Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee today extended an executive order allowing parents to opt their children out of local school mask mandates through Nov. 5, the Tennessean reports. The move comes despite the fact that his administration faces a federal civil rights investigation and multiple legal challenges against the original order. Executive Order 84, issued on Aug. 16, is set to expire on Oct. 5. It has been temporarily blocked in three counties — Knox, Shelby and Williamson. Lee also announced today that he is calling for a special legislative session on Oct. 18 to deal with “next steps" for the recently-announced Ford vehicle and battery plant at the Memphis Regional Megasite.

A federal jury today found state Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, guilty of four counts of wire fraud, The Tennessee Journal reports. The jury deliberated for five hours. After federal Judge Sheryl Lipman dismissed 15 counts that prosecutors had sought to bring against Robinson, the jury was left to consider five: one count of wire fraud related to $2,326 paid to an artist through a booking agent, one count of wire fraud related to $1,158 that went to a wedding makeup artist, and three counts of wire fraud related to fraudulent representations in her 2017, 2018 and 2019 annual performance reports. The jury acquitted Robinson of any wrongdoing with regard to the 2018 report. Sentencing is scheduled for January.

Fourth Judicial District Circuit Judges Jim Gass, Carter Moore, Rex Henry Ogle and Duane Slone jointly announced their candidacy for re-election in 2022, the Newport Plain Talk reports. In a joint statement, the judges said they are proud to serve the people of Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties, and endorse each others’ re-election. Chancellor Telford Forgerty is not seeking re-election since he is retiring at the end of his current term.

The American Bar Association Commission on Immigration has joined eight other organizations to co-sponsor monthly online clinics to help Haitian immigrants complete applications for temporary protected status. The organizations are seeking volunteer lawyers, paralegals, law students and translators to assist in the effort. The clinics will be held on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday each month. Upcoming events are set for Oct. 21-23 and Nov. 18-20. Training and support is available for all volunteers and work can be done remotely. Sign up here to help.

Former state senator, author and attorney Roy Herron will discuss and sign copies of his new book next Wednesday at the University of Tennessee’s Baker Center. The free program will begin at 5 p.m. EDT. Masks will be required. It also will be livestreamed at tiny.utk.edu/FaithinPolitics. Faith in Politics: Southern Political Battles Past and Present is a collection of Herron’s writings on constitutional liberties, economic justice, health care, politics and more.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law, Kelley Brooks Simoneaux — who has been navigating life from the seat of a wheelchair since age 16— worked as a plaintiff’s lawyer. Then in 2017, when she and her family moved to Washington, D.C., Simoneaux decided to open a practice specializing in spinal cord injuries. Living in the nation’s capital also exposed her to the interconnections of policy and law. She since has worked with lawmakers on transportation legislation for those with disabilities, taken on wheelchair manufacturers who delay responses to customers about parts replacement, and pressed delivery companies to make mail receptacles accessible to those in wheelchairs. When an Uber driver refused to pick her up, she created Wheel2Ride, an advocacy campaign promoting policy changes that are inclusive of those with mobility challenges. Simoneaux says that living her life in a wheelchair has brought her the grit, determination and patience she needs to meet challenges. “The reality of being a person with a disability is that you are forced to encounter roadblocks and readjust all the time."

The Knoxville Bar Foundation has named 12 new fellows for 2021. They are: Penny A. Arning, Maha M. Ayesh, Joshua M. Ball, Betsy J. Beck, James E. Bondurant Jr., R. Kim Burnette, James M. Cornelius Jr., Scott Griswold, Joshua D. Hedrick, Hillary B. Jones, Greg D. Meadows and Circuit Court Judge E. Jerome Melson. Each year, the foundation inducts a new fellows class, which represents attorneys in the community who have distinguished themselves in the practice of law and service. The annual fellows banquet, where new members are inducted, has been postponed due to the pandemic.

The law license of Shelby County lawyer William N. Griffin was transferred to disability inactive status on Sept. 23. Based on documentation from Griffin and his medical provider, the Tennessee Supreme Court determined that Griffin is unable to continue practicing law. The order will remain in effect until further action by the court.

California lawyer Brandi Danielle Becker was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Sept. 20. Becker had been on inactive status since 2014. Virginia lawyer David Strother Bunn was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on Sept. 27. He had been on inactive status since 2012.

At Shelby County General Sessions Civil Court, dockets were restricted to 50 cases to allow for safe social distancing early in the pandemic, but a growing backlog of eviction cases has bumped the number to 100 cases per docket, Tennessee Lookout reports. “That’s a hundred per docket, six divisions, twice a day. So that’s 1,200 cases per day,” says Cindy Ettingoff, executive officer at the Memphis Area Legal Services. Since March 2020, more than 20,000 evictions have been filed in Memphis courts. And while federal assistance is available, the application requires phone service or an internet connection. For those who have lost their utilities due to inability to pay, that requirement has been a barrier.