As Montgomery County continues to grow, area leaders are looking to create their own juvenile resource center, WKRN reports. Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden tells the station that often times youth are placed two hours or more away from the county and sometimes, they are just sent home for the night because staff cannot find a spot for them. The situation is draining county resources, Golden says, as two officers must accompany juveniles to doctor’s appointments and court appearances. This week, the Montgomery County Commission formally asked its state legislative delegation to support funding for a juvenile center.

First Lady Jill Biden was in Nashville today to visit a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic, Nashville Post reports. Biden encouraged those in attendance to stay updated on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including the most recent bivalent vaccine, designed to protect against the Omicron variant. After the vaccine event, Biden attended a private Democratic National Committee fundraiser. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jason Martin and state Sen. Heidi Campbell, the Democratic nominee in the 5th Congressional District, were among those attending.

An oversight board tasked with reforming Rutherford County’s Juvenile Detention Center met for the first time this week, Nashville Public Radio reports. The five-member board includes Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr, retired judge Steve Daniel, longtime juvenile court prosecutor Leslie Collum, pastor and attorney Michael McDonald, and school board member Claire Maxwell. The board was created to bring greater accountability to the county’s long-troubled juvenile justice system. It also has hiring and firing power over the detention center director. One of the board’s first tasks will be to review the center’s operating procedures.

Most users of the judiciary’s PACER electronic court records platform would receive refunds for fees they incurred under a $125 million settlement agreement between three nonprofits and the U.S. government, Bloomberg Law reports. Under the agreement, the government must reimburse “the vast majority of PACER users in full” for past charges. The deal still must be approved U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman. This week’s action comes after the parties announced a tentative deal last November. The nonprofit groups first filed suit arguing that the fees being charged by Pacer were excessive.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee launched a $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund this week and invited local law enforcement agencies to apply for grants that can be used to reduce violent crime and strengthen public safety. The fund was a cornerstone of Lee’s crime prevention agenda and funding was included in this year’s state budget, Chattanoogan.com reports. Eligible uses include evidence-based crime intervention models, hiring and training of specialized violent crime units, purchase and application of technology and equipment, and law enforcement-led partnerships with community organizations. Law enforcement agencies can apply for funding through January 2023.

Knox County lawyer Daniel Forrest Wilkins was reinstated to the practice of law yesterday. On Sept. 15, Wilkins was temporarily suspended for failure to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility. On Oct. 3, Wilkins provided a response that the board deemed sufficient for dissolution of the suspension.

Davidson County lawyer Charles Martin Duke received a public censure yesterday from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Duke violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 and 1.4. While representing a client in probating an estate, a guardianship was created, which required that realty within the estate be sold and the proceeds deposited with the court. Through an inadvertent error, the proceeds were deposited into a bank account opened and maintained by the client. After becoming aware of the error, Duke failed to take proper action to facilitate the transfer of the funds to the court or to amend the guardianship. The court also found that Duke failed to maintain good communication with his client during the representation.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is leading a coalition of 13 state attorneys general demanding U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland respect the First Amendment rights of those who criticize "irreversible transgender treatments" for minors. The letter, according to the group, is in response to a letter from medical organizations calling on Garland to investigate and prosecute those who commit, threaten or provoke violence against adolescent gender clinics. The attorneys general argue that targeting those who “provoke” such threats is a violation of the Constitution’s free speech rights.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee is seeking a full-time staff attorney in its Johnson City office. Candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to exceptional legal work and equal access to justice and be admitted to the Tennessee Bar or admitted to the bar of another state with the ability to waive into Tennessee. The position, which is anticipated to begin immediately, is contingent on continued grant funding. Learn more about how to apply on the TBA’s JobLink platform.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold a clinic tomorrow in Murfreesboro from 3-4:30 p.m. CDT. The event will take place at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro 37130. To volunteer for the clinic, contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all October clinics.