In a landmark acknowledgement of past racism, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records on Monday announced it had overturned the court-martial convictions of 110 African American soldiers, including 19 who were executed, reports Reuters. The board found the court-martial cases were so fundamentally unfair that all the convictions should be set aside. The order restores their service records as having concluded honorably and will make their descendants eligible for military benefits, the Army said in a statement. The Army convictions arose out of the Houston Riots of Aug. 23, 1917, a violent outbreak that followed months of racist taunts against Black soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment.

The East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (ETLAW) is celebrating 40 years of advancement with a gala dinner event on Nov. 17 at the Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville. Knox County Circuit Court Judge Deborah Stevens will lead the festivities and programming, which will include remarks from former Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee. View the invitation or purchase tickets.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) this week issued its Fifth National Climate Assessment. The program is a congressionally mandated interagency effort established to deliver a climate assessment to Congress and the president at least every four years. Designed to assist in understanding, assessing, predicting and responding to climate change, the report details national and regional issues and responses to address specific trends. Region IV programs highlighted include measures to reduce flood risk in Princeville, North Carolina through buyouts, elevating homes, and building housing that meets local flood standards; and efforts by Orlando, Florida to use wastewater and food scraps from parks and resorts to generate renewable biogas.

Tune in Dec. 5 as ethics guru Brian Faughnan returns with a virtual live seminar to discuss what the Ethics Rules say about AI. What are some of the latest updates and what can we expect in 2024? These are just a couple of the themes and topics Faughnan will explore. Earn three dual credits and fulfill your ethics requirement before Dec. 31. Find out more and register.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced it will provide around $2.5 million to fund environmental justice programs in Tennessee. Part of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the money will fund three state projects. Assignments include $499,965 to the Environmental Council of Tennessee for community recycling roundup expansion, $988,215 to the city of Memphis for a program to address waste dumping in distressed communities and $1 million to the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation for a project to develop “Holistic Healthy Home Prescriptions” in certain communities. “Building collaborative partnerships with our stakeholders is vital to addressing local environmental and public health issues,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeanneane Gettle. “Environmental justice communities that have historically suffered from underinvestment will benefit greatly from these projects.”

The TBA Environmental Law Section will host its annual forum on Dec.1 at the Nashville office of Baker Donelson. A staple for Tennessee environmental lawyers, this year's event will feature three general and one dual hours of CLE. Topics for the forum include solid waste landfills, Sackett v. EPA, Chevron v. NRDC and common errors that lead to BPR complaints. A networking reception will follow the program. Learn more and register here.

A father appeals the termination of his parental rights to his child. The trial court terminated parental rights on the grounds of abandonment by wanton disregard and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody or financial responsibility for the child. The court also determined that termination was in the child’s best interest. We agree and affirm.

Shelby County chief jailer Kirk Fields filed a motion Friday asking that he be dismissed from the civil suit filed against him, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. and Shelby County government by the family of Gershun Freeman. Freeman died while in police custody in October 2022. Nine Shelby corrections officers have been indicted for their alleged roles in his death. The Daily Memphian reports that Fields asked the court to dismiss him from the suit primarily because it fails to show he was directly involved in Freeman’s death. Fields also alleged he has qualified immunity, which affords him immunity from civil suit.

Tennessee’s delegation to Europe in June to promote the state cost taxpayers over $117,000, the Tennessean reports. Gov. Bill Lee, two of his staffers, two members of the Department of Economic and Community Development, two of their wives and two members of Lee’s security detail were in attendance for the six-day trip. According to the Tennessean, state policies governing travel related spending for most state employees require strict economy ― but there are exceptions for anyone traveling with the governor, and for economic development officials traveling to promote the state. “Creating jobs and greater opportunity for Tennesseans is one of Gov. Lee's top priorities, and strategic international trade missions have provided a significant return on investment,” spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said in a statement.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) says its turnaround time for processing rape kits has been cut in half since August 2022, from 45.4 weeks to 18 weeks on average. The Associated Press reports that the state’s turnaround times for sexual assault kits drew heavy scrutiny after the high-profile killing of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher in September 2022. The man charged with killing Fletcher was charged in a 2021 rape of a different woman shortly afterward, when the rape kit from that case was finally processed.