At its winter meeting last month, the TBA Board of Governors approved the publication of two proposed bylaws amendments to the membership. The first would acknowledge that judicial districts in Tennessee are changed from time to time and delete the current list of judicial districts and the counties associated with each. It then sets up a process for addressing changes in the membership of the House of Delegates whenever there is a change to a judicial district. The second amendment addresses the terms of TBA delegates to the ABA House of Delegates and acknowledges the addition of Position 6. Rather than setting out specific years for elections, it would provide that Positions 1 and 3 be elected in odd-numbered years while Positions 2, 4, 5 and 6 be elected in even-numbered years. Review a redline version of the proposed changes. Proposed revisions must be posted to the membership for at least 21 days, after which the Board of Governors may vote on them. Comments on the proposed changes should be submitted prior to the board’s spring meeting on March 19 via email to barED@tnbar.org.

A new report found the state lacks sufficient juvenile detention bed space in West Tennessee, forcing some counties to transport youth awaiting court dates to facilities in Middle and East Tennessee. According to WPLN, researchers found that there will be enough capacity for these placements once Department of Children's Services completes the construction of new high-security buildings that were authorized in the agency’s 2023 Real Estate Plan. The General Assembly appropriated more than $300 million for the new facilities. Lawmakers directed the study amid concerns about the state’s reliance on housing children in office buildings and proposed legislation affecting juvenile placements. The report also urged greater oversight of juvenile justice facilities, and emphasized that expanding capacity alone will not improve outcomes for youth, recommending increased investment in community-based alternatives and stronger accountability measures.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s office is the latest to add artificial intelligence to its toolbox, announcing it is now using a locally developed AI to speed case reviews. District Attorney Steve Mulroy said at a press conference that the system could save “thousands of man-hours of work in a given year,” the Commercial Appeal reports. The tool, Foltrigg.ai, was developed by Memphis-based Lokion under Cosmos Holding. It is designed to organize and analyze large volumes of lawfully obtained evidence to help prosecutors identify relevant information more efficiently. Mulroy declined to specify what type of evidence the software would review but said all evidence still will be checked by prosecutors to ensure accuracy and that strict security measures will be in place.

“Lovely One: A Memoir Adapted for Young Adults” by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is now available, according to the Tri-State Defender. The book traces Brown Jackson’s journey from a curious child inspired by her family and her lawyer father to a history-making jurist. In a review of the book, the reporter says the new version takes time to show that Brown Jackson was just an ordinary kid once. “Playing, attending classes she loved and ones she disliked, traveling, spending time with her grandparents, getting a new sibling — these are experiences Jackson shares with young readers, and they’re very engaging. Her narrative, though it uses adult-level language, is easy to grasp and quite relatable for her audience, and her excitement at some of her life’s highlights is delightfully charming.”

Louisville-based Stites & Harbison has appointed member Brenton Lankford as chair of its Nashville office’s family law service group, the firm reports. Lankford’s practice focuses on domestic relations, including divorce and post-divorce matters, child custody, child support, alimony and property disputes. He also negotiates and drafts prenuptial agreements and serves as a mediator. Lankford succeeds Gregory Smith, who led the group for more than 20 years. “We celebrate Greg’s many honors over the years and look forward to Brent leading the service group. We know he will do an excellent job managing the team while still running his legal practice,” firm chair Marjorie Farris said in a release.

The TBA is offering replays of four sessions from its Conference on AI & the Law, beginning with “AI-Generated Evidence and the Courts” on Feb. 25 at noon CST examining deepfakes, disputed AI-created evidence and best practices for lawyers and judges. On Feb. 26 at noon CST, “AI Gadgets, Toys and Apps (and some that wish they were AI)” will explore emerging AI-powered tools and their practical value for legal professionals. Two sessions follow on Feb. 27: “AI Policing vs. Policing AI” at noon CST will focus on law enforcement’s use of artificial intelligence and its admissibility in Tennessee criminal trials, while “AI, Legal Ethics and UPL” at 3 p.m CST will address ethical rules governing lawyer use of AI and questions surrounding the unauthorized practice of law. Attorneys can register for the replays through the TBA website.

Federal judges may address “illegitimate forms of criticism and attacks,” according to a new advisory ethics opinion from the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Committee on Codes of Conduct. According to the ABA Journal, Opinion No. 118 states that federal judges may publicly oppose the “persecution of lawyers and judges” but need to “favor reasoned discourse and respectful language over demeaning rhetoric or acerbic criticism.” The opinion also states that judges may make public statements about the need for judicial security, independence of the judiciary or the rule of law in general, including why these values are crucial to our system of government. The opinion concludes with this warning: “With respect to some particularly controversial topics, judges should be mindful that simply addressing certain topics might be viewed as taking a partisan position or reflecting a lack of impartiality.”

Nashville attorney Joseph “Joe” Micajah Boyd Jr. died Feb. 10 at 97. Raised on a farm in Dyer County, Boyd served on active duty in the U.S. Navy before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 1956 and returning to Dyersburg to practice law. He served as chair of the Dyer County Election Commission and as the first director of the Dyersburg Housing Authority, where he advocated for equality and civil rights during desegregation. In 1991, he was appointed district attorney general for the 29th Judicial District, a role he held for nearly two years. He moved to Nashville in 1993 to become general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health, where he served until his retirement. Boyd was buried in a private ceremony Feb. 13 at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. CST Feb. 28, at Belmont United Methodist Church, 2007 Acklen Ave., Nashville 37212. Donations may be made to Operation Stand Down Tennessee or Belmont United Methodist Church.

As part of its ongoing effort to gather feedback from Tennessee attorneys on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order seeking public comment on seven areas of potential regulatory changes to the legal profession, the TBA’s Legal Access and Regulatory Reform Task Force is hosting a series of virtual town halls. Thursday's event will start at noon CDT and will focus on whether the court should consider modifying requirements for admission to the Tennessee Bar for those licensed in other states to promote interstate practice and mobility. There is no cost to attend but registration is required to receive the meeting link. Attorneys also are encouraged to review the TBA’s Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page before attending.

Join members of the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee for a live interactive roundtable on how best to manage work-life balance as a legal professional. This 45-minute Zoom event on March 25 at 12:30 p.m. CDT will feature attorneys discussing their day-to-day practice and provide effective tools for personal well-being. While geared toward law students and young lawyers, this free event is open to all TBA members, but registration is required. Questions and feedback are encouraged. Submit questions in advance to jword@tnbar.org.