The TBA Young Lawyers Division is joining forces with Vanderbilt University Law School and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services to host a virtual TN Free Legal Answers clinic on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. CDT. Law students will be paired with volunteer lawyers in Zoom breakout rooms to answer questions submitted on the TN Free Legal Answers website. Volunteers may select the questions they want to answer. Email YLD Access to Justice Coordinator Alix Rogers with Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands to sign up.

The U.S. Supreme Court opened the first day of its new term with oral arguments in a 15-year dispute between the states of Tennessee and Mississippi. According to Reuters, the “justices expressed skepticism about Mississippi's claim that Tennessee is effectively stealing its water from an underground aquifer that runs beneath both states.” The Commercial Appeal provides historical context for the case. With the justices back together in the courthouse for the first time since the pandemic, several remote protocols remained in effect. A live audio feed of the arguments was available, justices took turns politely asking questions, and Justice Clarence Thomas (who almost never spoke during oral arguments in the past but participated in teleconferences) “quickly asked the first question of the new term.”

In August 2020, Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk, Mayor John Cooper and Police Chief John Drake asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct at the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD). Many of the allegations were brought by an organization called Silent No Longer TN, which was founded by a former MNPD detective and survivor of sexual assault. One victim spoke with the TBI about an incident in 2016, but the district attorney’s office said it could not file charges because the statute of limitations had expired, Mainstreet Nashville reports. Silent No Longer says the inability to bring charges illustrates why the state needs to eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual assault crimes.

Housing advocates warn that a surge in eviction cases is imminent and while emergency rental assistance programs may help some who are struggling to keep up with rent and other bills, many individuals need legal support. The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands (LAS) is offering training for attorneys interested in volunteering to help tenants facing eviction in both urban and rural areas. The one-hour live webcast will take place Oct. 5 at noon CDT and will cover the application process for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and how to access funds through the Tennessee Housing and Development Agency (THDA). Presenters include LAS attorneys Amelia Miller Luna, Katie Ovalle and Linda Blackwelder. Learn more about the CLE and register here. Contact Trent Craig at LAS with questions.  

Carl Moore, a former state lawmaker and co-founder of Bristol Motor Speedway, died Thursday. He was 91. Moore served in the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate and as majority leader of the Senate. He later represented the city of Bristol as a lobbyist. In 1961, he and a group of colleagues were inspired to build a racetrack in Bristol after watching a NASCAR race in North Carolina. Moore also was involved in a number of historic preservation efforts and was instrumental in passage of federal and state legislation designating Bristol as “The Birthplace of Country Music.” A celebration of life will be planned at a later date. Donations may be made to Emmanuel Episcopal Church or Bristol Speedway Children’s Charities.

Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper has taken over an inquiry into whether Nashville school board member John Little lives in the district he was elected to represent, Axios Nashville reports. The case had been referred to Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk but he recused himself saying Little backed his campaign in 2014. The issue is whether a house purchased by Little, located outside his Davidson County district, should disqualify him from office. Little says he maintains two residences, one of which is in his district.

Family, friends and colleagues gathered at Franklin First United Methodist Church on Friday for a funeral service in remembrance of Justice Cornelia A. “Connie” Clark, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. Chief Justice Roger A. Page spoke to those in attendance, praising Clark’s “comprehension and grasp of the law” but also her “innate wisdom and benevolent heart.” The other current justices also spoke, as did Clark’s longtime friends and Nashville-area lawyers Margaret L. Behm and Julian Bibb. A private family graveside service was held following the service at the Historic Resthaven Cemetery. To honor Justice Clark, memorial donations may be given to Franklin First United Methodist Church or to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation.

The Immigration Law Section is set to host Immigration Law Updates on Nov. 9. The program will cover asylum updates, criminal convictions, petitions for review after Guerrero Lasprilla and Niz-Chavez and jurisdiction issues. It will provide three hours general and one hour dual CLE credit. 

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has postponed the investiture ceremony of Judge Katherine A. Crytzer. The court reports that the ceremony and reception, originally set for Nov. 19, will be rescheduled.

This month, Tennessee lawyers are joining colleagues across the country to increase meaningful access to justice and commitment to pro bono work. Now in its 13th year, Tennessee’s statewide Celebrate Pro Bono Month initiative brings together legal services providers with bar associations, law schools, law firms and individual volunteers to offer free services to those unable to afford a lawyer. The month of October is an opportunity to focus attention on the significant need for pro bono services as well as a time to celebrate the outstanding work of those in the legal community who volunteer their services throughout the year. Events, including virtual and remote opportunities to volunteer, will be promoted in TBA Today, via social media and on the TBA website. If you have information about an event please share it with TBA.