The Tennessee Supreme Court on Oct. 6 dissolved a temporary suspension imposed Sept. 9 on Sumner County lawyer William Shea Forgety. The suspension was imposed after Forgety failed to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. The court reports that Forgety now has responded to the complaint and complied with all conditions imposed by the order of suspension, and immediate dissolution of the temporary suspension is appropriate.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Sept. 29 directed the Board of Professional Responsibility to hold an immediate hearing on a petition from Michael Lloyd Freeman to dissolve a suspension imposed on Sept. 3. The court suspended Freeman for failing to respond to the board about four complaints of misconduct. Freeman alleges he has responded to the board and should be reinstated. The court directed the board to consider the petition and report back to the court with its recommendation.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Oct. 6 referred two cases to the Board of Professional Responsibility for “whatever action” it may deem warranted. The court referred the case of Madison County lawyer James Richard McFall, who was found guilty of driving under the influence and was sentenced to 56 hours of incarceration and 11 months and 29 days of supervised probation. It also referred the case of Davidson County lawyer Kenneth Ervin Yager, who was found guilty of driving under the influence in Georgia and was sentenced to 12 months, with one day to be served in custody and the remainder to be served on probation.

The TBA’s Animal Law Section held its annual forum at the Nashville Zoo, where attendees heard from experts on issues affecting veterinary clinics, equine concerns, conservation, sensitive habitat development, case law updates, ethics and more. Participants also had the chance to explore the zoo during lunch and meet some of its residents, including a skunk, tamandua, hairy armadillos and rhinos. Attendees also learned about the blue-tongued skink and observed him running amok in the CLE room. See photos from the event.

Utah has joined a growing number of states allowing law school graduates to practice law without taking or passing the traditional bar exam. The Utah Supreme Court last week approved a program permitting graduates of American Bar Association-accredited law schools to obtain licenses after completing 240 hours of supervised legal practice and meeting other requirements. Graduates may still choose to sit for the bar exam. According to Reuters, the program aims to reduce the financial and logistical burdens of exam preparation while ensuring new lawyers gain practical experience. Oregon, Washington and Arizona have adopted similar alternative pathways to licensure.

Former Tennessee Govs. Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen emphasized the need for civil discourse and bipartisan cooperation during a Sept. 30 policy forum hosted by ThinkTennessee at the Music City Center in Nashville. Haslam and Bresden, who co-host the podcast “You Might Be Right,” discussed the importance of compromise in policymaking and reflected on lessons from their time in office, crediting the state’s progress in education to sustained collaboration across administrations. According to the Nashville Post, both also highlighted the key role of local governments in economic development. The event brought together state and local leaders from government, business and nonprofit sectors for discussions on housing, workforce development, transportation and childcare. Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, who recently was appointed deputy governor also participated in the forum.

Gov. Bill Lee last week announced that applications are being accepted for two grant funds totaling $175 million to strengthen downtown public safety and support local law enforcement in reducing violent crime. Local jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies may apply for funding from the $75 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund and the new $100 million Downtown Public Safety Grant Fund. Both funds were included in the governor’s 2026 budget proposal and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. The intervention fund supports local law enforcement efforts to develop and implement strategies to reduce violent crime and improve public safety infrastructure. The downtown fund was established to increase public safety, reduce blight, enhance economic development infrastructure and curb crime in downtown business and commercial areas. Eligible agencies should have received application instructions by Oct. 3 and may apply through Oct. 24.

President Donald Trump and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee have endorsed Republican Matt Van Epps ahead of Tuesday’s 7th Congressional District primary election, the Nashville Post reports. Trump’s endorsement came one day after Lee announced his support, writing on X that “Matt will stand with President Trump 100% to push back against the extreme agendas that threaten this country.” Following Trump’s endorsement, state Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, suspended his campaign and endorsed Van Epps. Campaigns for the other two Republican frontrunners, state Reps. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, and Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, have not commented. Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, currently serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee National Guard. Polls for the primary election will be open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT.

U.S. Supreme Court justices returned to the bench today with a docket of cases scrutinizing presidential powers, the Trump tariffs, transgender school sports bans, conversion therapy, the Voting Rights Act, gun limits and election finance. Today, the justices heard arguments in two cases: whether lawyers can be barred from speaking to their clients in certain situations and whether state limits on malpractice actions apply in federal court. Tomorrow, they will consider the legality of a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy, which is intended to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity. SCOTUSblog has a roundup of today’s actions, including a review of cases that the court accepted for the 2025-2026 term and those it declined to accept for review.

The TBA will host its Local Government Forum next Tuesday, Oct. 14, as a live virtual event from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. CDT. This year’s program will feature topics at the forefront of the field, including a legislative update, ongoing PFAS litigation, HR issues, and the use of AI in government. A discount is available for Local Government Practice Section members. Not a member of the section yet? Get started here. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.