Nashville School of Law honored the classes of 2020 and 2021 at its Annual Recognition Dinner last week. Dean William C. Koch Jr. welcomed more than 600 guests to the special celebration at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page and justices Jeffrey Bivins, Sarah Campbell, Sharon Lee and Holly Kirby were on hand to celebrate the graduates. See photos from the event.

U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bernice B. Donald served as the Bench Bar Luncheon speaker on day two of the TBA Annual Convention. President Sherie Edwards surprised Donald with a slide presentation of photos from her career provided by her law clerks, colleagues and attorneys she has mentored throughout the years. Donald gave a compelling presentation highlighting the rule of law, the impact of implicit bias and the importance of professionalism and service within the bench and the bar. During other events today, convention attendees heard from a range of lawyers serving in areas of leadership during the Bench Bar Program and received an update on issues of interest to lawyers from members of the state General Assembly. See photos from the day's events.

The U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed an effort by Republican attorneys general to mount a legal defense of a Trump-era immigration restriction that the Biden administration has since rescinded and declined to defend in court. The case was procedural in nature, The Hill reports, but at its heart was the so-called “public charge rule.” The 2019 rule imposed additional restrictions on poorer immigrants until the Biden administration ended the policy last year. The justices’ decision leaves in place a lower appeals court decision that went against the attorneys general.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee will host three clinics next week. On Wednesday, a Family Law Clinic will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Johnson City Family Justice Center. Attorney volunteers should contact Simeon Huff to sign up. On Friday, LAET will hold a Driver’s License Reinstatement Clinic at the Bradley County Justice Center from 2 to 4 p.m. Attorneys interested in volunteering should email Mary Frances DeVoe. On Saturday, the group will hold a Debt Relief Clinic at the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office from 9 a.m. and noon. Attorneys who would like to volunteer for that clinic should email Caitlin Torney. Additional information is posted online.

The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed last week to hear arguments in an ongoing lawsuit over reinstating voting rights to residents with out-of-state felony convictions, the Tennessean reports. Tennesseans with prior in-state felony convictions can restore their rights in a few ways, including by having their citizenship restored by fulfilling their obligations through paying court costs and restitution. In theory, the same pathway is open to everyone equally. But some newer Tennesseans with out-of-state felonies never had court costs to pay and court documents show they've struggled to prove their eligibility. The lawsuit, filed in 2020, argues the distinction is illegal and should be blocked in the courts.

Tennessee habitually ranks as one of the lowest states in the nation for voter turnout, with fewer than 60% of the state’s voting-eligible population casting a ballot in the 2020 presidential election. What’s rarely talked about, and what could be a factor heading into the 2022 midterm elections, is the role evictions play in voting patterns. Tennessee Lookout looks into it.

Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge W. Neal McBrayer recently joined the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL) Board of Directors, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. “Having participated in TISL as a college student, I know firsthand the benefits of the program,” McBrayer said of the appointment. “It's hands-on learning that encourages future civic engagement. I am pleased to support an organization that teaches young adults about how their state government works.” Since its inception in 1966, TISL has given thousands of students the opportunity to experience every aspect of state politics and government.

Retiring Judge Wayne Shelton was recognized by the Montgomery County Commission for his 43 years of service on the Montgomery County Juvenile and General Sessions Court. He is currently the longest presiding General Sessions and Juvenile Court judge in the state, according to Main Street Clarksville. At Monday’s meeting, County Mayor Jim Durrett presented Shelton with a proclamation for his service. A graduate of Memphis State University School of Law,  Shelton served in the U.S. Army as an artillery officer before later being appointed to the court.

Ten years ago, President Obama signed an executive order creating Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that shields from deportation more than 600,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Luis Mata, policy coordinator with the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, says in Tennessee there are more than 7,000 DACA recipients, NewsChannel5 reports. However, the uncertainty of the program has meant living a life in limbo, with renewals necessary every two years. President Biden has issued a statement calling on Congress to pass legislation to protect DACA recipients. The most recent legal challenge barred new applicants from applying to the program. The Department of Justice appealed the decision and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments this summer. Read more from Axios.

Robby Starbuck will run as a write-in candidate in the August Republican primary for the open 5th Congressional District, the Nashville Post reports. Starbuck (whose real last name is Newsom) was kicked off the Republican ballot by state party leaders, who determined he was not a “bona fide” Republican because he had not voted in three of the past four Republican primaries in Tennessee. Starbuck, a music video producer and conservative media personality, moved from California to Franklin in 2019. Multiple legal challenges to his exclusion came up short prior to his filing as a write-in candidate. Wednesday was the deadline to register as a write-in candidate for the Aug. 4 primary.