The TBA YLD's Rookie Series continues with a program that dispels some myths about the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) with an interactive Q&A session. From young and seasoned lawyers to law students, learn more about this integral legal service organization and its many resources on Sept.12 at noon CDT. This event is free for all TBA members. CLE credit is available for a small fee. Please RSVP for the event before Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. CDT.

For the week of July 8, 2024 - July 12, 2024

A Madison County jury convicted the Appellant, Brandon L. Holliday, on multiple counts for evading arrest in a vehicle with risk of death or injury to innocent bystanders, disobeying a traffic signal, violating financial responsibility law, reckless driving, violation of duty upon striking a fixture upon a highway, and driving with a revoked license, for which he received an effective sentence of twelve years’ confinement. On appeal, the Appellant argues that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction of evading arrest because it did not establish that bystanders were at risk of death or injury during his flight. Upon review, we affirm.

The law license of Knox County lawyer Keith Allen Pope has been transferred to disability inactive status. Pope may not practice law while on inactive status but may petition the Tennessee Supreme Court for reinstatement by showing by clear and convincing evidence that the disability has been removed and he is fit to resume the practice of law.

Shelby County lawyer Kathryn Nan Maceri has received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court found that Maceri violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4 and 5.3 when she failed to communicate with a client, provide competent and diligent representation, and breached her responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistants when her legal assistant provided the client with an altered work permit. As a result, the work permit was unusable, and the client had to hire a new attorney to complete the task.

Defendant, Buford Dudley Creighton, claims that the evidence presented at his bench trial was insufficient to support his conviction for identity theft. We determine that the proof was sufficient to show that Defendant used the personal identifying information of another with the intent to avoid criminal prosecution and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

The Defendant, Sedrick Darnell Cummings, appeals as of right from his misdemeanor domestic assault conviction, for which he received a sentence of eleven months and twenty- nine days probation after service of ten days in jail. The Defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that the trial court erred in admitting alleged prior bad acts. Discerning no error, we affirm.

The American Bar Association (ABA) released a statement Friday expressing concern about congressional funding for federal public defenders. The group notes that federal courts have requested $1.69 billion in FY 2025 to meet the constitutional requirement of providing public defenders to every criminal defendant who cannot afford a lawyer. The U.S. House of Representatives, according to the association, has proposed $1.5 billion in funding. Although this represents a 3.4% increase over current funding, it falls short of what is needed, the ABA says.

Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, is urging the U.S. Judicial Conference to review the role of litigation finance, including considering transparency rules and mandatory disclosure of outside funding in federal lawsuits. “Understanding the funding terms, sources, financial details and potential conflicts of interest are vital to ensuring informed decision-making and guarding against perceptions of undue influence,” Comer wrote in a letter to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The Judicial Conference meets twice a year and makes recommendations to Congress concerning legislation involving the judicial branch. The chief justice serves as its presiding officer. Bloomberg Law has more.

A group of about 20 individuals gathered in downtown Nashville this past weekend chanting and handing out flyers, WPLN reports. The flyers identified them as members of the group Goyim Defense League, a loose network of antisemites and white supremacists. Nashville police said they arrested a "neo-Nazi protester" after the individual allegedly used a Nazi flagpole to hit a bartender who had been in a physical altercation with group members. The protester was charged with felony aggravated assault and disorderly conduct, Axios Nashville reports in today’s newsletter. After last week’s demonstration downtown, Gov. Bill Lee said that Tennesseans should stand against antisemitism.