The Tennessee Supreme Court on July 25 referred the case of Madison County lawyer Reagan Nicole Brock (formerly Reagan Brock Wallace) to the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). The court took the action after Brock pled guilty to one count of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon in violation of Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39-13-103(b)(2). Brock received judicial diversion. The court also approved a motion from the BPR to file documents in the case under seal.

The TBA has added two new staff members in recent weeks. Jen Robinson is the new technical systems administrator. She holds a bachelor's degree in education from Western Kentucky University and several IT certifications, including ITIL 4 and Google IT Professional Support. She also has an extensive background in customer service. Prior to joining TBA, Robinson was a systems administrator at Integrated Management Strategies in Vienna, Virginia. In addition, Azya Thornton has joined the staff as the new communications coordinator. She handles TBA’s social media and podcasts and helps produce the TBA Today daily e-newsletter. Prior to joining TBA, Thornton handled communications at an environmental nonprofit managing web content, social media and membership communications. She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Connecticut. Access contact information for each of them on the TBA staff webpage.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Maury County lawyer Amanda Howell Castillo from the practice of law for failing to respond to the Board of Professional Responsibility concerning a complaint of misconduct. Castillo is immediately precluded from accepting any new cases, and must cease representing existing clients by Aug. 25. She must comply with the requirements of Rule 9, Sections 28 and 12.3(d), regarding the obligations and responsibilities of temporarily suspended attorneys.

Vanderbilt Law Professor Michael Newton has been appointed as a member of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Center for Human Rights (CHR) Advisory Council for a one-year term. The CHR is charged with defending advocates, protecting communities and holding governments accountable under law. It focuses on a global scale in areas such as atrocity crimes, dignity rights, human trafficking and labor rights. Newton is an expert on terrorism, accountability, transnational justice and conduct of hostilities issues.

In anticipation of the Aug. 1 primary election, Nashville Public Radio (WPLN) has an overview of state laws and rules that govern who can vote in Tennessee. The station reports that over the last few years, the legislature and state courts have created stringent new rules for several groups: (1) those with felony records who want regain their voting rights, (2) nonprofits that run voter registration drives and (3) people who want to vote in a primary for a party with which they are not currently affiliated. Supporters of these rules say they are necessary for election integrity, while opponents have brought lawsuits in federal court. WPLN has an overview of the latest developments in voting rights in Tennessee. Saturday is the last day to vote early.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty with concerns about “unnecessary burdens placed on businesses owned and operated by our fellow Tennesseans,” reports the Upper Cumberland Business Journal. The letter acts as an official request to repeal a “requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act” that Hargett says burdens small business operating in both the country and state by forcing them to report information on the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The requirement, which was set up as a counterterrorism and anti-illicit finance effort, focuses on businesses with 25 or fewer employees while exempting certain publicly traded companies, non profits and some large companies.

Sean Williams, the Johnson City man who is accused of multiple of sexual assaults, was convicted of escaping federal custody by a federal jury today. The evidence presented at trial highlighted the multi-state manhunt that led to the capture of Williams in Pinellas County, Florida, on Nov. 21, 2023, after he escaped from a transport van en route to the Greeneville Federal Courthouse on Oct. 18, 2023. Sentencing is set for Nov. 18 in Greeneville. Williams faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Read more in a press release from the federal prosecutor.

Citizens United and 16 state political parties — including the Tennessee Republican Party — on Thursday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of improperly assuming control of Biden campaign funds after he withdrew from the presidential race. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the complaint is asking the FEC’s six-person commission — split evenly between Democrats and Republicans — to “immediately initiate enforcement proceedings to prevent Harris from using her ill-gotten gains for her campaign in the little time remaining between now and the November general election.” A Harris campaign spokesperson said in a statement that the complaint had no merit; the FEC declined to comment.

In an ongoing effort to halt construction of the new Memphis Art Museum, Friends for Our Riverfront and heirs of Memphis’ founders have filed an appeal seeking to reverse a June ruling by Chancellor Melanie Taylor Jefferson. The appeal claims that Taylor Jefferson did not distinguish between a temporary injunction and a temporary restraining order in the group's efforts to stop construction. The Daily Memphian reports that the chancellor denied the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary injunction sought nine months earlier because they did not post a $1 million bond for the restraining order. Attorneys for the plaintiffs say that a different bond for a longer period of time with the restraining order should have been at least argued by all sides before the court ruled.

Chattanooga attorney Hugh F. “Ken” Kendall III died July 23 at age 75. He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and in 1972 moved to Chattanooga where he began his law career at Shumacker and Thompson. After 16 years there, he opened a solo practice where he practiced until his death. During his career, Kendall was recognized with several awards and served in numerous leadership roles, including chair of the TBA's Tax, Probate and Trust Law section. A memorial service will take place in the sanctuary of Brainerd Baptist Church, 300 Brookfield Ave., Chattanooga 37411 at noon EDT on Aug. 10. The family will receive friends starting at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary prior to the service.