A bipartisan bill co-authored by Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has passed the Senate with overwhelming support. The Associated Press reports that the bill, which passed 91-3, is designed to protect children from dangerous online content and has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or otherwise have been harmed by content found online. The legislation would force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to exercise “duty of care” and ensure that they generally default to the safest settings possible. This is the first major effort in decades by Congress to hold tech companies accountable for content on their platforms.

Good Times Restaurants Inc., which owns Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Murfreesboro, has reached an agreement to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Good Times is alleged to have denied service to a group of children who use wheelchairs and their parents who were in Murfreesboro to attend a youth wheelchair basketball tournament. Staff of Bad Daddy's reportedly refused to seat the group, claiming they were a fire hazard. As part of the settlement, Good Times has agreed to pay eight families a sum of $34,000 each, and a civil penalty of $80,000, for a total settlement payment of $352,000. In addition to monetary relief, Good Times agreed to adopt new ADA compliance measures, including new policies and compliance training for its employees. Read more in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

President Joe Biden yesterday proposed significant changes to the U.S. Supreme Court, including a binding code of conduct and term limits for the nine justices, Reuters reports. The president called on Congress to pass binding and enforceable rules that would require justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest. He also urged lawmakers to adopt an 18-year term limit for justices and proposed a constitutional amendment to eliminate the broad presidential immunity recognized in a July 1 Supreme Court ruling involving former President Donald Trump. The president laid out his arguments for these changes in an opinion piece in the Washington Post and at a speech at the presidential library of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. In April 2021, Biden convened a commission to study changes to the court. The commission released its final report in December 2021.

Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin’s Family Law Section is moving to join the rest of the firm at The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, 150 3rd Ave. S. in downtown Nashville. When the firm merged with MTR Family Law in 2022, the decision was made to keep the new Family Law Section at its current Midtown office until the firm’s lease ended at The Pinnacle at Symphony Place. GSRM Law recently signed a lease extension at the building through January 2027 and now is brining all of its attorneys, employees and resources together in one location. Read more in a release from the firm.

The Third Circuit Court and Judge Phillip Robinson will host a low-cost, informative family law CLE on Monday, Aug. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon CDT. Co-sponsored by the TBA Family Law Section, the event will focus on financial and tax planning in divorce, a Q&A session with Judge Robinson and updates from the 3rd Circuit Court. The program will take place in the Davidson County Courthouse Jury Room, so make plans to join colleagues now!

Anderson County Law Director Nicholas “Jay” Yeager died July 26 at age 65. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University and then worked in law enforcement for many years as a police officer, sergeant and member of the Gwinnett County Bomb Squad and SWAT teams in Georgia. Later, he attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating in 2001. Yeager served as assistant county attorney of Anderson County from 2001-2006 and as law director from 2006 until his death. He was recognized as the Tennessee County Attorney of the Year in 2024. His family will receive friends on Aug. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EDT with the service immediately following at Unicoi Funeral Home, 4428 Unicoi Dr., Unicoi 37692. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Boys and Girls Club of Anderson County, Anderson County Volunteer Fire Department, South Clinton Inclusive Playground and Unicoi Methodist Church.

Make plans now to join colleagues in mid-August for a webcast series focused on law practice technology and management. The Summer Success Webcast Series will begin Aug. 13 with Technology and Business Planning for a Law Firm, followed by Communication Breakdown on Aug. 15,  Move Your Clients Up or Out on Aug. 20, and How to Create a Written Cybersecurity Plan for Your Organization on Aug. 22.  Law Tech and General, Solo & Small Firm section members will receive a section member discount on all webcasts within this series. 

Read the course descriptions, peruse the faculty bios and register now.

Dedication, understanding, and LawPay. For Rose Immigration Law Firm, working each case with this motto in mind has helped ensure happier clients and faster payments. Watch a short video on the case study and learn about the benefits of LawPay's flexible payments. With options such as Quick Bill and QR code single-click billing, legal fee funding (which provides your firm with up-front payments while clients pay over time), and scheduled payments, your firm can experience better overall cash flow — while ensuring an exceptional client experience.

For the week of July 22, 2024 - July 26, 2024

The defendant, Eric L. Hoosier, Sr., was found guilty by a Montgomery County jury of criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder, criminal attempt to commit second-degree murder, employment of a firearm during a dangerous felony, reckless endangerment, and reckless endangerment firing a deadly weapon. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of seventy years in confinement. On appeal, the defendant contends the trial court erred in excluding character evidence of a victim, in denying the defendant’s motions for judgment of acquittal and new trial, and in sentencing the defendant to the maximum sentence within the range. The defendant also contends the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support his convictions. Following our review, we affirm.