Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a multistate lawsuit against Mariner Finance over widespread violations of multiple consumer protection laws. The suit alleges that Mariner Finance charged consumers for hidden add-on products that consumers were not fully informed about or, in some instances, did not agree to buy. It also alleges the company engaged in illegal, aggressive sales tactics to extend credit to new borrowers.  Also this week, the AG’s Division of Consumer Affairs released a warning about tax return scams. The agency reminds Tennesseans to be wary of offers related to tax returns, including messages that an unclaimed refund is available, that a mistake was made on a return or that financial services are needed to settle tax debts with the IRS. Consumers may report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov and unsolicited texts or emails claiming to be from the IRS to phishing@irs.gov.

The Anderson County Bar Association will host a celebration on May 3 to thank Judge Tim Elrod for serving as temporary juvenile judge in the county. The event will take place from 10-11 a.m. EDT at the Anderson County Juvenile Court, 101 S. Main St., Clinton 37716. Coffee and light snacks will be provided. Elrod has been serving as the county’s juvenile judge since August 2023, while Judge Brian Hunt is deployed overseas. Contact Trina Hughes for more information.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has directed Connecticut lawyer Jason Russell Buckley to respond within 30 days as to why discipline imposed in the state of Maine should not also be imposed in Tennessee. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court suspended Buckley for one year on Sept. 7, 2023, after finding that he took two online CLEs simultaneously, one on his computer and one on his iPad, and filed for credit for both. The Tennessee court says that if no response is received it will impose a discipline with identical terms and conditions.

The TBA's 2024 Dispute Resolution Forum will be in person this year! An annual staple for Tennessee attorneys, the forum provides insight from top professionals in the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) vocation, while allowing attendees to meet with other mediators from across the state. Sessions include ethics grievance and arbitration demos, a discussion of community mediation centers, changes in the arbitrability of sexual assault and harassment claims, and a course that covers settlement malpractice. Make plans now to be in Nashville on May 9. Reserve your spot today!

TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast is new this week with TBA attorneys and lobbyists, Berkley Schwarz with Pier Strategies LLC, and Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin with Adams and Reese. This week they discuss the finalizing of this year's fiscal budget, HB2973/SB2942; the TBA conservatorship bill, HB2710/SB2254; adoption birth certificate bill, HB2645/SB2632; and adoption clean-up bill, HB2644/SB2633. The group also foreshadows budget negotiations set to happen this weekend, House and Senate Finance committee meetings likely to take place next week, and possible adjournment the week of April 22. The group is continuing to track any movement on increased funding for indigent representation and expressed appreciation for all the outreach TBA members have undertaken to educate elected officials about this critical issue. Legislative Updates airs each week the legislature is in session on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thank you to our Tennessee Bar Association Patron Members. Patron members show their support for programs that assist in the development of the profession and provide meaningful access to justice initiatives such as the TBA tuition assistance program, mentoring program, practice management center, civics education support and online pro bono development. We are grateful for these members who make a difference for others by choosing this “above and beyond” dues level.

Tennessee Bar Association leaders met with the members of the state’s congressional delegation in Washington. D.C., earlier this month as part of the American Bar Association's (ABA) annual Day on the Hill. TBA President Jim Barry, President-elect Ed Lanquist, YLD President-elect Sean Aiello, ABA Resource Committee Chair Jonathan Cole and Executive Director Sheree Wright participated in the visits and other activities planned as part of the Day on the Hill event. Members of the group met with representatives from all nine congressional offices and both senators. The focus of this year’s ABA Day on the Hill was promoting support and funding for the Legal Services Corporation, as well as increased funding for federal public defenders, support for attorney-client confidentiality over prison email systems, reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and reforms to student lending. See photos from the event.

A list of those who passed the February 2024 Tennessee bar exam is now available. Those who meet all licensing requirements will be sworn in at events across the state during the week of June 3. The Tennessee Supreme Court released the schedule yesterday. The court will meet on June 3 at 9 a.m. in Memphis and 1:30 p.m. CDT in Jackson; June 4 at 9 a.m. EDT in Knoxville and 2 p.m. CDT in Nashville; June 5 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT virtually; and June 6 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. CDT virtually.

The Board of Law Examiners also released statistics about the February 2024 bar exam. According to the board, 262 individuals — 108 first time test takers and 154 repeaters — took the exam. They represent 74 different law schools and saw an overall pass rate of 40.1%. For first time test-takers at Tennessee law schools, the University of Tennessee College of Law and Vanderbilt University Law School saw a 100% pass rate, followed by Belmont University College of Law at 66.7%, Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law at 40%. Nashville School of Law at 35.7% and University of Memphis School of Law at 33.3%. See all statistical information from the exam.

Union City lawyer Mary Ellen Stevens died April 4 at the age of 80. A native of Mississippi, Stevens put herself through law school and went on to work as an assistant district attorney in Obion County and in private practice in Union City. She was a member of the Obion County Junior Auxiliary and St. James' Episcopal Church. Funeral services were held last week.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today issued a correction to published Rule 10B, sec. 3.03(b). The court said that the published text did not accurately reflect the text of what it approved on Nov. 22, 2016. The correct language is as follows: “If a motion is filed seeking disqualification, recusal, or determination of constitutional or statutory incompetence of all of the justices of the Supreme Court, and if the motion is denied by the justices, no motion for court review shall be available pursuant to section 3.03(a).” The court directed that the current language should be deleted and replaced with the language adopted in 2016.