Knoxville attorney Dalton Lynn Townsend died Sept. 27 age 82. He attended the University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law), where he served as an editor of the Tennessee Law Review and graduated with top honors as a member of the Order of the Coif. Townsend was a member of the ROTC in college and, after his admission to the bar in 1968, served as an Army captain on active duty, including a tour in Vietnam. After returning home, he began practicing law and joined Hodges Doughty & Carson in 1973, where he worked for more than 40 years. Townsend was a member of the Knoxville Bar Association Board of Governors, the Tennessee Bar Association Committee for the Study of Standards of Professional Conduct and the American Board of Trial Advocates. A military service will be held at 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 13 at the pavilion of Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville 37917. In the event of rain, the service will be held at the mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or Church of the Ascension.

The TBA will host three ethics webcasts on Nov. 6, featuring the CLE Performer Stuart Teicher. The sessions will blend humor, pop culture and professional responsibility to provide insightful lessons on attorney ethics. When (and How) to Dump a Client ... the Ethical Way will tackle the difficult issue of parting ways with problem clients. Something's Gotta Give in Lawyer Cyber-Ethics will explore whether the practice of law is in the midst of a shifting technological-ethical paradigm. Rocking the Rules: Lessons in Attorney Ethics from Iconic Classic Rock Collaborations will cover some of the greatest rock and roll collaborations and how they reveal the dynamics of trust, communication and ethical boundaries that are just as vital in the practice of law. Attorneys can register for these interactive webcasts through the TBA website.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will continue its CLE Exploration Series this fall with the addition of the inaugural "Does it Please the Court?" program. On Oct. 10, join Tennessee State Supreme Court Justices Holly Kirby and Mary Wagner at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park outside Memphis. Attorney Jessica Van Dyke from the Tennessee Innocence Project will have a presentation on "Outside of the Box Advocacy," and TBA YLD past president, Quinton Thompson, will lead a panel of attorneys on "The Ethics of Saying 'No': Boundaries, Clients and Conscience." Earn three dual credits while networking and enjoying the natural beauty of one of Tennessee's state parks. The event will begin at 9 a.m. CDT with sessions running from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program will include lunch and a ranger-led hike. For more information and to register, click here.

The 2025 TBA Animal Law Forum will take place Friday at the Nashville Zoo. This unique opportunity provides updates on trends and advancements in animal law while allowing participants to network and enjoy the fun and activities the zoo offers. Topics at this year’s forum include practicing animal law, development in sensitive habitats, equine concerns, conservation, a case law update, ethics and more. Zoo admission, breakfast and lunch are included with the program. Do not miss this event; you never know who is going to show up! Register now.

Join the Tennessee Department of Revenue (DOR) on Oct. 8 at 8:30 a.m. CDT for a free webinar specifically designed for new businesses. Participants will learn about state tax obligations for new businesses, as well as other resources that may help their business. Each new business webinar, offered quarterly, covers topics such as tax registration, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise taxes, and how to get help from the DOR, as well as other relevant state agencies.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) will hold a clinic in Washington County on Saturday at Good Samaritan Ministries Inc., 100 North Roan St., Johnson City 37601. The event will provide free legal assistance to individuals in need, focusing on various legal issues. For more information, visit the LAET website.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) recently named Clint Wren as assistant director of career services. Wren previously served as a staff attorney and pro bono coordinator for Legal Aid of East Tennessee in Knoxville, where he represented clients in civil matters and built partnerships to expand access to legal services in the region. "Clint brings a unique combination of legal experience and a strong commitment to public service that will greatly benefit our students as they navigate their career paths," said Caitlin Torney, director of career services at LMU Law. Read more in a press release from the school.

Judge Chris Frulla, recently appointed to the 30th Judicial District bench by Gov. Bill Lee, began his career in archeology. After earning a degree in anthropology and working on archeological surveys, he decided to follow his father’s example and pursue law, graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He practiced as an attorney for more than 13 years before colleagues encouraged him to apply for a judgeship after Judge Valerie Smith was elevated to the Court of Appeals. Sworn in on Sept. 3 by Smith, Frulla described the moment as humbling. “Walking out on the bench the first day, to my surprise, my father was sitting in the gallery. He said he is just so proud of me, and he had to see it with his own eyes.” Read more in a profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

BLOOMEKATZ, Circuit Judge. Two corrections officers, Austin Bryce and Calvin Turner, escorted prisoner Brent Nash through a prison hallway and out into a prison yard. Upon entering the prison yard, the officers executed a takedown maneuver on Nash, throwing him to the cement and fracturing his foot in two places in the process. This appeal centers on whether that takedown maneuver was justified. Nash contends that he did nothing prior to the takedown to warrant the officers’ use of force against him. The officers contend that Nash lunged away from them, causing them to panic and take him to the ground. Most of the relevant events were captured on the prison’s security videos. Relying on that video footage, a prison misconduct hearing officer found that Nash had assaulted Bryce and Turner by lunging away from them before their decision to take him down. Nash then filed suit against Bryce and Turner under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, arguing that the takedown violated his Eighth Amendment right to be free from excessive force. After discovery, the district court granted summary judgment to the defendants, holding that they were entitled to qualified immunity. In so doing, the district court made two conclusions about the factual record—that the hearing officer’s factual findings from the prison misconduct hearing should have preclusive effect on the litigation, and that the prison videos blatantly contradicted Nash’s testimony. We disagree with both conclusions and, relying on a corrected review of the factual record, hold that Nash has raised a genuine dispute of material fact regarding whether Bryce and Turner violated his Eighth Amendment rights. We accordingly reverse the district court’s grant of summary judgment to the officers.

Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert is disputing the city of Millington’s claim that her office owes more than $30,000 in unpaid rent for its satellite location, saying she never signed nor agreed to a lease. Millington officials argue Halbert was aware of the lease, which the county commission approved retroactively to January 2023, and accuse her of trying to avoid payment. Halbert maintains the clerk’s office has historically operated in Millington without rent and says she was excluded from discussions about the agreement. City officials counter that rent is justified due to rising costs and increased traffic, warning they may pursue legal action if the issue is not resolved. Two attempts in 2024 to remove Halbert from office were dismissed. The Daily Memphian has the story.