Nashville Metro Council Member Zulfat Suara has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Meharry Medical College, alleging she was treated differently than others who have been dismissed from their jobs in recent months, according to the Nashville Banner. Suara worked at the school from 2015 through October 2024, when she and several other finance officials were terminated from their positions. The lawsuit alleges, in part, that she never received official notice of her termination, which has hindered her pursuit of a new job. Suara is asking for compensatory and punitive damages in the lawsuit. She is represented by attorneys from Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall.

Beginning Dec. 1, TBA Today will feature a weekly series to educate TBA members on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order soliciting comments from the Tennessee legal community. The order highlights seven points on which the court is requesting feedback as it reassesses its approach to regulation of the legal profession to ensure that all Tennesseans have access to affordable quality legal services. Specifically, the court is seeking feedback on how it approaches accreditation of law schools and practicable alternatives for accreditation, alternatives to law school in preparation for the practice of law, alternative pathways to admission to the bar, modifying requirements for admission without examination, allowing paraprofessionals to do some legal work, and allowing non-lawyer ownership of law firms.

The effort is being undertaken as large segments of the population — especially rural and low-income individuals — cannot secure legal help. According to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), 1.2 million Tennesseans qualify for LSC-funded legal aid, yet most still receive insufficient assistance due to a lack of resources in their area or due to the restrictions on the types of cases legal service organizations are allowed to accept. In addition, a number of Tennessee counties qualify as “legal deserts.” As of 2020, the state had 20 counties with fewer than 10 lawyers each. According to the court’s order, regulatory structures may contribute to shortages and cost barriers and thus it is open to innovative models that address modern needs.

The TBA currently is accepting feedback from members — email townhall@tnbar.org with your thoughts — and has formed the Legal Access and Regulatory Reform Task Force to gather and review that feedback. Watch TBA Today through the month of December to learn more about the seven points in the Supreme Court’s order and specific ways to engage with the task force. A website with resources will launch next week in conjunction with the first item in the weekly series.

The holiday season often brings extra pressure at work and at home. You might be trying to hit your billable hour goal, get deals over the finish line, show up for holiday events and still spend time with family. All of this can add up to burnout, so it may help to plan ahead and manage your time in a way that feels realistic. Focus on what truly matters to you and give yourself permission to say "no" when you need to protect your energy.

Keep up simple healthy habits like regular meals, enough sleep and some kind of movement. Find small moments just for yourself, whether that means reading, catching a movie or meeting up with friends. A routine or loose schedule can also help you stay grounded. And if things do not go exactly as planned, be kind to yourself. Staying balanced during the holidays makes it much easier to come back in January feeling refreshed.

If you notice burnout starting to creep in, try creating small rituals that help you decompress during this busy season, like a short daily walk to disconnect from your phone and e-mail, a favorite hobby or even a quiet cup of coffee. These small resets can make a big difference amidst the chaos. The end of the year rush can feel overwhelming, but you are not alone. Take care of yourself and you will head into the new year feeling more grounded and ready for what comes next.

The state of Tennessee has directed public libraries to review children's books and materials that reference DEI or gender-related topics. This directive requires libraries to evaluate content for age appropriateness and compliance with state standards. The review process may influence library collections and future decisions about children's materials. Read more from Action News 5.

DAVIS, Circuit Judge. In 2021, Miles Guptill checked himself into a Tennessee hospital after experiencing mental health symptoms. As medical staff sought to restrain Guptill to administer a shot, off-duty Police Officer Joel Gunn intervened. Gunn first twisted Guptill’s arm behind his back and then punched his head into a cinderblock wall when Guptill persisted in his refusal of the shot and tried to pull away. Guptill suffered head trauma from the blow. He later sued Gunn and the City of Chattanooga for excessive force under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and multiple state-law torts. The district court granted Gunn summary judgment on all of Guptill’s claims except for common-law assault and battery and granted the City summary judgment in full. Guptill now appeals. For the reasons below, we AFFIRM.

DAVIS, Circuit Judge. Niki Frenchko filed this civil-rights action after she was arrested at a Trumbull County Board of Commissioners meeting while serving as one of three elected commissioners. After running on a campaign platform to expose corruption and inefficiencies purportedly committed by her fellow commissioners, Frenchko sought to deliver on that promise. At a June 2022 meeting, Frenchko accused the Trumbull County Jail and Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department of ignoring concerns of inmate mistreatment. Her accusations angered her fellow commissioners and the County Sheriff, Paul Monroe. During a meeting later that summer, Commission Chair Frank Fuda asked the county clerk to read into the record a letter prepared by Monroe denying Frenchko’s claims of inmate mistreatment. Frenchko’s actions during the reading of the letter led two Sheriff’s Department officials to arrest her for disrupting a lawful meeting in violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2917.12(A)(1). Frenchko asserted civil- rights violations relating to her arrest against her fellow commissioners; three Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department officials; and Trumbull County, its Sheriff’s Department, and its Board of Commissioners. She moved for partial summary judgment; the defendants raised various immunity defenses and moved for summary judgment on all counts. The district court granted in part and denied in part both Frenchko’s motion for partial summary judgment and the defendants’ joint motion for summary judgment. The defendants appeal. For the following reasons, we AFFIRM in part, REVERSE in part, and REMAND.

READLER, Circuit Judge. Charles Bozzo was fired from his job as a correctional officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections after a coworker accused him of making harassing comments. Years later, he sued two MDOC employees under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, claiming that the pair violated Bozzo’s constitutional rights in terminating him. The district court dismissed the action on statute of limitations grounds and for failure to state a claim. We affirm.

Defendant, Christophe Swearengen, pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault, one count of theft of property over $10,000, one count of aggravated burglary, and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The trial court sentenced Defendant to five years’ probation. After a revocation hearing, the trial court fully revoked Defendant’s probation for violating the conditions of his probation and ordered him to serve the remainder of his sentence in incarceration. Defendant appeals, arguing that the trial court abused its discretion by fully revoking his probation because his violation constituted his first technical violation. The State agrees. After review, we reverse the judgment of the trial, reinstate Defendant’s probationary sentence, and remand the case for the trial court to determine the appropriate consequence of Defendant’s violation.

Defendant, Keith Hopkins, was convicted of one count of aggravated assault, one count of theft of property valued at more than $1,000 but less than $10,000, and one count of domestic assault. The trial court sentenced Defendant to an effective four years’ probation with the condition that if his probation was revoked, he could not later petition to have the remainder of his sentence suspended. The trial court later revoked Defendant’s probation but nevertheless reprobated Defendant. After a subsequent revocation hearing, the trial court revoked Defendant’s probation based on the original probation order, reasoning that Defendant was on probation when “he never should have been.” Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court abused its discretion by fully revoking his probation. After review, we reverse the judgment of the trial court, reinstate Defendant’s probation, and remand the case for the trial court to determine the appropriate consequence of Defendant’s violations.

The Petitioner, Brian Armstrong, appeals the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, arguing that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to maintain communication and for failing to file a motion to suppress evidence obtained through the execution of an illegal search warrant. We affirm the denial of post-conviction relief.