A group of Democratic lawmakers today introduced legislation that would expand the U.S. Supreme by four justices, the ABA Journal reports. The bill, called the Judiciary Act of 2021, was introduced by Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, Sen. Edward Markey, D-MA, Rep. Hank Johnson, D-GA, and Mondaire Jones, D-NY. “Thirteen justices for 13 circuits is a sensible progression,” Nadler said of the legislation. The Supreme court has had nine justices since 1869, according to Reuters. At other times, Congress has changed the size of the high court, ranging from six to 10 justices. President Joe Biden has previously indicated he is not a fan of “court packing.”

The Metro Nashville Criminal Court Clerk’s office will begin accepting e-filings through Eflex on April 20. You can access the filing portal through the court clerk’s website. There will be a training session on the new platform tomorrow and on April 21 at 3 p.m. CDT. A video of the training will also be posted on the same site.

TBA member and University of Tennessee College of Law alum Reggie Hill of Nashville has given a gift to his alma mater that will be used to fund a junior faculty position. The College of Law will offer the award annually and will designate the recipient as the John Reginald Hill Faculty Scholar. “The College of Law prepared me for a rewarding career, and I am fortunate to be able to give back through this gift,” Hill said. The award will be offered beginning in January. Hill served as a senior vice president and chief compliance and policy officer with Lifepoint Health prior to his retirement last year. He is a member of the TBA and its Health Law and Business sections.

A new episode of the TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast is streaming now. TBA Public Policy and Government Affairs Director Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley explain what happens to TBA-sponsored bills as the General Assembly begins to wind down this year’s session. They also walk listeners through the legislature’s budget process and Gov. Bill Lee’s annual budget amendment, which this year includes funds to reduce the professional privilege tax by $100. Legislative Updates can be found on the TBA’s Facebook page, website and anywhere you listen to podcasts.  

A bill that would require police to record interrogations of juveniles was unanimously approved by the Tennessee Senate yesterday, the Daily Memphian reports. Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, and Rep. London Lamar, D-Memphis, sponsored Senate Bill 1435/House Bill 340, which they say would increase transparency and end both coerced confessions and false accusations against police. General Assembly budget analysts estimated the bill would cost about $40,200 for law enforcement agencies across the state to buy equipment in the first year, and $6,700 thereafter for data storage and equipment maintenance. The House Finance, Ways and Means Committee will hear the measure after the legislature handles budget bills.

TBA CLE will present the virtual 2021 Communications Law Forum on April 16 from 9 a.m. until noon CDT. Attendees will hear presentations on anti-SLAPP, liable defamation, the Public Records Act, a U.S. and Tennessee Supreme Court update and more. Remember, members of the Communication Law Section will receive discounted pricing on this CLE. Not a member? Sign up today.

Don't miss the opportunity tomorrow to explore what the post-pandemic law office will look like. The free program will look at how lawyers shifted their practices during the pandemic, what is next for the practice of law, if virtual will be the future of the modern law office, and if tele-legal will become the new tele-medicine. Jennifer McGlone, co-founder, CLO and president of legal technology company LawChamps, and Maxine Kozler Koven, a venture capitalist and LawChamps investor, will talk about the latest trends and take questions from attendees. Sign up by tomorrow morning to join the conversation!

With the expiration of a moratorium on the execution of Tennessee death row inmate Pervis Payne last week, supporters are continuing to press his case with Gov. Bill Lee and state legislators. Payne was granted a reprieve from his Dec. 3, 2020, execution date by Lee due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That reprieve ended Friday and a new execution date could be scheduled anytime by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Payne’s legal team has sent information to the governor about the legal, evidentiary and ethical issues involved in the case. A spokesperson for Lee said he was still reviewing the case “through the established process,” the Tennessean reports.

People with law school loans could benefit if President Joe Biden authorizes a plan to forgive all or a portion of student debt, but it could exclude those who owe private lenders and impose limits based on income, experts say. The issue of student loan debt forgiveness figured prominently in the 2020 presidential campaign. In April, the White House announced that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona had been asked to explore President Joe Biden’s authority to cancel student loans. Read what experts are saying this means for law school debt in this article from the ABA Journal.

Work/life balance is often the first thing to go when demands of the job are on the rise. But expectations are changing rapidly and more workers are expecting companies to provide a healthier balance between work and home. The same trend is happening in the legal profession. A new white paper from Thomson Reuters looks at the symptoms of and ways to alleviate attorney burnout, generational differences and expectations found in law firms, and ways to make work/life balance a reality at your firm. Read more here.