Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett was charged with driving under the influence on Friday as he was leaving the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Coffee County, the Tennessean reports. Hargett was booked into the Coffee County Jail shortly after 1 a.m. CDT on Saturday and released before 5:30 a.m. “Driving Under the Influence is a serious matter, and I regret the circumstances that led to my arrest,” Hargett said in a statement. “I respect law enforcement and will trust the legal process as we move forward.” According to the Tennessee Lookout, lawmakers will not seek Hargett's resignation following the arrest. 

Philip Joseph Perez was yesterday permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. A Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) hearing panel found that Perez received retainer fees but failed to provide services; failed to file complaints; misled clients to believe their complaints had been filed; failed to appear for scheduled hearings and motions; failed to return unearned retainer fees; and failed to notify clients of his suspension from the practice of law. In addition to disbarment, Perez must also pay $2,258.33 in costs incurred to the BPR.

Chattanooga lawyer Brittany Thomas Faith took office as president of the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division during last week's convention. Her signature project for the bar year will be the "Welcome to Tennessee" initiative. The three-pronged project seeks to: provide members with practical resources and integrate them into the TBA, provide quality public service aimed at making Tennessee a more welcoming place, and help young lawyers find their home in the TBA. Also taking office were President-elect Quinton Thompson of Memphis, Vice President Sean Aiello of Franklin, Secretary Ross Smith of Nashville and Treasurer Darius Walker Jr. of Nashville. Faith succeeds Billy Leslie of Nashville.

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a bill that extends security protections to Supreme Court justices' immediate family members. The bill — the Supreme Court Police Parity Act of 2022 — was passed by the House earlier this week and the Senate passed the measure last month, CNN reports. It allows the families of Supreme Court justices to be covered by the security currently provided to the justices if the marshal of the Supreme Court "determines such protection is necessary," according to the text of the legislation.

Outgoing TBA President Sherie Edwards presented six President Awards during the Lawyers Luncheon to those who contributed to the success of her year in office. General Counsel Ed Lanquist and Associate General Counsel Greg Pease were recognized for their assistance with selling the TBA’s downtown office. Memphis attorney and former TBA President Lucian Pera was recognized for his work chairing the TBA Building Committee, which assessed new locations for the association’s offices. All members of the committee were also recognized. Brentwood lawyer Rebecca Blair and Nashville lawyer Lynne Ingram were recognized for co-chairing the Women in the Profession Committee. TBA staff members Mindy Thomas, Jennifer Vossler and Chelsea Bennett were recognized for their work creating and producing the Scaling Small Law program, and all TBA staff members were recognized for their work in the past year despite a major office move and working remotely. Finally, Edwards recognized her daughter Victoria Cundiff for writing about her struggles with mental health in last year's well-being issue of Tennessee Bar Journal.

An attempt to unanimously pass a bipartisan bill to shield the personal information of federal judges online failed after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., blocked it for a third time, the Chattanooga Times Free-Press reports. The Thursday motion for unanimous consent was the second time this year that Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has attempted that maneuver to pass the measure introduced after the murder of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas’s son at their home almost two years ago.

A number of Tennessee lawyers were recognized for their pro bono service and contributions to the profession today during the TBA Annual Convention. Circuit Judge James G. Martin III received the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award; Nashville attorney and former TBA President Jacqueline “Jackie" B. Dixon received the Judge Pamela L. Reeves Tennessee Professionalism Award; Nashville attorney and former TBA President John Tarpley received the TBA Young Lawyers Division William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award; Assistant Public Defender and Appellate Director Brennan Wingerter received the Claudia Jack Award; Knoxville lawyer R. Culver Schmid received the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing. And the Kingsport Times News received the Fourth Estate Award for its series Meth Mountain.

The TBA also presented its annual Public Service Awards at the Luncheon. Ann Pruitt, most recently the executive director for Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, received the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award. Ashley Goins Alderson, an attorney in the Nashville office of Stites & Harbison, received the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award. And Belmont University College of Law 3L Gabriella Cannone received the Law Student Volunteer of the Year Award.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, planned to honor victims of violent crime and their families in Chattanooga today during a ceremonial signing of their recently passed Truth in Sentencing bill. The law requires people convicted of eight specific crimes, including second-degree murder and carjacking, to serve 100% of the sentences imposed by a judge or jury. The Chattanooga Times-Free Press has more.

The Tennessee Bar Association offices will be closed on Monday for Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States commemorating emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The TBA will reopen on Tuesday.

Knoxville lawyer Tasha Blakney was sworn in as the 142nd president of the Tennessee Bar Association on Friday at the TBA Annual Convention. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page administered the oath of office during the Lawyers Luncheon. Blakney, an attorney with Eldridge & Blakney Attorneys at Law, highlighted her plans for the coming bar year. She announced the relaunching of the Public Service Academy to help prepare lawyers who want to run for office and the popular CLE Ski program, set for January in Snowmass, Colorado. She announced the largest Court Square CLE series to date, with programs planned in 12 cities between September and May. She also announced the first ever TBA book club and a cultural and CLE trip to Cuba in March 2023. On the advocacy front, Blakney said the TBA would redouble its efforts to seek complete elimination of the Professional Privilege Tax and fair and prompt reimbursement for lawyers taking on indigent representation cases. Watch the full Lawyers Luncheon on the TBA Facebook page. Part 1 is available here and Part 2 is available here. See photos from the ceremony.