The U.S. Justice Department will release $5 million for states to establish hotlines to report hate crime, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced today. The funding is one of several steps Garland outlined to improve reporting and prosecution of hate crimes, which reached their highest level in more than a decade in 2020 (the most recent year for which figures are available). Garland also said the FBI is currently investigating three recent shootings — in Buffalo, New York, Dallas and southern California — as possible hate crimes. The department plans to issue new guidelines for raising awareness about hate crimes and will release another $5 million for community-based approaches in the future. Reuters has the story.

A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals yesterday struck down a lower court ruling that dismissed two cases against Metro Nashville Public Schools. Tennessee Lookout reports that the suits were brought by two students who alleged they were sexually assaulted at Metro Nashville public schools. Their parents argued that the school system violated Title IX protections through “deliberate indifference” to thousands of prior complaints of sexual harassments and assaults in its schools, and the plight of the two girls after videos of their attacks were posted online and circulated. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger initially ruled in favor of the school district, saying there was not enough evidence to show it knew there was a problem. The appeals court disagreed yesterday, saying there was enough evidence of “deliberate indifference” to warrant a trial.

U.S. Supreme Court justices will receive around-the-clock security at home, among other protections, following a leaked draft opinion advocating overturning abortion rights. According to Bloomberg Law, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland directed the U.S. Marshals Service to step up personal protection for the nine justices last week. Garland held a meeting this week between the Justice Department and court officials to discuss coordination and intelligence sharing. “The rise of violence and unlawful threats of violence directed at those who serve the public is unacceptable and dangerous to our democracy,” Garland said in a release. “I want to be clear: while people vote, argue, and debate in a democracy, we must not — we cannot — allow violence or unlawful threats of violence to permeate our national life.” Barriers also have been set up in front of the court to protect the historic building.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has announced that a portrait unveiling and reception will be held for former judge Harry S. Mattice on Aug. 5. Mattice retired from the bench in March 2020 after serving the Eastern District for more than 20 years — first as U. S. attorney and later as district judge. He was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2005. Before entering federal service, Mattice was a shareholder with Baker Donelson and a partner at Miller & Martin in Chattanooga. He also served as a senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs during a special investigation. Additional information about the ceremony will be provided closer to the event. 

The Tennessee Bar Association will present its 2022 Public Service Awards during its Annual Convention next month in Nashville. The recipients were announced in March and featured in the the March/April issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Ann Pruitt, most recently the executive director for Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, will receive the Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award. Ashley Goins Alderson, an attorney in the Nashville office of Stites & Harbison, will receive the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award. Finally, Belmont University College of Law 3L Gabriella Cannone will receive the Law Student Volunteer of the Year Award. The three recipients will be honored at the Lawyers Luncheon on June 17.

Make your hotel reservations now for the 2022 TBA Annual Convention in Nashville. The special TBA rate at the Hilton Nashville Downtown Hotel expires May 31. This year's convention, June 15-18, is packed with compelling programming, networking opportunities, and dinner and music at the new Fifth & Broadway entertainment venue.

The Memphis office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz is seeking a staff attorney with three or more years of litigation experience, preferably in the medical malpractice field, to join its health law litigation practice. The firm will consider a partial remote work situation and flexible and/or reduced hours. A Tennessee law license is required and a Mississippi license would be helpful. Apply online with a resume, cover letter and law school transcript. Address cover letters to Rebecca Simon, Director of Recruiting and Associate Engagement. Read the full post and see other opportunities on TBA’s JobLink.

This year’s Bench Bar Program at the TBA Annual Convention focuses on how judges and lawyers can serve as leaders and drive success for the legal community. Panels include lawyers in government, judges as leaders and lawyers as civic leaders. Judge Rhynette Hurd from the Shelby County Circuit Court and Judge Neal McBrayer of the Tennessee Court of Appeals will moderate the first session that will also feature Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins, 10th District Chancellor Jerri Bryant, and 20th District Criminal Court Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton. A second panel will be moderated by TBA Vice President and Nashville attorney Ed Lanquist of Patterson Intellectual Property Law, and will feature former Nashville mayor and Frost Brown Todd lawyer Bill Purcell, Tennessee Department of Health attorney Kyonzte Hughes-Toombs, and Charles Swanson from the City of Knoxville Law Department. A third panel, moderated by TBA President Sherie Edwards of State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company, will feature TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson and former TBA President and Chattanooga lawyer Marcy Eason of Miller & Martin PLLC.

A federal appellate court has struck down an appeal by the contractor seeking immunity in the cleanup of radioactive coal ash waste, Tennessee Lookout reports. The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals yesterday ruled Jacobs Engineering Inc. cannot ride the coattails of Tennessee Valley Authority governmental immunity because the TVA itself would not have been immune from liability had sickened workers chosen to sue the utility. “Jacobs concedes that it is immune from suit only if the TVA is immune,” the opinion stated. “As analyzed … we conclude that the TVA would not have been immune from suit.”

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance will not investigate a complaint filed against Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, saying it would not be “weaponized” in the state House District 43 race, Tennessee Lookout reports. The complaint had said that Sherrell wrote checks to volunteer fire halls from his campaign account and asked for cash back to use for personal purposes. Sherrell said he used the cash to pay for breakfasts for firefighters.