The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a Maine education policy that made K-12 schools with religious instruction ineligible for taxpayer-backed tuition aid, continuing the conservative majority court’s general trend of ruling for religious interests, The Hill reports. Though the case does not affect Tennessee, some observers says it bolsters that state’s arguments for a robust school choice program. The court also ruled that non-citizens can be detained indefinitely under federal immigration law without bond hearings and that federal judges lack the authority to order the government to release immigrants who have been detained without hearings on a class-wide basis. Read more about that decision from Reuters.

Tennessee voters will decide whether to make "Right to Work" a permanent part of the state Constitution this fall, the Johnson City Press reports. Amendment 1, supported by Republican members of the General Assembly and Gov. Bill Lee, will appear on the Nov. 8 statewide ballot. Tennessee is among 27 states with a “Right to Work” law that prohibits the hiring or firing of workers “based on their membership in, affiliation with, resignation from or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.” It has been the law since 1947 but some believe it should be enshrined in the state Constitution. The paper looks at the arguments for and against the ballot initiative.

The Nashville law firm formerly known as Collins & Hunter, has changed its name to HMC Civil Rights Law to reflect new management and ownership. The firm, which focuses on employment discrimination cases, was founded by Heather Moore Collins. In a release announcing the name change, she says she is excited for this next chapter of growth. “We have a lot of strategic initiatives planned and I am thrilled to be walking through this with our team." Associate attorneys Ashley Walter and Caroline Drinnon, office manager and trial paralegal Erica Runnels and EEOC & discovery paralegal Shanisha Cooper remain with the firm, which now can be found online at hmccivilrights.com.

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) is accepting nominations for its three annual Access to Justice Awards: Janice M. Holder Award, B. Riney Green Award and New Advocate of the Year Award. Nominations and any supporting documents must be submitted by July 8. The awards will be presented at the 2022 Equal Justice University Conference Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. Learn more about the awards process or contact Judy Fazi with any questions.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar today to discuss sales tax issues for headquarters, data centers and call centers. Participants will learn about credits and other tax advantages for headquartering a business in Tennessee or establishing a data center or call center in our state. Register here. Participants will learn when contractors are subject to sales tax and exemptions for certain special situations. The program is part of a series offered by the department each month. The Department of Revenue has more on upcoming webinars.

The Tennessee Bar Association’s Disability Law Section will host a Zoom videoconference roundtable discussion on July 21 at 2:30 p.m. CDT. The event will be an open discussion guided by Administrative Law Judge Randolph W. Alden, who will address the return of in-person hearings. The session is free to all TBA members but registration is required. The section also is making plans for its 2022 Annual Forum. The Disability Law Forum will take place Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT. Watch for details coming soon about the program agenda and speakers.

Next up from the Communications Team is Digital Media & Leadership Development Coordinator Kate Prince! Kate runs the TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) program, produces and hosts the TBA Podcast Network, writes the TBA Today newsletter twice a week and handles the TBA’s social media. When she’s not at a bowling alley or on a golf course, you can find Kate fawning over her container garden or rewatching the first season of True Detective.

The #TeamTBA series offers members a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the TBA and how each staff members makes the association run. Check back every Wednesday for a new staff profile in TBA Today and on the TBA's Facebook,Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Ongoing problems at the Department of Children's Services (DCS) could lead to a class action lawsuit on behalf of children in the state’s foster care system, Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 reports. Nashville attorney David Raybin, who was involved with a similar lawsuit against DCS in 2000, said “very active discussions” about a class action are taking place "unless the state steps up.” Raybin says high turnover among case workers, high caseloads and not enough foster homes mirror the problems the department faced in 2000, which led to a court takeover of DCS. Court supervision of the department stopped in 2019, but Raybin says DCS has “just slipped right back into the old ways.” He is urging DCS and Gov. Bill Lee to make changes.

If you missed the final farewell of outgoing TBA President Sherie Edwards and remarks from newly sworn-in TBA President Tasha Blakney during last week’s convention, you may now watch those presentations and more on the TBA’s Facebook page. Watch Part One and Part Two of the Lawyers Luncheon to catch up on Blakney’s goals for the upcoming year and much more. The TBA Annual Convention concluded on Saturday with TBA Young Lawyers Division’s Diversity Leadership Institute programming and service project, YLD board and executive committee meetings and a TBA Board of Governors meeting.

Memphis Area Legal Services has found new headquarters at One Memphis Place, the Memphis Business Journal reports. The building, which is located at 200 Jefferson Ave., sits the next block over from the Shelby County Courthouse. According to MALS CEO and general counsel Cindy Cole Ettingoff, the nonprofit has also gone from 14,000 square feet to a little more than 6,000 “because the pandemic taught us that people can work remotely." Ettingoff said the group is using the money saved from its reduced square footage to embrace the newest legal industry trends in storage, accessibility, and remote working. The savings will also go toward hiring, due to what Ettingoff says is a “great” demand for public defense services.