Marie Ferran, a legal professional and advocate in Cookeville, died Feb. 19 at the age of 67. After earning her law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Ferran combined her intellect and compassion to build a career focused on service and advocacy. As the executive director of the Area Agency on Aging, Ferran worked to protect and support the elderly. She was an advocate for domestic violence survivors, at-risk youth and healthcare equality, often donating her legal expertise beyond her official roles. Her dedication extended to serving on boards for organizations that supported women’s health and vulnerable populations. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on March 8 with a visitation at 11 a.m. and a service at noon CST at Cookeville First United Methodist Church, 165 East Broad St., Cookeville 38501. There will be a reception following the service in Jeff Wall Hall.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has declined a request to consider a legal dispute over whether the state attorney general (AG) can take control of some post-conviction proceedings in death penalty cases from local district attorneys. According to the Nashville Banner, the court’s decision could remove the last obstacle to setting new execution dates. The AG's office historically has represented the state in capital post-conviction proceedings involving challenges to a person’s conviction or death sentence. Litigation followed the passage of a new state law in 2023, which gave the attorney general's office exclusive control over post-conviction cases in trial courts as well, where defendants can raise claims about legal errors, new evidence of innocence or proof of intellectual disability. No executions have taken place in Tennessee since 2020, but last week, the AG's office asked the state Supreme Court to set execution dates for five people on death row.

A hold order on federal funding for lawyers representing immigrant children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent has been rescinded, the Daily Memphian reports. The U.S. Department of the Interior sent a brief letter Friday notifying the Acacia Center for Justice in Washington, D.C., of the change. The center serves as the primary contractor for more than 90 nonprofits nationwide that provide legal representation to approximately 26,000 unaccompanied minors. The letter cancels a stop-work order issued last week, which would have affected hundreds of children served by organizations in the Memphis area. Those organizations should continue receiving funding to assist children who have the right to legal representation in their immigration cases.

One of the five former Memphis police officers charged in the death of Tyre Nichols was taken into federal custody last week for allegedly violating his bond conditions. Emmitt Martin III, who pleaded guilty last year for his role in Nichols’ death, turned himself in Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. According to the Daily Memphian, the mother of Martin’s child filed a complaint with the federal probation office, alleging that Martin had been harassing her and their child. Federal prosecutors and Martin’s attorney agreed to a new bond restriction barring him from contacting his child’s mother except for child care-related matters. With a judge's approval, Martin was released on bond.

A federal appeals court has ruled that a lawsuit challenging workplace abortion accommodations can proceed. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and attorneys general from several other states challenged the policy, which allows workers to request time off for an abortion. A federal district judge dismissed the case in June, ruling that the states lacked standing to sue, FOX Chattanooga reports. This week, the U.S. 8th Circuit Court disagreed, allowing the case to move forward. The abortion accommodations were included in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bill passed in 2022 that grants workplace accommodations for pregnant workers and pregnancy-related medical conditions, including time off for doctor appointments, lactation support and miscarriage recovery.

The lack of attorneys available for appointed cases is contributing to the crisis in providing legal representation to indigent individuals in Tennessee. Under the current program, many attorneys cannot afford to take these cases due to low compensation and program constraints. The plan proposed by the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court addresses these challenges in a few ways, including via the use of strategic compensation structures for employing and contracting with attorneys. The plan may use a combination of retainer, flat fee and hourly or other contracts, offering more competitive and predictable compensation. Among the advantages of this approach are the elimination of caps and the ability to use predictable and intermittent payment for attorneys. Learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee. Watch for more details about the plan in upcoming issues of TBA Today.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee will hold the 2025 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition this month. In the new case, Lee Jasper v Reece Witherfork, students will present their best arguments in a civil scenario centered around a rodeo. The state competition will meet in Nashville March 21-22 to determine the Tennessee champion. This year's competition will feature the organization's first Artist in the Courtroom Contest. Tennessee's team winner and first place artist will have the opportunity to represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Phoenix, Arizona, May 7-10. The Mock Trial Committee is led by Chair Ashley Tipton, Vice Chair Michael Holmes and Long Range Planning Coordinator Zack Walden. Access resources for the upcoming competition. 

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee have released case materials for the 2025 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition. In the new case, Lee Jasper v Reece Witherfork, students will present their best arguments in a civil scenario centered around a rodeo. District competitions will be held in February. Teams advancing to the state competition will meet in Nashville March 21-22 to determine the Tennessee champion. This year's competition will feature the organization's first Artist in the Courtroom Contest. Tennessee's team winner and first place artist will have the opportunity to represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Phoenix, Arizona, May 7-10. The Mock Trial Committee is led by Chair Ashley Tipton, Vice Chair Michael Holmes and Long Range Planning Coordinator Zack Walden. Access resources for the upcoming competition. 

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has lifted a temporary injunction on the enforcement of part of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) which mandates small businesses report ownership, The Business Journals report. The rule is an effort by U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) that requires businesses with fewer than 20 employees to provide names, dates of birth, addresses and other identifying information about its owners. Initially set to go into effect Jan. 1, a lawsuit filed by several businesses challenged the rule on constitutional grounds. FinCEN is giving small businesses 30 days to comply with the reporting requirements.

Forbes in a recent article details in-demand expertise for finance professionals. Some skills listed include risk management, finance tech, regulation compliance and ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing. Earning relevant certifications such as associate chartered accountant (ACA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification, certified personal accountant (CPA) or chartered financial analyst (CFA), or other industry-specific designations can also define you as an expert, instilling credibility and trust with prospective clients. The article also suggests attending conferences, webinars and other activities to network and stay on top of key developments. Read more here.