Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Friday announced the appointment of Stephanie Bradley as director of crime prevention and violence reduction for his office, according to the Nashville Banner newsletter. Bradley previously held multiple roles at Penn State University’s Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center and later founded a consulting firm focused on youth policy for government agencies and nonprofits. O’Connell made the announcement alongside Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake and Office of Family Safety Director Diane Lance, noting a continued decline in crime rates during the first quarter of the year. In her new role, Bradley will support the Community Safety Task Force, which is currently developing a community safety plan.

The Rutherford County Library Board voted last week to remove its top librarian after she refused to comply with a directive to move more than 100 LGBTQ-themed books from the children’s section to the adult section, according to WPLN. The board voted 8-3 to terminate director Luanne James with some board members arguing the material promotes “gender confusion.” James opposed the directive, saying the move would violate First Amendment protections and conflict with her professional responsibilities. The decision has drawn significant support for James. Nearly $84,000 has been raised to assist her, according to WSMV 4. A GoFundMe page created by a community member states the funds will go toward supporting her family’s basic living expenses. James also spoke about the situation in an interview with The Associated Press.

The Judicial Council of the National Bar Association (NBA) will host a reception and fundraiser on April 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. CDT at the law offices of Baker Donelson to support its annual conference, which will take place July 25 through Aug. 1 in Nashville. NBA Judicial Council Chair Justice Freddrenna Lyle of the Illinois Appellate Court and NBA President Ashley Upkins of Nashville are expected to attend and offer brief remarks. Attendees should RSVP to Monte Watkins at montewatkins7@gmail.com. The law firm is located at 1600 West End Ave., Ste. 2000, Nashville, TN 37203.

Elder Law Basics 2026, a virtual CLE program designed for attorneys new to elder law or seeking a refresher, will take place on April 10 from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. CDT. The program will cover key aspects of elder law, with experienced practitioners providing insights on recent developments and best practices. Registrants will receive connection details and course materials the week of the event. For information and to register visit the TBA website.

Because the order from which the appellant has filed an appeal does not constitute a final appealable judgment, this Court lacks jurisdiction to consider this appeal.

This appeal stems from a partition lawsuit. The real property at issue was sold at auction. The issues on appeal are whether Appellants have an ownership interest in the property and the proceeds from partition sale, and whether the trial court properly allocated the proceeds between the rightful owners. We reverse the trial court regarding ownership and hold that Appellants own one-half of the property. We affirm the trial court’s allocation of the funds from the partition sale. We vacate the trial court’s judgment as to whether Appellants’ attorneys’ fees should be paid from the partition proceeds and remand this issue for reconsideration in light of our Court’s determination of ownership.

THAPAR, Circuit Judge. David Lynn Vannelli pled guilty to four charges related to the sexual abuse of a minor. He entered a plea agreement that, if accepted, would require the district court to impose a sentence of 180 months’ imprisonment. But the district court found that sentence inadequate and rejected the plea agreement. Rather than withdraw his plea, Vannelli proceeded to sentencing and received a sentence of 252 months in prison. Vannelli now appeals the rejection of his plea agreement and his sentence. We affirm both.

CLAY, Circuit Judge. Plaintiffs Rieth-Riley Construction Company, Inc., Scott D. Meade, Daniel Ranger, and Michael J. Courtney filed these suits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq., against Defendants Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Health Care Plan, Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Pension Plan, Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Defined Contribution Plan, Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Vacation and Holiday Fund, Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Journeyman & Apprentice Training Fund, Operating Engineers’ Local 324 Retiree Benefit Fund, and Fringe Funds’ Trustees. Plaintiffs allege that Defendant Fringe Funds Trustees violated their fiduciary duties under ERISA. The district court dismissed Plaintiffs’ complaints after finding that Plaintiffs’ ERISA claims were preempted by the Garmon doctrine, denied Plaintiff Rieth-Riley Construction Company, Inc.’s motion for leave to file an amended complaint, and denied Plaintiffs’ motions for preliminary injunction. Plaintiffs now appeal the district court’s dismissal of this case and denial of those motions. For the reasons set forth below, we AFFIRM the district court’s judgment.

RONALD LEE GILMAN, Circuit Judge. John Petsche, a former member of the Brecksville, Ohio City Council (the City Council), filed this 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights action after being prosecuted for participating in votes to build a new police station in which he had a financial interest as the roofing subcontractor. Such conduct is an offense under Ohio law. Although Petsche was indicted by a grand jury, he was ultimately acquitted after a bench trial. Petsche alleged that Brecksville Mayor Jerry N. Hruby and Law Director David J. Matty, in collusion with Brecksville City Councilmembers Gerald F. Broski, Louis N. Carouse, Jr., Laura Redinger, and Kimberly Veras (collectively, the individual defendants), submitted false statements and omitted material information in their communications to the Ohio Ethics Commission, all in retaliation for Petsche’s criticism of how the City Council had recently handled the payment of an unrelated debt. Petsche alleged that Mayor Hruby’s and Law Director Matty’s communications set in motion an investigation by the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Commission’s eventual referral of the matter to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, all of which resulted in Petsche being indicted by a grand jury. He also brought municipal-liability claims against the City of Brecksville (the City), alleging that the actions taken by Mayor Hruby, Law Director Matty, and the named city councilmembers constituted an official policy of retaliation and an official policy of malicious prosecution. The individual defendants and the City moved for summary judgment, which the district court granted on all claims. For the reasons set forth below, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court.

PER CURIAM. This appeal involves John C. Farris’s challenge to his sentence of imprisonment. But today’s opinion does not resolve the underlying merits of Farris’s appeal. We instead address the conduct of Farris’s attorney, Steven N. Howe, who was appointed to represent Farris pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A. By his own admission, Howe used artificial intelligence to draft the briefs in this case and then filed them without properly verifying the cited legal authorities. The result was multiple misrepresentations of law to this Court. This opinion details Howe’s conduct and the consequences that follow. Additionally, by separate order issued on this same date, we remove Howe from further representation of Farris and order the Clerk to (i) appoint replacement counsel under the Criminal Justice Act, (ii) lock the briefs Howe filed on behalf of Farris, and (iii) reset the briefing schedule upon appointment of replacement counsel.