Chattanooga City Court Judges Sherry Paty and Russell Bean spoke to City Council members yesterday in a continuing debate over a resolution that would close City Court Division II, the Chattanoogan reports. Paty told council members that the number of Division II cases has decreased due to COVID-19 and a drop in the city’s police force but cautioned that the court would still be needed if there was a sharp increase in cases. The resolution is sponsored by Chairman Chip Henderson, who claimed he called the court and was told that Division II heard only 318 cases in 2019 and 422 in 2020. Division II Judge Russell Bean, who has announced he’ll retire in 2022, said those numbers were “not accurate,” and that he likely hears that many each month. 

The TBA International Law Section will host a virtual CLE program on Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon CDT. Program topics will include trade promotion, a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion, international investments and more hot topics. International Law Section members will receive a discounted price for the program. Not a member? Sign up today.  

The Memphis Bar Association (MBA) will livestream its annual Memorial Service on Friday at 11 a.m. CDT. Earlier this month, MBA announced it would be limiting in-person attendance at the event to members of the judiciary and those presenting. The livestream can be found on Calvary Episcopal Church’s Facebook page or on its YouTube channel. Those who wish to memorialize an attorney or judge may do so by donating to the Memphis Bar Foundation. A Memorial Booklet for the event can be found here.  

A recent article from Reuters urges legal employers to consider financial wellness when addressing the larger issue of employee well-being. The article suggests that stress around financial and related money problems, often amplified by student loans, can lead to mental and physical health issues down the road. Employers can help relieve some of this stress by offering workshops on managing finances, working with third-party providers to offer digital and live financial planning services and offering longer-term holistic solutions. According to the article, legal employers who offer a well-being strategy that includes financial wellness will only strengthen the employer value proposition of potential hires.

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). The training will shed light on the recent influx of cases as well as practical steps legal aid attorneys are undertaking to represent clients facing eviction and how pro bono attorneys can help. 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.  

Williamson County District Attorney General Kim Helper this week announced that she will be running for re-election in 2022, the Williamson Herald reports. Helper was appointed and then elected to the position in 2008, becoming the first female district attorney general in the 21st Judicial District’s history. She was reelected in 2014 and is one of only four female district attorney generals in the state. During her tenure, Helper has assisted in the addition of DUI and Veterans courts and enhanced the prosecution of crimes against women and DUI offenses by adding staff dedicated to those cases. Helper was appointed to former Gov. Bill Haslam’s Sentencing & Recidivism task force and in 2019 was appointed to Gov. Bill Lee’s Tennessee State Criminal Justice Investment Task Force.  

The Madison County Commission this week unanimously confirmed Jay Bush as its new county attorney, the Jackson Sun reports. Bush is a sitting member of the Madison County Commission and submitted his resignation during the group’s September meeting in order to begin serving in his new role. Bush practices commercial litigation at Jackson law firm Clayton-Little. Steve Maroney served as Madison County attorney until he resigned in August after being appointed as Chancellor for the 26th Judicial District.

Chronic stress has the potential to cripple productivity levels and thwart effective advocacy for clients, but just one or two minutes of meditation and mindfulness can have immediate and far-reaching benefits, personally and professionally. Join the “How Mindfulness Can Help You Avoid Legal Burnout, Continue to Competently Perform Legal Services, and Remain Ethically Compliant” webcast on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. CDT for specific methods of integrating mindfulness into day-to-day law practice. Read more on the program and register here.

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page today signed off on two orders confirming the election of Justices Holly Kirby and Jeff Bivins to the Supreme Court Building Commissions of two cities. Kirby will serve on the Jackson commission and Bivins was elected to serve on the Nashville commission. As a result of his new role as chief justice, Page is now chair of the Jackson Supreme Court Building Commission. According to the State Courts website, the commissions control the three Supreme Court buildings in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson.

Parents from across the state spoke with legislators today about a bill that would require those reporting child abuse to identify themselves and allow those accused to petition the court for that information, the Tennessean reports. Sponsored by Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, House Bill 908/Senate Bill 1014 requires those who report child abuse, neglect and sexual abuse to disclose their names and contact information to the Department of Children's Services (DCS). That information would be kept confidential at the person’s request, but the accused can petition the court for the identity of the person who reported them. A judge could then release that information if there is “good cause shown.” Advocates for the measure say it would prevent false claims of child abuse stemming from a grudge, but DCS cautioned lawmakers that abolishing the anonymous reporting system might deter honest callers who fear retaliation by the accused. The TBA also opposes the legislation.