Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) is hosting an AI event on Oct. 7. “Hype or Helpful: AI and The New Dangers and Opportunities It Can Create” will explore AI’s impact across the IT, legal and compliance fields. The morning session will focus on IT compliance and security issues, while the afternoon session will focus on the practical and ethical issues of using AI in the practice of law. Lunch will be provided. Those interested should register online for the sessions they plan to attend. A suggested contribution of $10 will benefit the law school’s Public Interest Fellowship. For questions, contact Associate Director of the Law Library and Assistant Professor of Law Bianca White at bianca.white@lmunet.edu.

Nashville lawyer David L. Steed died Sept. 22 at the age of 69. A Vanderbilt University Law School graduate, Steed worked at the Nashville law firm of Cornelius & Collins for 41 years, first as an associate, then as a partner and finally as of counsel. Steed focused his practice on representing physicians and physician groups in matters ranging from health care liability defense, credentialing issues and third-party payor recovery matters. He also worked extensively with the Tennessee Medical Association. In a statement about Steed’s passing, the firm said, “Throughout his career, David exemplified the highest standards of the legal profession and played an important part in shaping the firm’s culture and success.” Read the full statement. Arrangements are being handled by Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home.

Tennessee is among the top 10 states in the country with the highest incarceration rates for women, a new report from the non-profit Prison Policy Institute finds. The study also found that nearly half of U.S. states, including Tennessee, incarcerate women at rates at least four times the rates of the nation’s closest international allies. And if the state were its own country, its incarceration rate for women would be higher than any other country in the world, except El Salvador. Read more from the institute.

Amazon.com will pay $2.5 billion in fines and reimbursements to Prime subscribers to settle allegations from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that it deceived its customers into signing up for a Prime subscription. According to Reuters, the settlement will include a $1.5 billion fund for subscriber reimbursements, a $1 billion fine to the FTC and clearer subscription terms and cancellation options. Customers who signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, through certain offers — and who used few Prime benefits —automatically will receive $51. The settlement also allows customers to submit claims for payment if they tried to cancel Prime and failed during that time. The company estimates that 35 million customers will be eligible for the payout. The settlement is the second-largest restitution amount ever for an FTC action, agency officials said.

After losing at the U.S. 6th Court of Appeals, journalist Dan McCaleb plans to take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Nashville Banner reports. In McCaleb v. Long, McCaleb argues that the general public should be allowed to attend the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Advisory Commission meetings, which have been closed to the public since 2018. The appellate court ruled that the test for such challenges does not apply to advisory proceedings. The ruling upholds a district court opinion from 2024. In a press release, the Liberty Justice Center, which represents McCaleb, expressed disappointment with the ruling and said it would appeal.

A Rutherford County jury convicted the Defendant, John David Cunningham, as charged of seven counts of rape of a child and six counts of aggravated sexual battery against his minor daughter, and the trial court imposed an effective 100-year sentence. See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-13-522 (Supp. 2013), -504(a)(4). On appeal, the Defendant argues: (1) the trial court erred in admitting the child’s forensic interview; (2) the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions; (3) the trial court erred in admitting evidence of his alleged prior bad acts; (4) the trial court abused its discretion in imposing partially consecutive sentencing; (5) the trial court erred in ordering the Defendant to stop taking depositions in the divorce case and to turn over existing deposition transcripts to the State; and (6) the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the State to utilize an unauthenticated excerpt of a transcript lacking the court reporter’s certification. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court but remand the case for entry of corrected judgment forms in Counts 1 through 13 to reflect the Defendant’s effective 100-year sentence.

On Sept. 24, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Jonathan Mark Benfield from the practice of law for six years with five years to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to the appointment of a practice monitor. As a prerequisite to seeking reinstatement, Benfield must report to the Tennessee Lawyers’ Assistance Program within 30 days of the suspension order, attend the Board of Professional Responsibility’s ethics workshop, take and receive a passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility (MPRE) exam, provide restitution in the amount of $103,080 and pay all costs. The court also publicly censured Benfield. The court found that Benfield, while acting as power of attorney, took advantage of his mother, abused his fiduciary relationship with his mother as power of attorney, failed to comply with court rules and knowingly violated his duties as a professional. It also found that Benfield practiced law while suspended and failed to comply with a court order. His actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.14, 1.15, 3.4(c), 5.5 and 8.4(a), (b) and (c).

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection on Sept. 2 paid a $1,100 claim filed against Sullivan County lawyer Samuel Ervin White. The fund also directed White to reimburse the fund. The fund was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court to reimburse individuals for losses caused by dishonest conduct by attorneys. The fund is operated by a board, which meets quarterly to consider claims. In September 2022, the Tennessee Supreme Court amended Rule 25 to require the fund to notify the Tennessee Bar Association of claims paid. News releases also are posted online.

The Trump administration is working with Oracle and Silver Lake Partners on a deal to take over U.S. operations of TikTok by early 2026, addressing long-standing security concerns with the Chinese-owned video platform, the Nashville Post reports. Billionaires Rupert Murdoch and Michael Dell could also participate in the investment, though a White House official told the Associated Press that the administration itself will not be involved. The agreement, which still requires U.S. regulators' and Chinese approval, may be outlined in an executive order as soon as this week. The development comes as Oracle, which plans to relocate its headquarters from Austin to Nashville, announced new co-CEOs Clay Magouyrk — who is already in the Nashville office — and Mike Sicilia.

The state is seeking to keep records of the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s (THP) participation in joint immigration sweeps with federal agents earlier this year confidential, arguing in Davidson County Chancery Court that disclosing trooper identities could endanger officers involved in the politically charged operations. The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition sued the THP and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security last month, alleging the agencies failed to respond to a request for records and video footage of immigration sweeps in Nashville earlier this year, which led to the arrest of 196 immigrants, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Attorneys for the coalition argued the state’s redactions made it impossible to understand police actions.