Georgia lawyer James A. Dunlap Jr. filed a petition for reinstatement in Tennessee on Feb. 26, 2021. He had been suspended from practicing in the state for one year on Feb. 7, 2020. A Board of Professional Responsibility hearing panel reviewed the petition and found that Dunlap “failed to meet his burden to show by clear and convincing evidence he was fit to practice law in Tennessee.” The panel recommended dismissing the petition, which the Tennessee Supreme Court did yesterday. The court also directed Dunlap to pay all costs and expenses of the proceeding within 90 days.

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims Appeals Board will hold its next docket on Tuesday beginning at 8:30 a.m. CST. See the list of cases and links to watch via Microsoft Teams. The court also announced that it will not hold any settlement approvals starting the afternoon of Jan. 26 through Jan. 28 due to a judicial conference.

The funeral service for 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Gilbert Stroud Merritt Jr. will take place tomorrow beginning at 11:30 a.m. CST at Christ Episcopal Cathedral in Nashville. The service will be live streamed on the church’s YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. For those attending in person, a visitation and reception will take place after the funeral at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Merritt died Monday after a battle with metastatic prostate cancer.

Former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, today called members of the Registry of Election Finance “biased” for subpoenaing him about a political action committee allegedly created at the behest of his former chief of staff. Speaking at an event in Williamson County, Casada denied knowing anything about the PAC, Tennessee Journal reports. Rep. Brandon Ogles, R-Franklin, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, was also at the event. He said leaders of that committee are talking about conducting a “deep dive” into the powers of the campaign finance board’s powers, especially its subpoena power. Casada is retiring from the House at the end of this term to run for Williamson County clerk.

Longtime Newport attorney, Fred L. “Freddie” Myers Jr. died suddenly on Wednesday at the UT Medical Center in Knoxville. He was 85. Myers earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and practiced law in Newport for 60 years. He also was the first municipal judge for the town of Parrottsville. In later years, he was co-founder of and partner with Myers & Ball LLP. Myers served as a senator in the Tennessee General Assembly and held various positions with the Newport/Cocke County Bar Association, including president, vice president and treasurer. A graveside service will take place tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Union Cemetery, 420 Mineral St., Newport, TN 37821. Memorial donations may be made to the Newport Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 370, Newport, TN 37821, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or a charity of the donor’s choice.

A number of judicial candidates in the 10th Judicial District have qualified to run for re-election or have picked up papers to run according to Chattanoogan.com. Circuit Court Part 1 Judge Michael Jenne and Part 2 Judge Michael Sharp have qualified to run, while Part 3 Judge Andrew Freiberg has picked up papers to run. In the criminal court, incumbent Sandra Donaghy will face a challenge from Paul Donald Rush, a McMinn County lawyer who previously served as a prosecutor for 11 years and as a public defender for five years. For the Bradley County General Sessions Court, incumbent Division 1 Judge Barrett Painter and attorney Andrew B. Morgan have picked up papers to run. In Division 2, Benton Municipal Judge David Calfee has picked up papers to run, while lawyers Clay Collins and Rebble Johnson have qualified.

U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw this week denied the state's request for him to set aside his December order blocking a new law that generally bans school districts from implementing mask mandates. The state had asked Crenshaw to defer his decision while it pursues an appeal, the Tennessean reports. Crenshaw instead reaffirmed his initial injunction saying the state has not proven the harm in allowing school districts to make their own decisions. He also questioned the filing saying, the state’s motion reads more like a “motion for reconsideration than a motion to stay" and reminded the state that he provided a “detailed and reasoned basis” for each of his initial conclusions in a 50-page memo released along with the order.

Workers impacted by tornadoes this past December can now apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, WSMV reports. The assistance comes in addition to the federal assistance made available through FEMA. Workers in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Stewart, Weakley and Wilson counties who meet certain requirements are eligible to apply at www.jobs4tn.gov. In addition, those who are rebuilding after a major storm can apply for a sales tax refund from the Tennessee Department of Revenue, News Channel 5 reports. The Natural Disaster Sales Tax Relief program covers purchases of major appliances, furniture and building supplies.

Anderson County native Brandon Pelizzari has been named the new assistant district attorney general in the Seventh Judicial District, the Oak Ridger reports. He will work out of the Clinton office and focus on prosecuting criminal offenses in the Anderson County General Sessions Court. Pelizzari joins the office after serving as DUI prosecutor in the Eighth Judicial District — mostly assigned to Campbell County for the past several years. Before that assignment, he was in private practice in Oak Ridge and a prosecutor for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Pelizzari earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law.

On a 26-5 party-line vote, the state Senate yesterday approved maps setting new boundaries for the state's nine congressional and 33 Senate districts. It delayed voting on a new map for House seats until Wednesday, the Tennessean reports. After the vote, Democrats hinted at a potential legal battle saying the map could dilute the voting power of minority populations and unnecessarily split up counties. Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, said, “It's hard to imagine you don't see this in litigation at some point. I can't imagine people don't look at this and say there are legal deficiencies.” The state House is set to begin debate on the various plans on Monday.