Two referendums are set to appear on Aug. 4 ballots in East Ridge, allowing voters to have a say in matters relating to their city court’s system, the Chattanoogan reports. The first would allow the city manager to appoint the city court clerk instead of its current system of being elected. East Ridge City Court Clerk Patricia Cassidy says she went along with the referendum because the alternative would have been opening the position up to anyone in Hamilton County. The second measure would allow the city judge to live anywhere in Hamilton County, not just East Ridge. It also would allow a municipal judge for another city to also sit in East Ridge. Early voting will be from July 15-30 at the same locations as the May primary.

Tennessee Supreme Court officials yesterday launched the Tennessee Justice Bus — a new project from the Access to Justice initiative that will serve as a mobile legal clinic for rural and underserved communities, WPLN reports. Davidson County General Sessions Judge Ana Escobar spoke at yesterday’s launch, saying that those who represent themselves in matters like child support or evictions need more help. “People should not have to go to their local McDonald’s to get a reliable connection to file their lawsuit,” she said. The bus will make its first stop in Rutherford County on June 29. The public can gain access to the Justice Bus by emailing justicebus@tnbus.gov or following the bus on Facebook or Twitter.

The Dickson County Commission last night voted to make attorney Brian Ragan the interim state representative for House District 69, the Tennessean reports. Ragan will temporarily replace former Republican Rep. Michael Curcio, who resigned from the House in May and recently joined lobbying firm Talbert Government Relations. Ragan is with the law firm Reynolds, Potter, Ragan & Vandivort and also serves as county attorney for Dickson County. He will serve as interim representative until the November election.

Stanley Douglas Darnell was last week censured by the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Darnell failed to provide sufficient oversight of his legal assistant, who prepared a forged final decree and letter without Darnell’s knowledge. He also did not have protocols in place sufficient to reveal that the client’s divorce petition hadn’t been filed. Darnell also received a flat fee for the representation and failed to place the unearned funds in his trust account at the beginning of the representation. A public censure is a rebuke and warning to the attorney, but it does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett was charged with driving under the influence on Friday as he was leaving the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Coffee County, the Tennessean reports. Hargett was booked into the Coffee County Jail shortly after 1 a.m. CDT on Saturday and released before 5:30 a.m. “Driving Under the Influence is a serious matter, and I regret the circumstances that led to my arrest,” Hargett said in a statement. “I respect law enforcement and will trust the legal process as we move forward.” According to the Tennessee Lookout, lawmakers will not seek Hargett's resignation following the arrest. 

Philip Joseph Perez was yesterday permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court. A Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) hearing panel found that Perez received retainer fees but failed to provide services; failed to file complaints; misled clients to believe their complaints had been filed; failed to appear for scheduled hearings and motions; failed to return unearned retainer fees; and failed to notify clients of his suspension from the practice of law. In addition to disbarment, Perez must also pay $2,258.33 in costs incurred to the BPR.

Chattanooga lawyer Brittany Thomas Faith took office as president of the TBA’s Young Lawyers Division during last week's convention. Her signature project for the bar year will be the "Welcome to Tennessee" initiative. The three-pronged project seeks to: provide members with practical resources and integrate them into the TBA, provide quality public service aimed at making Tennessee a more welcoming place, and help young lawyers find their home in the TBA. Also taking office were President-elect Quinton Thompson of Memphis, Vice President Sean Aiello of Franklin, Secretary Ross Smith of Nashville and Treasurer Darius Walker Jr. of Nashville. Faith succeeds Billy Leslie of Nashville.

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a bill that extends security protections to Supreme Court justices' immediate family members. The bill — the Supreme Court Police Parity Act of 2022 — was passed by the House earlier this week and the Senate passed the measure last month, CNN reports. It allows the families of Supreme Court justices to be covered by the security currently provided to the justices if the marshal of the Supreme Court "determines such protection is necessary," according to the text of the legislation.

Outgoing TBA President Sherie Edwards presented six President Awards during the Lawyers Luncheon to those who contributed to the success of her year in office. General Counsel Ed Lanquist and Associate General Counsel Greg Pease were recognized for their assistance with selling the TBA’s downtown office. Memphis attorney and former TBA President Lucian Pera was recognized for his work chairing the TBA Building Committee, which assessed new locations for the association’s offices. All members of the committee were also recognized. Brentwood lawyer Rebecca Blair and Nashville lawyer Lynne Ingram were recognized for co-chairing the Women in the Profession Committee. TBA staff members Mindy Thomas, Jennifer Vossler and Chelsea Bennett were recognized for their work creating and producing the Scaling Small Law program, and all TBA staff members were recognized for their work in the past year despite a major office move and working remotely. Finally, Edwards recognized her daughter Victoria Cundiff for writing about her struggles with mental health in last year's well-being issue of Tennessee Bar Journal.

An attempt to unanimously pass a bipartisan bill to shield the personal information of federal judges online failed after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., blocked it for a third time, the Chattanooga Times Free-Press reports. The Thursday motion for unanimous consent was the second time this year that Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has attempted that maneuver to pass the measure introduced after the murder of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas’s son at their home almost two years ago.