The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday reinstated John Louis Dolan Jr. to the active practice of law conditioned upon engagement of a practice monitor. Dolan filed for reinstatement on April 26. The Board of Professional Responsibility found his petition satisfactory and submitted an Order of Reinstatement to the high court. 

The Knoxville Bar Foundation will induct 12 new members at its annual reception on June 9. The new class represent quality practitioners in the community who have distinguished themselves in the practice of law and service. This year’s class includes: Catherine W. Anglin of Paine | Tarwater | Bickers LLP; George R. Arrants Jr. and William J. Carver of Kramer Rayson LLP; John G. Brock of Brock Shipe Klenk; William D. Edwards of Long, Ragsdale & Waters PC; Robert B. Frost Jr. of Arnett, Draper & Hagood LLP; Lisa J. Hall of Hodges, Doughty & Carson PLLC; Raymond G. Lewallen Jr. of Baker, O'Kane & Thompson PLLP; Magistrate Jill E. McCook of the U.S. District Court; Eric J. Morrison of Lipsey, Morrison, Waller & Lipsey PC; Jennifer B. Morton of Jennifer Morton Law PLLC; and L. Caesar Stair IV of Bernstein, Stair & McAdams LLP.

The position of First District Governor (three-year term) will be filled by the Tennessee Board of Governors at its meeting on June 18. In accordance with Article 47 of the TBA Bylaws, the board may fill the vacancy at its 2022 meeting. The First District Governor represents Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. If you would like to be considered for this position, email TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson with your interest by June 1. Please include a resume with your submission as well as any other information that you would like considered by the TBA Board of Governors.

To keep up with the ever-changing nature of practice in the government sector, attorneys need to stay abreast of changes in constitutional, statutory and case law. The upcoming Local Government Forum provides all that and more, with a vesting update session, and programming covering nuisance abatement issues, rights of way and civil disobedience and unrest in open meetings. Find out more about this live virtual program scheduled for May 24, providing one dual and three general credits.

The focus of today’s programming for Well-Being in the Law is to align your spiritual well being. Quick advice: Foster a sense of meaning and purpose in all aspects of life. Align life and work to serve your values.

Judge James G. Martin III will be honored next month with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) prestigious Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award. Given to a judge or judicial branch official of a federal, state or local court in Tennessee who has demonstrated extraordinary devotion and dedication to the improvement of the law, the legal system and the administration of justice, the award is the TBA’s highest award for service to the judiciary as exemplified by the career of former Supreme Court Justice Frank F. Drowota III – the award’s first recipient. This year's award will be presented June 17 during the TBA Convention in Nashville. Judge Martin practiced law in Middle Tennessee for more than 30 years before being appointed to the Tennessee Circuit Court, 21st Judicial District, Division II. Read more about his career and the award.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week agreed to review a request for DNA testing of evidence from death row inmate Rodney Reed, The Hill reports. Reed was convicted in the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop County, Texas. He has maintained his innocence and has long sought genetic testing of items found at the crime scene. The technical issue before the high court deals with when the window closed for Reed to request DNA testing. Lower federal courts are divided on whether the clock begins when a trial court denies the request or whether it begins after the appeals process plays out. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Dunham said the Supreme Court’s review of the case has “big stakes” and “major implications for either redressing miscarriages of justice — or institutionalizing them.”

Voters will head to the polls tomorrow to cast a ballot in their county’s primary elections. While it’s too late to register to vote, you can check the status of your registration here. According to the Tennessean, Davidson County residents could have a new polling location due to redistricting. Voters should have received new voter registration cards in the mail with information on the new locations, but you can also find your polling location online. Voters in Tennessee must bring a valid photo identification card, but do not need to bring their voter registration card.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases tomorrow at 9 a.m. EDT in Knoxville. Brittany Borngne ex rel. Miyona Hyter v. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority et al. is a health care liability action stemming from injuries suffered by a minor during her 2014 birth. City of Knoxville, Tennessee v. Netflix, Inc., et al. will consider whether streaming services Hulu and Netflix should be required to pay a fee to local governments like a traditional cable company. The cases will be livestreamed on the Administrative Office of the Courts YouTube page. The AOC has more on both cases.  

Kristin Priesol Smart has been named the new director of communications and engagement for the Nashville School of Law, the Nashville Post reports. Smart has 20 years of media experience, most recently as a public relations specialist and local news director at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Prior to that, she was a reporter at WTVF NewsChannel 5 in Nashville. She’ll now be responsible for the law school’s marketing strategies, media relations, event planning and internal communications.