A federal judicial committee on Friday agreed to develop rules to regulate the use of certain evidence generated by artificial intelligence (AI), Reuters reports.  The U.S. Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules said it would press ahead with developing policies to help judges deal with claims that a piece of audio or video evidence is a "deep fake." The meeting comes amid broader efforts by federal and state courts nationally to address the rise of generative AI and its ability to learn from large datasets and then generate text, images and videos. According to the committee, the rules will address concerns about the reliability of the processes used by computer technologies to make predictions or draw inferences from existing data, akin to how courts have addressed the reliability of expert witness testimony. According to Reuters, judges are looking at the possibility of subjecting computer-generated evidence to the same reliability standards as expert witnesses. Interested in learning more about the impact of AI on the law? Don't miss the TBA's Conference on Artificial Intelligence & the Law on Dec. 6.

Recent legal filings include new allegations of public corruption on the part of Johnson City police, Tennessee Lookout reports. These include claims that the department knew as early as July 2020 of specific allegations that Williams had sexually abused children; that the police department failed to gather, test, investigate and disclose evidence of Williams’ crimes, and in some cases altered police reports and destroyed evidence; and that some officers received hundreds of thousands of dollars in unaccounted-for income. The new accusations come as part of a federal suit against Williams, in which his alleged victims accuse the Johnson City Police Department of failing to protect them. Previous allegations have included accusations that police collected, extorted or stole money from Williams while turning a blind eye to his crimes. In addition to several lawsuits, the U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a public corruption probe into the police department's handling of the case. Williams is currently in federal custody awaiting trial on child pornography production charges.

Racist, anonymous text messages invoking slavery were sent to Black students across the country last week, including at Fisk University in Nashville and the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville. According to the Associated Press, the messages generally used a similar tone, but varied in wording. Some instructed recipients to show up at an address at a particular time “with your belongings,” while others mentioned the incoming presidential administration. Fisk issued a statement calling the messages “deeply unsettling.” Messages sent to UT students told recipients they had been selected to pick cotton at a nearby plantation with instructions on how to report to work. The FBI said it is in touch with the U.S. Justice Department, and the Federal Communications Commission said it is investigating the texts “alongside federal and state law enforcement."

Gabby Salinas last week was elected to represent District 96 as the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to serve in the Tennessee state legislature. Salinas won the Democratic primary after Rep. Dwayne Thompson, D-Memphis, chose not to run for reelection in August. She then ran unopposed in the general election. According to the Commercial Appeal, Salinas previously ran for the state Senate in 2018 and state House in 2020. The state legislature remains unchanged by party, with Republicans still holding 75 seats in the House and 27 seats in the Senate.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold three legal advice clinics this week. Tomorrow, the group will hold a walk-in clinic at the Gallatin Civic Center from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 210 Albert Gallatin Ave., Gallatin 37066. On Wednesday, a clinic for veterans will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S., Nashville 37203. On Thursday, a walk-in clinic will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Academy St., Murfreesboro 37130. All times central. Learn more about each event at the links above. Attorneys who would like to volunteer at an LAS clinic can sign up here.

Plaintiff Sheryl Miller appeals following the district court’s summary judgment for Defendant William Beaumont Hospital, doing business as Beaumont Health System, in this civil rights suit alleging violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Michigan law. Beaumont moves to dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

The Defendant, Christopher Paul Drake, pled guilty to the offenses of attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of eight years and placed the Defendant on probation after service of six months in custody. Thereafter, the Defendant was alleged to have committed a “zero tolerance” violation of his probation by being discharged from an outpatient sex offender treatment program. Following a hearing, the trial court revoked his suspended sentences in full. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it ordered the sentences into execution. He also asserts that the trial court erred in admitting the treatment provider’s Notice of Termination despite the provider’s absence from the hearing. Upon our review, we respectfully affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Defendant, Jordan Ballard, was convicted by a Lake County Circuit Court jury of aggravated kidnapping, a Class B felony; rape, a Class B felony; aggravated assault, a Class C felony; and assault, a Class A misdemeanor. See T.C.A. §§ 39-13-304 (2018) (aggravated kidnapping), 39-13-503 (2019) (subsequently amended) (rape); 39-13-102 (Supp. 2020) (subsequently amended) (aggravated assault); 39-13-101 (Supp. 2020) (subsequently amended) (assault). The trial court imposed concurrent sentences of ten years for aggravated kidnapping, ten years for rape, four years for aggravated assault, and eleven months, twenty-nine days for assault, for an effective ten-year sentence. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his aggravated kidnapping conviction. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Jacob Wyatt Allen, Defendant, appeals from the revocation of judicial diversion after subsequent arrests for driving under the influence, aggravated criminal trespass, driving on a revoked license, driving under the influence, violation of the motorcycle helmet law, and violation of an ignition interlock system. Because the trial court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm the revocation of judicial diversion.