The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold three legal advice clinics this week. Tomorrow, the group will hold a walk-in clinic at the Gallatin Civic Center from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., Gallatin 37066. On Wednesday, a clinic for veterans will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S., Nashville 37203. On Thursday, a walk-in clinic will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro 37130. All times central. Learn more about each event at the links above. Attorneys who would like to volunteer at an LAS clinic can sign up here.

Davidson County lawyer Wendell Cornelius Dawson was reinstated to the practice of law on Nov. 7. He had been suspended on Jan. 26 for three years, with three months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. His reinstatement is conditioned on engaging a practice monitor during the probationary period and incurring no new complaints related to the conduct for which he was suspended.

A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy designed to ease the path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. The initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” allowed undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.  Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker put the policy on hold in August after Texas and 15 other states filed a legal challenge. This week he found that the administration overstepped its authority by implementing the program and stretching the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law, National Public Radio reports.

A historical marker honoring Judge Robert E. Lillard, a former Nashville City Council member and civil rights advocate, will be unveiled Nov. 9, at 1062 2nd Ave. South in Nashville. The ceremony will begin at noon. The Metro Historical Commission, Council Member Terry Vo and the Lillard family will join elected officials and community members in celebrating Lillard's legacy. Lillard, who died in 1991, was elected to the city council in 1951 and served as the body's first African American speaker pro tempore in 1967. He later was appointed to Nashville's 1st Circuit Court. The marker is part of the Metro Historical Commission's program to recognize significant figures and events in Nashville's history. The Napier-Looby Bar Association has more information on the event.

Tennessee voters turned out in almost the same record numbers they did in 2020. The Secretary of State’s office says over three million Tennesseans cast a ballot. WPLN reports that’s down less than 1% compared to the 2020 turnout after a swell of in-person voters on Election Day. Compared with four years ago, early voter turnout was down 2.89%, but voters who showed up on election day nearly made up for that gap. Turnout on election day almost matched the last pre-pandemic election in 2016, the station reports. 

The Nashville Metro Council has approved a resolution to accept a grant to process rape kits faster, which in turn will help close cases faster, WSMV4 reports. The DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will provide $250,000 to pay for the outsourcing of sexual assault kit processing to private vendors. A statewide backlog in rape kit processing was brought to light two years ago when Eliza Fletcher was attacked and killed in Memphis. Since then, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has ramped up testing and outsourcing.

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) confirmed on Thursday that due to insufficient in-state resources children are being placed with out-of-state providers, WSMV4 reports. As of October, 229 children had been placed out of state due to lack of resources. DCS says it is working to address the issue by recruiting more providers in Tennessee, expanding its placement network and implementing a real estate plan to create additional capacity. To help families maintain connections during this time, the department says it is providing financial assistance to offset travel costs.

TBA's BarBuzz podcast is back with a new episode featuring legal aid leaders Laura Brown, Debra House and Nick Gau as they share insight on access to justice, disaster relief efforts, and the impact of pro bono services on communities as a wrap up to October's Celebrate Pro Bono Month. The episode also explores opportunities for lawyers to get involved in pro bono work and disaster relief efforts, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. BarBuzz is a monthly show that recaps legal happenings from across Tennessee, upcoming events at the bar, attorney shout outs and more. It is available on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find past episodes at the BarBuzz archive.

The Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board have adopted a standing order complying with the Tennessee Supreme Court’s disaster plan for trial courts in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Judicial Districts, which was put in place following severe flooding from Hurricane Helene. While the courts were created by legislation rather than the state Constitution, they are subject to the Tennessee Supreme Court and have concluded that the court’s disaster plan affects claims under their jurisdictions. The plan allows a 45-day extension of mandatory deadlines for the identified districts. Read more in a release.

The TBA is embarking on a series of articles across its communication platforms to help educate Tennessee lawyers about the state's system of indigent representation, which plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals who are constitutionally entitled to legal counsel but cannot afford to hire an attorney are provided with competent legal representation. Upcoming primer topics will cover the role of guardians ad litem, the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Court (AOC) Claims and Payment system, and examples of programs from other jurisdictions. Read today's first installment, which looks at the basics of the system, including what kinds of cases qualify for appointed counsel and what happened during the last legislative session to increase funding for indigent representation. All primer articles will be accessible from this landing page.