Vanderbilt Law School has received a $10 million commitment from Sara J. Finley, a 1985 graduate, to advance the school’s leadership in the study of how law, regulation and policy impact equality, equity and opportunity for women. The gift will be used to establish a chair and to endow a program for research, education and advocacy relating to equal rights, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. “This is an extraordinary gift that will advance our understanding of the ways in which law and policy shape our experiences in leadership, in the workplace and across so many other spheres,” Provost C. Cybele Raver said. Read more in a press release from the law school.

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Knox County lawyer Jedidiah Charles McKeehan to the active practice of law on Dec. 5. On Dec. 3, the court suspended McKeehan for 30 days. The next day, the Board of Professional Responsibility notified the court that the motion to suspend had been filed prematurely and filed a joint motion with McKeehan requesting that the court vacate the order. The new order reinstates McKeehan to the active practice of law.

Get CLE hours in your specific practice area with TBA's curated packages! As the year comes to a close, choose from packages that include sessions from the 36th Annual Health Law Forum, Corporate Counsel Forum, Elder Law Forum, Labor and Employment Law Forum, Hot Topics in Real Estate and more. See all package options or build your own any time by visiting cle.tba.org to access more than 200 on-demand courses.

In this webcast, ethics expert Stuart Teicher will tell true stories about lawyers who break the law and the ethics rules they break (or could have broken). Ethics topics will include the connection between competence, withdrawal and mental health issues; how sexual harassment creates problems; the duty to report lawyer and judicial misconduct; and how the rule on supervision guides lawyers in creating an ethically positive office environment. Tune in at noon CST on Dec. 12 and receive one hour of dual credit.

The Plaintiffs filed suit against the former father-in-law of one of the Plaintiffs, complaining that, following alleged statements the former father-in-law made to a third party, the third party moved money that had been invested with the former son-in-law. The former father-in-law sought to dismiss the claims that were asserted against him, both pursuant to a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12 motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and pursuant to a petition under the Tennessee Public Participation Act. After initially dismissing the Plaintiffs’ complaint for failure to state a claim and denying a motion to alter or amend, the trial court held a separate hearing regarding dismissal under the Tennessee Public Participation Act. Ultimately, the trial court ruled that dismissal under the Tennessee Public Participation Act was appropriate and concluded that the former father-in-law was entitled to costs and attorney’s fees in connection with this litigation, both in relation to the Tennessee Public Participation Act petition and the Rule 12 dismissal. For the specific reasons stated herein, we affirm the trial court’s dismissal under Rule 12, vacate its dismissal—and award of costs and attorney’s fees—under the Tennessee Public Participation Act, and affirm the award of costs and attorney’s fees that stemmed from the trial court’s Rule 12 dismissal.

This action involves the termination of a mother’s parental rights to her minor children. Following a bench trial, the court found that clear and convincing evidence existed to establish the following statutory grounds of termination: (1) the persistence of conditions which led to removal; (2) substantial noncompliance with the permanency plans; and (3) failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody of the children. The court also found that termination was in the best interest of the children. We affirm the trial court’s termination decision.

Father appeals the termination of his parental rights, arguing that termination was not in his child’s best interests. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

A legal battle over the expansion of Murfreesboro-based Middle Point Landfill, which is expected to reach capacity by 2028, went before the Tennessee Court of Appeals for oral arguments on Tuesday. According to the Nashville Banner, the case stems from a 2021 decision by the Murfreesboro Regional Planning Board to deny BFI Waste Systems Services' request to expand the landfill by 100 acres. A chancery court later ruled that errors made by the board in following proper procedure for rejecting the plan were "harmless." Court of Appeals Judge Neal McBrayer, one member of the three-judge panel, challenged both sides during the proceedings. The panel did not indicate when a decision would be made.

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared to lean toward upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors during a hearing on the law, The Hill reports. The court heard more than 2 1/2 hours of oral arguments, with several justices questioning the Biden administration’s claim that the benefits of administering puberty blockers and hormone treatments to some adolescents with gender dysphoria outweigh the risks. The Tennessee Attorney's General Office argued the law is necessary to protect children from "irreversible and unproven gender transition procedures." In a statement, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said, "Tennessee’s General Assembly reviewed the medical evidence, as well as the evidence-based decisions of European countries that restricted these procedures, and ultimately passed this bipartisan law prohibiting irreversible medical interventions." The ACLU of Tennessee also issued a statement on the proceeding. A decision in the case, United States v. Skrmetti, is expected by summer. Listen to the proceeding or read a transcript from the court.

The Nashville Metro Council on Tuesday narrowly voted against a resolution to approve Fusus, a software program that would have allowed the Metro Nashville Police Department to access security camera footage from willing private business owners. The vote was 20-18, falling one vote short of the 21 needed for approval. According to the Nashville Banner, opponents of the legislation raised concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of footage by federal or state authorities. Business groups and Mayor Freddie O’Connell were among those advocating for the contract, urging council members to approve the technology.