Workers impacted by tornadoes this past December can now apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, WSMV reports. The assistance comes in addition to the federal assistance made available through FEMA. Workers in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Stewart, Weakley and Wilson counties who meet certain requirements are eligible to apply at www.jobs4tn.gov. In addition, those who are rebuilding after a major storm can apply for a sales tax refund from the Tennessee Department of Revenue, News Channel 5 reports. The Natural Disaster Sales Tax Relief program covers purchases of major appliances, furniture and building supplies.

Anderson County native Brandon Pelizzari has been named the new assistant district attorney general in the Seventh Judicial District, the Oak Ridger reports. He will work out of the Clinton office and focus on prosecuting criminal offenses in the Anderson County General Sessions Court. Pelizzari joins the office after serving as DUI prosecutor in the Eighth Judicial District — mostly assigned to Campbell County for the past several years. Before that assignment, he was in private practice in Oak Ridge and a prosecutor for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Pelizzari earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law.

On a 26-5 party-line vote, the state Senate yesterday approved maps setting new boundaries for the state's nine congressional and 33 Senate districts. It delayed voting on a new map for House seats until Wednesday, the Tennessean reports. After the vote, Democrats hinted at a potential legal battle saying the map could dilute the voting power of minority populations and unnecessarily split up counties. Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, said, “It's hard to imagine you don't see this in litigation at some point. I can't imagine people don't look at this and say there are legal deficiencies.” The state House is set to begin debate on the various plans on Monday.

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold a clinic tomorrow from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Belmont University, 2005 12th Ave. S., Nashville 37204. Next week, the group will hold a phone clinic on Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m. The first 15 callers will be accepted. Then on Wednesday, LAS will hold a clinic specifically for veterans from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Operation Stand Down, 1125 12th Ave. S. Nashville 37203. All times central. To volunteer contact Kendra Cheek, 615-780-7131. See all January clinics.

Didn't get a chance to view the Family Law 2021 forum live? No worries, you can now view the programs as a 1-Click Package on the TBA CLE page. Presenters cover marital balance sheets, legislative updates, surrogacy, attorney well-being and attorney decorum. Make your purchase now to hear from attorneys and judges from across the state as well as an expert in family counseling. The program offers 2.75 general and two dual hours of CLE credit.

State Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, has pulled a bill that would shorten parole eligibility time for those convicted of first-degree murder, the Chattanoogan reports. The measure, which had caused concern from some in the legal community and the public, would have cut the current eligibility of 51 years down to 25 years. "I don't think the victims of violent crimes will be best served by this legislation,” Howell said. "I’m very encouraged by proposals to rewrite and reform existing ranges in our criminal sentencing code so that they more accurately reflect time actually served. This will create more efficiency and transparency in sentencing and improve public safety overall.”

Nashville-based legal services provider Latitude recently announced it has opened a new office in Minneapolis. The expansion marks the third new office opening for the company since September, when it announced openings in Boston and Austin. “The demand from legal department and law firm leaders for the associate- to partner-level flexible legal talent we specialize in has significantly increased since the pandemic began,” said Latitude CEO Ross Booher. “Because of our extensive roster of attorneys with sophisticated in-house and Big Law experience in those and other Twin Cities industries, Minneapolis is a natural location for us.” Read more from Latitude.

Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, on Monday filed to run for Williamson County clerk, the Nashville Post reports. Casada has represented Tennessee District 63 in the State House since 2003, and served as House Speaker from 2017 until 2019. He announced in November that he would retire from the House at the end of his term, leaving the District 63 House seat open without an incumbent for the first time in two decades. Current William County clerk Jeff Whidby earlier filed to run for the position.

Gov. Bill Lee is set to deliver the annual State of the State speech on Jan. 31, the Tennessee Journal reports. The address will mark Lee’s final State of the State during his first term in office. The event will air on Lee’s Facebook page and YouTube channels at 6 p.m. CST. “I look forward to sharing my vision for Tennessee, including my budget and legislative priorities for the year,” Lee said in a statement. “Tennessee shows the rest of the country that America hasn’t lost her way, and with the support of the General Assembly, we’ll continue to ensure Tennessee is a national leader for opportunity and freedom.”

California-based nonprofit Public.Resource.Org has recently put Tennessee’s official jury instructions online and made them available to the public at no cost. The project is part of a long-standing campaign to make the law and legal materials issued in the name of the state more accessible to the bar and to citizens. Representing Public Resource on this matter is the Harvard Law School cyberlaw legal clinic, which recently sent letters to officials in nine states, including Tennessee, informing them of the public availability of these materials. The Tennessee materials may be accessed here on the Internet Archive. The full collection presently contains jury instructions from 20 states.