The 2025 Dispute Resolution Forum will take place virtually on May 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. The program will feature carefully crafted sessions tailored to both lawyers and mediators presented by speakers from the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) vocation. The forum will begin with a panel discussion of ADR in the federal space, move on to a session covering mass arbitrations and will end with an ethics course. Reserve your spot today!

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on President Donald Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship on May 15. The government is seeking to enforce the president’s executive order ending the guarantee of citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States. The court left in place orders by three federal judges, which had prohibited the government from enforcing the executive order anywhere in the country, until it rules on the matter. Read more about the case history from SCOTUSblog.

A U.S. judicial panel has voted to abandon a core part of a proposed rule aimed at increasing disclosure of who funds friend-of-the-court briefs by outside groups, Reuters reports. The proposal would have required non-profits, charities or trade associations that file amicus briefs to disclose when a party in a case contributed 25% or more of the organization's annual revenue. The rule had drawn criticism from associations, some judges and the U.S. Department of Justice. However, the panel did approve a proposal requiring an amicus brief filer to name any donor who earmarked money for preparation of the brief if that person or entity had been a member of the organization for less than 12 months. That proposed rule now goes to the Judicial Conference's Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure for its consideration.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and its Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA) program will hold a clinic on May 7 for those needing legal advice on issues surrounding their creative practice. The free 30-minute in-person appointments are available to income-qualified artists, musicians, creatives and arts organizations in the state. The clinic will run from 6-8 p.m. CDT at the Belmont College of Law, Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, 1901 15th Ave. S., Nashville 37212. Those needing help should register by May 2. To volunteer at the clinic email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed the budget for FY2025-2026 which includes an additional $17 million to fund the new Plan for Indigent Representation in Tennessee. TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. reacted to the development saying, “The TBA thanks the General Assembly and Gov. Lee for making indigent representation funding a priority, and is especially grateful to Chief Justice Holly Kirby, the Tennessee Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Courts for their leadership and development of the Indigent Representation plan, which will result in better solutions to improve the system of indigent representation in Tennessee.” The budget is the one piece of legislation that lawmakers constitutionally are required to pass before adjournment. Once the budget is approved, lawmakers will consider matters “behind the budget” that received funding, as well as other priority items. The legislature is expected to adjourn early next week.

Sevier County lawyer Tommy Joe Norton received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 15. The court found that Norton violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4(d) while representing four clients. During this time, Norton closed his office and changed his phone number but failed to inform clients of the changes, leaving them no way to contact him. The court also found that Norton failed to maintain communication with and diligently represent the clients. Additionally, in one case, Norton failed to appear in court and incorrectly advised his client not to appear. In a second case he asked for multiple continuances, which delayed the proceedings. And in another case, he essentially abandoned his client and failed to show up in court.

The Tennessee Justice Bus, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Correction’s Davidson County Day Reporting Center, will host a general legal advice clinic on April 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT at the Nashville Day Reporting Center in Madison. The Help4TN clinic will provide participants an opportunity to speak with an attorney, ask legal questions, receive guidance and access legal resources. Registration is not required. For more information, visit the Justice for All website.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that while Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s transit referendum can largely proceed as approved by voters, funds raised through the surcharge cannot be used to purchase land for housing and parks. In a unanimous opinion, Judge Andy Bennett wrote that such purchases fall outside the scope of the state’s IMPROVE Act, which governs transit funding, the Nashville Banner reports. The court noted, however, that the ineligible expenses make up only about 1% of the plan and do not invalidate the overall proposal. The Committee to Stop an Unfair Tax, which filed a lawsuit to block the plan, responded to the decision, with an organization spokesperson calling parts of the ruling “murky” and suggesting a potential appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Metro Legal Director Wally Dietz and O’Connell called the decision an “overwhelming victory” that upholds the will of voters.

The Tennessee legislature has approved a bipartisan bill, SB256/HB601, that will allow wrongfully convicted individuals who plead guilty to crimes they did not commit to file innocence claims in court based on new evidence. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, and Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville creates a more direct path for innocence claims to be reviewed, the Chattanoogan reports. Currently, individuals who plead guilty have no legal avenue to return to court with new evidence. The bill establishes a process that allows judges to reopen cases when both the district attorney general and the individual — or their attorney — jointly file a petition. Before 2016, people with new evidence could file an error coram nobis petition, even if they had pleaded guilty, but the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that year that the statute applied only to those convicted at trial. The new legislation would amend the statute to explicitly include guilty pleas. Read more in an op ed from the bill sponsor.

Car booting will remain largely prohibited in Tennessee after a judge ruled in favor of the state, saying the law restricting the practice benefits the public, WVLT-TV reports. In recent years, multiple booting companies in Middle Tennessee have been accused of operating without licenses and failing to remove boots from vehicles in a timely manner. Concerns about predatory practices prompted the Tennessee General Assembly to pass a law last year making car booting illegal in most situations. One company, Nashville Booting, then sued the state, arguing the law destroyed its business. The judge said that while the law may harm booting companies, it protects the public from reported industry abuses. Current law allows booting only under specific circumstances. New legislation pending this session could ban the practice outright statewide.