The ABA Task Force for American Democracy, a nonpartisan task force formed to bolster voter confidence in elections, recently announced its roadmap for the 2024 election season. The group says it will work to mobilize the legal profession to uphold its duty to support and defend the Constitution and the rule of law, educate lawyers regarding their professional obligations, and leverage the legal profession to educate the public on importance of democracy and the rule of law. The task force also announced a listening tour across the country. Stops are scheduled in Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Arizona. Each session will feature local election officials and community leaders discussing ways to enhance public confidence in the election process. Read more about the Task Force's work.

Due to inclement weather, the Nashville Bar Association reported by email the following closures, cancellations and rescheduling: The Circuit Court’s Order of Protection docket is canceled for today. The First Circuit Court will hold court virtually today. Please contact the court directly with questions about dockets. For the Second Circuit Court, Judge Amanda McClendon will continue Friday’s cases one week to Jan. 26. The Third Circuit Court will be closed today. For tomorrow’s motion docket, the court will offer the Bridge line as an option for their docket. In order to participate by phone, contact Catherine Jackson ahead of time. The Fourth Circuit Court will postpone the show cause docket for today and will be operating virtually by Zoom tomorrow. A Zoom link is provided. Additional information can be found at CircuitClerk.Nashville.gov. The Fifth Circuit Court will be closed today. Canceled motions will be reset for Jan. 26. Sixth Circuit Court scheduled conferences will be conducted via WebEx. Contact the court directly with questions for other dockets. The Eighth Circuit Court will be operating virtually today and tomorrow. In addition, the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims announced in an email today it will be open tomorrow as scheduled for settlements between 8 -11 a.m. CST, depending on any developments in the weather overnight Thursday. Judges will be at the Judicial Conference Jan. 25-26 so the court will be closed then, but the Nashville office will be open for settlement approvals Jan. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The 2024 ABA Midyear Meeting will take place Jan. 31 through Feb. 5 in Louisville. Lawyers from across the country will gather for networking and learning opportunities, award presentations and governance meetings. Sessions at the conference will address qualified immunity, gun control, post-pandemic challenges for eviction cases, science in the courtroom, navigating racial equality after the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Students for Fair Admissions, and elevating the voice of Native American women attorneys. Learn more about the meeting on the ABA's website.

A group of freelance writers and editors filed a lawsuit in Georgia federal court Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Labor, claiming a new rule making it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors is vague and should be struck down, reports Reuters. The rule is scheduled to take effect March 11. In their complaint, freelancers said they would seek an order temporarily blocking the rule while their lawsuit plays out. The rule was intended to clarify the test for determining whether workers are independent contractors or employees and who was entitled to legal protections. More legal challenges are expected, the news source says.

The Memphis Bar Association announced this evening that the following area courts will be closed tomorrow: Shelby County Chancery Court, Circuit Court (if there are emergency matters that require attention, emails should be sent to the division clerk), Criminal Court, General Sessions Criminal Court, Juvenile Court and Probate Court, as well as Memphis city courts. General Sessions Civil Court as well as the federal courts in Memphis and Jackson will be closed tomorrow and Friday. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court will be closed to the public tomorrow, but court proceedings will take place virtually and all staff will be available to answer calls.

Attorneys interested in seeking one of 700 appointments to various American Bar Association (ABA) committees, commissions and other entities have until Feb. 12 to apply. New positions available this year include 10 slots for young lawyers to serve on special or standing committees through a Young Lawyers Fellows program. Read more about the appointment process in this letter from ABA President-elect Bill Bay. Applications are posted online. For questions or guidance on the process, contact TBA ABA Resources Committee Chair Jonathan Cole or Tennessee Delegate John Tarpley.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and Tennessee Judicial Conference have rescheduled their planned Bar and Bench reception due to winter weather. The event will now take place on Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. CST in Memphis. The reception is sponsored by and will take place at Morgan and Morgan, 80 Monroe Ave., Ste. 900, Memphis 38103. The reception will kick off a series of networking events across Tennessee, offering a unique opportunity for lawyers and members of the judiciary to interact in a casual atmosphere.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free live webinar on Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. CST to discuss business tax basics. Topics include tax law, determining classifications, gross sales, retailer/wholesaler status, exemptions/exclusions, and deductions and credits, as well as tax filing. Learn more or register here. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month.

The Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims has canceled in-person settlements at its Chattanooga office for tomorrow due to winter weather. Those with business before the court should call 800-332-2667 to reschedule.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 26 states in sending a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) emphasizing the potential harm in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by telemarketers and asking the FCC to impose strict restrictions on such usage. Read more about that effort. Skrmetti also recently joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and the Arizona Legislature in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the National Rifle Association. The group is attempting to sue a New York state official who is alleged to have violated its First Amendment right to free speech. The brief asks the court to reverse a lower court ruling that rejected claims that the official threatened financial institutions doing business with the NRA.