A federal judge on Friday rejected a challenge by Republican-led states to a Biden administration program that allows hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to apply for emergency entry into the United States, reports Reuters. The states argued that the federak government's authority to use parole is "exceptionally limited" and can only be applied on a case-by-case basis. They also claimed they faced irreparable harm because arriving migrants increase the cost of public services. U.S. District Court Judge Drew Tipton said the 21 states, led by Texas and including Tennessee, lacked standing to pursue the suit because they could not show that the "parole" program, which allows up to 30,000 people per month to enter the U.S., caused them any injury. "The court has before it a case in which plaintiffs claim that they have been injured by a program that has actually lowered their out-of-pocket costs," he wrote.

The American Bar Association (ABA) online pro bono program ABA Free Legal Answers has released a nationwide list of lawyers, law firms, corporate law departments, law schools and other legal organizations that handled the most online questions in 2023. The list includes 10 Tennessee attorneys: Kevin D. Balkwill, Richard B. Gossett, Bryan C. Hathorn, Mary Jo Middlebrooks, Bruce A. Ralston, Caraline E. Rickard, Moriah C. Rue, Carl E. Seely, Yasmin K. Stiggons and Alissa N. Watson. The nationwide program was originally developed by the ABA and the law firm of Baker, Donelson, which worked to consolidate web programs in Tennessee and other states. Free Legal Answers has emerged as a no-cost way for income-eligible participants to obtain basic civil legal guidance. Since 2019, pro bono lawyers have fielded more than 40,000 inquiries annually for a total of 330,221 answered legal questions since the program's inception.

KETHLEDGE, Circuit Judge. These are two consolidated appeals—one from the Western District of Michigan, the other from the Southern District of Ohio—in which the parties disagree about how pizza-delivery drivers should be reimbursed for the cost of providing their vehicles for work. The Michigan court agreed with the plaintiffs (the delivery drivers) that they should be reimbursed using a mileage rate published by the IRS; the Ohio court agreed with the defendants (the drivers’ employers) that a “reasonable approximation” of the drivers’ costs will do. We respectfully disagree with both courts and vacate their decisions.

Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, attorneys and legal support staff have obligations to protect client data. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help meet those ethical requirements. The Protecting a Firm section includes information on creating secure backups of client and business information, protecting sensitive client data and fending off ransomware and other cyber attacks.

From document management to cybersecurity to managing your money, the day-to-day task of keeping a law firm operating at its maximum potential can be daunting and exhausting. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help. Take advantage of checklists, white papers and more to keep your operations humming. The Managing a Firm section includes information about cybersecurity, disaster preparedness, document automation, financial management, technology and more.

LARSEN, Circuit Judge. Herbert Marsh and two others robbed a Nashville pawn shop at gunpoint, stealing eleven firearms and more than $8,000 in cash. They were subsequently charged with Hobbs Act robbery and several firearms offenses. Marsh’s co conspirators pleaded guilty, but Marsh did not. After the district court denied his motion to suppress, Marsh proceeded to trial and was convicted by a jury on six of the seven charges against him. On appeal, Marsh challenges the denial of his suppression motion and contends that the district court imposed a procedurally unreasonable sentence. For the following reasons, we AFFIRM.

A bill mandating that police record interviews with juveniles is headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature. Introduced by Rep. Jesse Chism, D-Memphis, and co-sponsored by Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, HB1602/SB1577 passed the Senate on March 4 and the House on March 5 with bipartisan support. Chism told the Tri-State Defender that the measure offers protection for both the officer and the minor. “Making sure the interview is recorded will prevent any false claims from being made against our law enforcement officers while at the same time protecting any juveniles from being coerced into a false confession,” Chism said in a statement.

The TBA's Law Firm in a Box includes an easy way for members to get their legal technology and law practice management questions answered for no cost by an expert at Affinity Consulting Group. Members also can receive discounts for personalized technology plans, custom-designed new firm services, assistance with trust accounting, outsourced bookkeeping support, legal tech training for firm staff and software training manuals. Check out these services.

One of the key things law school does not teach is that law is not just a calling, it’s also a business; and the success of that business relies on finding and retaining satisfied clients. The TBA's Law Firm in a Box has resources to help Tennessee lawyers grow their practice by attracting clients, building solid referral networks, and effectively marketing their services. Check out white papers and best practices for interacting with clients in the Building a Firm section.

THAPAR, Circuit Judge. Timothy Jaimez pled guilty to federal drug charges. After his second supervised-release violation, the district court sentenced him to sixty months’ imprisonment. Because that sentence is procedurally and substantively reasonable, we affirm.