A bill named for a slain toddler is headed for Gov. Bill Lee’s desk after receiving unanimous approval from the state House of Representatives yesterday. The state Senate had approved the bill on Monday. HB384/SB327 would require parents who know or suspect their child is missing to report that information to local law enforcement or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation within 24 hours. The bill applies to children 12 years or younger. Failure to notify law enforcement would result in a fine of up to $2,500 and up to 11 months and 29 days in jail. If the child is found with bodily harm, a parent who failed to report could face up to $10,000 in fines and 15 years in jail. The bill is named for Sullivan County toddler Evelyn Boswell, who was found dead after her disappearance went unreported for roughly two months, Mainstreet-Nashville reports.

Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and Tennessee Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty recently held a virtual forum about the future of the death penalty in Tennessee. Both groups are questioning the alignment of capital punishment with conservative principles, WATE reports. During the event, one leader said that anyone who values limited government and individual liberties should take a hard look at ending the death penalty. The state put seven inmates to death in the 18 months leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are currently 49 inmates on death row in Tennessee. On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill into law abolishing the death penalty, the first state in what was the Confederacy to stop using the punishment.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a woman shot by police while fleeing has the same Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizure as a person who is detained, the ABA Journal reports. The 5-3 ruling saw Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Brett Kavanaugh join with the court’s more liberal justices. In the majority opinion, Roberts wrote, “The application of physical force to the body of a person with intent to restrain is a seizure, even if the force does not succeed in subduing the person.” However, he stressed the decision is narrow and does not apply to every physical contact between a government employee and a member of the public. “A seizure requires the use of force with intent to restrain. Accidental force will not qualify … Nor will force intentionally applied for some other purpose,” Roberts wrote.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday unanimously approved Lisa Monaco, the Biden administration’s nominee for deputy attorney general nominee, by voice vote without debate. If confirmed by the full Senate she will serve as the second ranking official at the Department of Justice. The committee then turned its attention to the nomination of Vanita Gupta as associate attorney general, the third ranking official at the department. After a “bitterly divided” debate, the committee forwarded the nomination to the full Senate on a tied vote, Reuters reports.

Legal educators are decrying what they see as multiple missteps by U.S. News & World Report in its handling of the upcoming law school rankings, Law.com reports. U.S. News announced yesterday it is removing a new stand-alone diversity ranking from the annual law school rankings, which are set to be released March 30. The decision comes after deans from 162 law schools asked for revisions to the “Most Diverse Law Schools Ranking,” citing the exclusion of students of more than one race from the calculation of “underrepresented minorities.” The deans requested that the ranking be recalculated to include multi-ethnic students. The change would be the second revision to the diversity rankings in the last week. U.S. News had already recalculated rankings after initially failing to include Asian students. The news source says it will rework the diversity ranking and release it at a later "undetermined date,” Reuters Legal reports.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands will hold two phone clinics next week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, SNAP benefits and unemployment benefits. Clinics are Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All times central. LAS is looking for attorneys to help answer questions. To volunteer, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131.

The TBA Corporate Counsel Section is planning its Annual Forum for April 21. This year’s four-hour, remote CLE will cover a range of topics including what to expect from the new Biden administration with regard to regulations; labor and employment law updates; using technology to manage a law office; and how COVID-19 is impacting labor and employment, human resources, workplace liability, vaccines and more. Speakers include Adam Dougherty with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart; Geoffrey Lindley with Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell; and Hemant Sharma from the University of Tennessee.

Knox County is seeking to hire a judicial magistrate to issue arrest, search and forfeiture warrants, and conduct jail arraignments through real-time video conferencing. Applicants must be licensed attorneys and residents of the county. The position lasts four years and will begin on June 30. Resumes should be sent by April 30 to Donna Corbitt, Judicial Court Administrator, Room M-70, City-County Building, P.O. Box 2404, Knoxville, TN 37901. The office may be reached at 865- 215-2370.

Judge Bernice Donald, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives on “The Importance of a Diverse Federal Judiciary.” Donald appeared before the House Judiciary Committee and spoke about how diversity on the bench reinforces the legitimacy of the institution of the courts and respect for the rule of law among the public. She also spoke about how diversity of lived experiences helps judicial panels look more like the people they serve, an element, she said, which is essential for our concept of justice. Read more about the hearing from Law.com.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is seeking a trial attorney for its Office of General Counsel in Memphis. Responsibilities including reviewing charge files, recommending initiation of litigation, filing petitions for compliance with administrative subpoenas, seeking temporary injunctive relief, conducting discovery, preparing pre-trial and post-trial briefs and materials, and filing motions related to court orders, decrees, and pre-suit settlement agreements. The position will be open for applications until April 21.