Three legal clinics will take place tomorrow in Blountville and Nashville. In Blountville, Legal Aid of East Tennessee will host a General Advice Clinic from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Branch House Family Justice Center, 313 Foothills Drive. That same day, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will host the Downtown Nashville Free Legal Clinic from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street and the Veteran’s Project from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Operation Stand Down Tennessee, 1125 12th Avenue South, Nashville.

In addition to the cover story about pandemic disease and Tennessee law, the March issue includes a feature by Memphis lawyer Miles Mason about dual roles in custody litigation, exploring ethical conflicts that may arise with therapeutic and forensic roles. TBA President Sarah Sheppeard reflects over the accomplishments of the first half of the year and Nashville lawyer Jim Thomas reviews the book I Swear: The Meaning of an Oath. Columnist Wade Davies writes about when an otherwise minor infraction expands when there are more than one of them. Columnist Russell Fowler explores Tennessee’s role in instituting the country’s income tax. Read the entire issue.

Patti Possel of Cordova has filed papers to run as a Republican for the state House District 96 seat, representing Cordova and part of Germantown, the Daily Memphian reports. Possel, who holds an education degree from Wright State University, is currently running unopposed and will face off with Democratic state Rep. Dwayne Thompson should no other Republican join the race. Thompson beat out incumbent Steve McManus four years ago. The primary is set for August and the general election for November.

The 2020 Intellectual Property Law Forum will take place in Nashville on April 17. Attendees can expect to hear presentations on a variety of IP topics, including trade secrets, IP protections for the cannabis industry and trademark issues within the alcohol industry. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Tennessee Bar Center in Nashville, 221 Fourth Avenue North. Guests will earn four-hours of general CLE credit and one-hour of dual credits. The TBA’s website has more information.

TBA offices will be closed today due to a loss of power following tornadoes that ravaged Middle Tennessee Monday night. TBA staff members will be working from home and can be reached through their usual email addresses.

Lipscomb University’s Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society will host a free legal advice clinic tomorrow from 6 to 8 p.m. The clinic will take place at Schrader Lane Church of Christ, 1234 Schrader Lane, Nashville 37208. For more information or to volunteer contact Randy Spivey, 615-966-2503.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from pharmaceutical companies asking to be dismissed as defendants in an opioid lawsuit filed by six Tennessee district attorneys whose districts are along the Interstate 75 corridor, the Johnson City Press reports. The suit, filed in 2017, seeks compensation from the companies for the ravages opioids have brought on their communities. The defendants, including Purdue Pharma, Mallinckrodt, Endo Health Solutions and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, had sought to be removed from the case. The prosecutors said they are pushing forward with the case and plan to press for a trial date in the coming months, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The Lebanon Democrat has that story.

Funding for a new juvenile justice center was left out of the Nashville city’s budget again, despite arguments that the current facility is unsafe. “This is an urgent need, it’s not just a want,” Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway told WSMV News 4. “People could come to work one day and literally see sewage on their walls. It’s not a safe place. It’s really not the best place to work,” she explained. Calloway also said the building’s old pipes have forced the relocation of several employees. A new building is projected to cost $138 million.

Federal courts continue to weigh in on the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten immigration and asylum policies. Last week, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the administration can withhold millions of dollars in law enforcement grants to force states to cooperate with U.S. immigration enforcement. On Friday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted a policy that makes asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases proceed through U.S. immigration courts. The court also decided to keep another major change on hold, one that denies asylum to anyone who enters the U.S. from Mexico without documentation. The Associated Press reports on those issues. On Sunday, a federal judge ruled that President Trump’s appointment of immigration advisor Ken Cuccinelli was unlawful and two asylum-related directives issued under his tenure must be set aside, National Public Radio reports.

Stephen Smith, a former chief of staff for then-Gov. Bill Haslam, has been named director of Tennessee’s Division of TennCare, the Nashville Post reports. He replaces Gabe Roberts, who recently departed for the private sector. Smith previously served as deputy director and chief of staff at the agency. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and a law degree from the Nashville School of Law. Read more in this release from the governor’s office.