Student attorneys Alexander J. McGrail and John R. Neal Jr., working with the Stanton Foundation First Amendment Clinic, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Hussey v. City of Cambridge, urging the court to strengthen First Amendment protections for public employees, according to a press release from Vanderbilt Law School. The case involves a police officer disciplined over social media comments made in a private capacity on matters of public concern. The brief argues that applying the Pickering balancing test to controversial or unpopular speech should not allow government employers to suppress such expression, warning it could effectively create a “heckler’s veto.” It also contends that employers should be required to provide evidence that employee speech would cause workplace disruption. Joined by several legal scholars and advocacy organizations, the filing asks the full 1st Circuit to reconsider prior rulings in the case, with a decision expected next year.

Thank you for your continued support of the TBA Juvenile & Children's Law Section! We know that the challenges you face as juvenile attorneys and appointed counsel are unique, and we are committed to advocating on your behalf. As the state's new indigent representation plan rolls out, we encourage you to stay connected with other juvenile law practitioners in Tennessee. To that end, the section's executive council currently has open positions. The executive council meets monthly to develop and implement section initiatives, discuss relevant legislation when the General Assembly is in session, and provide feedback to TBA leadership on juvenile law issues. If you are interested, please email section coordinator Jamie Rhode with your bio for consideration.

In the meantime, you do not have to wait to connect with colleagues. The section directory is a great resource for meeting other juvenile attorneys or for referrals. We hope to see you at TBA programming, and if you have thoughts or ideas about future section initiatives, please do not hesitate to reach out to Jamie Rhode.

Judge Chris Frulla announced he will seek reelection to Shelby County Circuit Court, Division 3 on the Aug. 6 ballot. Frulla earned his law degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis and practiced law at Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell PLC from 2012 until his appointment to the bench. He was appointed to the Circuit Court by Gov. Bill Lee in August 2025. “For me, being a judge is about more than just handling cases — it’s about making a meaningful difference for the citizens of Shelby County and the community I love,” Frulla said. Read more about Frulla on his campaign website.

For the first time, a panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals composed entirely of women judges convened in Nashville on March 24. Judges Carma Dennis McGee, Kristi M. Davis and Valerie L. Smith sat together during the court’s regular monthly session, a milestone made possible by the court’s traveling judge assignments. “When I came on the court in 2019, I was the only female,” said Judge McGee. Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly Kirby, one of the court’s early female pioneers, called the panel inspirational, noting the progress of women in the judiciary. Read more from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Cornelius Smith, the second alleged gunman in the November 2021 killing of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, is expected to enter a plea agreement March 30, the Commercial Appeal reports. Smith previously testified in the trials of Justin Johnson and Hernandez Govan, stating he took part in the shooting. Prior to testifying, Smith had not reached a plea agreement, and his court proceedings have been repeatedly delayed.

Jurors in two of the first U.S. trials in a growing wave of lawsuits against social media companies have found Meta and Google liable for harms to young users, potentially setting up appeals that could reshape the scope of legal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Reuters reports. In California, a jury on Wednesday awarded $6 million to a young woman who said she developed depression and suicidal thoughts after becoming addicted to Instagram and YouTube, while a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding it misled users about product safety and enabled the sexual exploitation of children. The cases mark a challenge to the law that generally shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content, as plaintiffs successfully argued the companies’ platform design — rather than third-party content — caused harm. Both companies have said they plan to appeal.

The TBA’s Mentoring Committee, in partnership with the Young Lawyers Division, is now offering its “Developing Lawyers, Developing Leaders” program on demand. The program provides one general and two dual CLE credits and focuses on mentorship and professional development through the lenses of ethical responsibility and leadership. Featuring sessions led by practitioners and judges, the program offers practical tools for building effective mentoring relationships, enhancing professionalism and supporting long-term career growth. For more information visit the TBA website.

The Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women (TLAW) will host its 8th Annual Empowerment Conference on April 17 at Holland & Knight in Nashville. The conference will bring together women from across Tennessee’s legal community for a day of programming focused on professional development, networking and leadership. The agenda includes appearances by current and former Tennessee Supreme Court justices, as well as panels featuring women law firm leaders, a mediator/alternative dispute resolution discussion and a session on mental performance. Access more information and registration link.

Carter County continues to receive state and federal funding to support ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, the Elizabethton Star reports. The county expects to receive $675,100 this week from the State Helene Interest Payment Fund, part of a grant program designed to offset interest costs on bonds issued for road and bridge repairs. The county previously received $398,557 to cover administrative costs related to the bond. Last week, the county also received its third reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, bringing total FEMA reimbursements to $1,726,286. Officials said the funds have primarily supported engineering work and temporary bridge installations in the Poga community. As recovery efforts continue, future reimbursement requests are expected to focus more on permanent road repairs.

The TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast returned this week, featuring attorney and TBA lobbyist Berkley Schwarz of Pier Strategies LLC, along with attorneys and TBA lobbyists Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin of Adams & Reese, and Adams & Reese intern Aydan Hawk. The group recapped the TBA’s recent Day on the Hill and reviewed several key pieces of legislation, including bills on extrajudicial adoptions HB1263/SB1238; real estate HB569/SB394, HB1970/SB1985 and HB1762/SB1707; adoption SB2165/HB2350; probate SB2184/HB2451 and family law SB2324/HB2429. Tune in on the TBA website or through this link. Attorneys interested in supporting the TBA’s lobbying efforts can contribute to LAWPAC.