standing to stop the merger. Moskal noted that the merger is subject to review by the AG’s office, so any harm the students and teacher might suffer is not immediate.

Nashville attorney Kelly Duggan died March 25 at 62. Duggan earned her law degree from Tulane Law School and worked as an operations attorney for HCA in Nashville for more than 20 years. Duggan also regularly donated her time to those in need of legal aid and sat on the board of the Liberty Downs HOA. To celebrate her life, a memorial will be held at a later time to be announced by the family. Due to the current environment and limitations on gatherings, this will be delayed so that all who would like to attend can do so.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will make history tomorrow when it holds an oral argument by video conference. The new approach is part of efforts by courts at all levels to find innovative and creative ways to continue to conduct essential court business across the state. All of these efforts are part of the commitment to keep courts open during the COVID-19 pandemic, while balancing that priority with concerns for the health and well-being of all litigants, attorneys, judges and employees of the court system. A copy of the virtual argument can be found online within 48 hours after the conclusion of the argument.

The TBA’s new on-demand webcast series, Navigating the Pandemic, features an array of programs dedicated to giving you support and guidance on important legal topics related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Topics in the series include employment law, the CARES Act and the SBA loan process, navigating client financial issues and more. Don’t miss COVID-19 Labor and Employment Law Issues and Developments this Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. Also on Thursday, watch Tips, Tricks and Tools for Managing Coronavirus Disruption from 3 to 4 p.m. All programs are approved distance learning courses for 2020, per the new Supreme Court rule and requirement. Head over to the TBA’s website for a full list of programs in the series.

Chattanooga lawyer John Gary McDougal was censured today by the Board of Professional Responsibility. McDougal violated Rule of Professional Conduct 1.3, 3.2, 3.4(c) and 8.4(a) and (d) after he failed to adhere to filing deadlines and thereafter failed to comply with orders filed by the Criminal Court of Appeals. He was found to be in contempt of court for his conduct.