The TBA will be closing at noon CST tomorrow and will remain closed all day on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The virtual office will reopen Monday at 8 a.m. CST.

The TBA is offering a rare discount on select CLE packages as part of its Cyber Monday promotion. TBA members save up to 40%! Program topics include ethics updates, attorney wellness, law practice management, legislative updates, diversity and inclusion and more. Sale ends Nov. 30. Learn more and view package options.

The National Bar Association (NBA) and the National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON) have filed a joint amicus brief in support of Haitian migrants. The groups have filed the brief against U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayokras to “to prevent DHS from illegally deporting and continually denying due process to the thousands of Haitian migrant children, woman, and men who have journeyed to the United States to seek refuge from the perilous conditions in Haiti.” The brief addresses the issue of the potential irreparable harm suffered if the migrants are continually expelled under Title 42 without an asylum hearing. The NBA has partnered with the Haitian Bridge Alliance to provide pro bono legal services to those affected by the Haitian migrant crisis and is still in need of volunteers. Those interested can contact Johanna Leblanc to get involved.

The National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel (NCCRC) is seeking a legal research specialist to help maintain and expand its repository of legal research resources regarding the 50-state status of the right to counsel in a variety of civil areas, including questions around scope of the right, timing, the rights of various parties and appellate issues. The remote-work position is funded through December 2023 with the possibility of extension. To apply, please submit a cover letter explaining your interest, resume, two legal writing samples and three references to John Pollock with “NCCRC Legal Research Specialist Position” in the subject line. Read more about the position here.

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously sided with Tennessee in a 15-year legal battle with Mississippi over the rights to water in an aquifer that runs under both states, the Daily Memphian reports. Mississippi originally sued Memphis and Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division (MLGW) in 2005, claiming it was the exclusive right of DeSoto County to use the water and asking for $615 million in damages. The Supreme Court today rejected the claim that Tennessee had been wrongly taking water from Mississippi and ruled that MLGW has the right to pump water from the aquifer. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said the ruling “ensures that Memphians will continue to enjoy drinking water from the aquifer for generations to come.” Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery in a statement applauded the high court for its ruling, calling it a “clear victory for Tennessee on all issues, and for all states who share underground water resources.”

The TBA is offering a rare discount on select CLE packages as part of its Cyber Monday promotion. TBA members save up to 40%! Program topics include ethics updates, attorney wellness, law practice management, legislative updates, diversity and inclusion and more. Sale ends Nov. 30. Learn more and view package options.

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims has rescinded an order first issued by the chief judge of the court in 2020 and amended in May, regarding health and safety procedures for in-person hearings. The order was rescinded given the passage of Title 14, COVID-19, of the Tennessee Code. Read more from the court.  

Gov. Bill Lee today announced that he will chair a committee aiming to enshrine the right-to-work law in to the Tennessee constitution, NewsChannel5 reports. The Yes on 1 Committee, made up of executive directors of prominent business groups in the state and multiple Republican officials, was formed to support the right-to-work constitutional amendment, passed by legislators earlier this year. The measure requires voter approval and will be on the Nov. 8, 2022, ballot. “We believe [right-to-work] must be enshrined for freedoms for all workers... When people see Tennessee, they see opportunity and freedom for workers," Lee said Monday during an event in Nashville to announce the effort.

First Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Jean A. Stanley has announced that she will retire next year after 30 years on the bench. Stanley was elected in 1994 to the 1st Judicial District, which covers Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington Counties. During her time as judge, Stanley created the First Judicial District Court Clinic in Johnson City, served on a number of committees and acted as the eastern section representative for the Tennessee Judicial Conference. “If you are in the legal field and you want to do something spectacular with your life, this is definitely something you should consider,” Stanley said of being a judge. “It’s a wonderful career.” Read more on Stanley’s career from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Hawkins County Courthouse celebrated National Adoption Day on Friday with music, testimonials and the adoption of three children. A video of the celebration can be found on YouTube. “It’s most apropos that we celebrate National Adoption Day through the season of Thanksgiving because in our community and communities all across America, adoptive families are going to experience the full, overflowing cornucopia of blessings,” said 3rd District Court of Appeals Chancellor Thomas Frierson III. The Administrative Office of the Courts has more on the story.