The Tennessee Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled in favor of the City of Memphis in a lawsuit brought by Alicia Franklin, who was raped by Cleotha Abston in 2021. The court affirmed that the city is protected from suit over Franklin’s claims that Memphis police failed to properly investigate her case. Abston later kidnapped and killed Memphis schoolteacher Eliza Fletcher in 2022. Franklin alleged in her lawsuit that the Memphis Police Department could have prevented Fletcher’s abduction had her rape been thoroughly investigated in the year prior, The Daily Memphian reports. Abston was convicted in April 2024 in Franklin’s case and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to Fletcher’s abduction and killing.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate declined for the second consecutive month, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% in April, down one-tenth of a percentage point from March. Tennessee’s rate remained well below the national unemployment rate, which held steady at 3.9% in April 2024. Total nonfarm employment in Tennessee increased by 8,600 jobs between March and April, with the largest gains in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, followed by professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.

The General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office will host an expungement clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT on May 24 at the Levi Branch of the Memphis Public Libraries, 3676 S 3rd St., Memphis 38109. Sponsored by the TBA Young Lawyers Division and other local groups, the event aims to help eligible individuals navigate the process of having certain criminal records sealed or erased from public view. Expunged records are generally inaccessible to the public, including employers, landlords and educational institutions, FOX13 reports. Participants will receive assistance determining eligibility, completing paperwork, understanding the legal process and connecting with legal resources. See a flier for the event.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a case involving President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship. At the center of the case is the question of whether federal judges can issue nationwide orders to block policies as legal challenges move through lower courts. According to SCOTUSblog, no clear picture emerged of how the justices will resolve that dispute. The administration in March asked the court to weigh in on preliminary injunctions imposed by lower courts. A decision in the case is expected by late June or early July according to the news source.

The winners of the Seventh Annual Federal Court Civics Essay Contest were honored at a celebration this week at the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Knoxville. The first place winner was Gabriella D’Agostino, a freshman at Chuckey Doak High School in Afton. Marteze Simpson, a junior at Knox County’s Fulton High School, won second place. Third place went to Jefferson County High School junior Alexa Longmire. Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia R. Wyrick and U.S. District Judge Katherine A. Crytzer were on hand to congratulate the students. The essay contest is sponsored by the court’s Civics and Outreach Committee and the Federal Bar Association chapters in Knoxville and Greeneville. This year’s contest asked students to consider the meaning of the term “reasonableness” as applied to the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on unreasonable force by law enforcement. Read more from Chattanoogan.com.

Janie Varnell will be Hamilton County's next attorney following a vote by the county commission, the Times Free Press reports. She will take office on July 1, replacing Rheubin Taylor who has held the role for over 30 years and is retiring. Varnell, previously a private practice attorney who has worked extensively on legal cases concerning police, has been serving as a special adviser to the county mayor and commission. County Mayor Weston Wamp last year named Varnell as his pick to succeed Taylor and attempted to have her installed early. A judge sided with Taylor saying his contract with the county protected his position until his contract expires in July.

Former Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger A. Page has joined Miles Mediation & Arbitration, an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider, as a full-time mediator and arbitrator. Page practiced law in Tennessee and Georgia from 1984 to 1998, before being elected as circuit judge in West Tennessee. During his time on the bench, he began handling Rule 31A, Section 16 judicial settlement conferences, participating in mediations involving medical malpractice, personal injury, construction, wrongful death and real estate disputes. He continued to handle judicial settlement conferences until he joined the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011. He joined the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2016 and served until last year. Page can be reached at 731-426-0861 and rpage@milesadr.com.

A Washington, D.C., based federal judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Justice (DOJ) from canceling $3.2 million in grants to the American Bar Association (ABA), Reuters reports. The grants have been used to train lawyers to represent victims of domestic and sexual violence since 1995 according to the group. In the opinion, Judge Christopher Cooper said, "The First Amendment injury is concrete and ongoing. The ABA regularly engages in protected expressive activity, and DOJ’s termination of its grants directly punishes that activity." The ABA sued the DOJ in April, claiming the agency illegally terminated the grants in retaliation for the association’s public criticism of the Trump administration.

The Nashville Predators have awarded a grant to the 23rd Judicial District Recovery Court to provide hockey and soccer equipment for the use of the children of Recovery Court participants during visitation days. “Reuniting families is a big part of what we do,” said Circuit and Recovery Court Judge Suzanne Lockert-Mash. “The recovery process includes getting parents involved in their children’s lives again. We appreciate the Nashville Predators for giving us the means to teach important parenting skills,” she said. The 23rd Judicial District Recovery Court is a collaborative link between the courts, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, probation officers, treatment providers, social service agencies and community-based nonprofit organizations. The program serves the citizens of Dickson, Cheatham, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties. Read more in a press release from the team. See a photo from the donation handoff.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division continues its Rookie Series with a CLE on compassionate lawyering. This program introduces lawyers to the principles of compassionate lawyering and trauma-informed legal practice. Participants will explore how legal processes and environments can unintentionally retraumatize clients, particularly those from marginalized or vulnerable populations. Whether working in public interest, criminal defense, family law or corporate settings, lawyers can enhance their practice by recognizing the impact of trauma and approaching clients with compassion.The webcast will be held at noon CDT on Aug. 27. Learn more and register.