Those interested in running for an elected office in the Tennessee Bar Association or becoming a TBA Delegate to the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates have until Feb. 15 to qualify for the 2022 ballot. To qualify, candidates must file a nominating petition with the executive director of the TBA by emailing barED@tnbar.org, or sending the document by mail to Executive Director, Tennessee Bar Association, 221 4th Ave. North, Suite 400, Nashville, 37219. Because of limitations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, scanned signatures can be collected and submitted electronically. The TBA’s website has more information on the election process, a candidate qualifying petition you can download and a list of available positions.

You can change the trajectory of youth traveling the school-to-prison pipeline by making a contribution today to the Tennessee Youth Courts Program (TYC). The non-profit offers three ways you can show your support: (1) investing in the peer-courts' efforts with a donation; (2) posting an unselfie to show your support on social media; or (3) volunteering your time to participate in youth court programs across the state.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has unanimously reinstated the conviction of Jeremy Reynolds for premeditated first-degree murder. The court determined there was sufficient proof of premeditation to support the jury’s verdict, and that the introduction of evidence about gang membership did not warrant a new trial. The ruling reverses the Court of Criminal Appeals, which had overturned the jury’s verdict on the basis that the trial court erroneously admitted prejudicial information about the defendant’s gang affiliation.

Lang Wiseman, the deputy to Gov. Bill Lee and the administration’s chief legal counsel, is stepping down on Friday, the Tennessee Journal reports. Wiseman’s plans to leave had been announced earlier, but he had not given a firm date for his departure. He will return to the private sector. Lee has yet to name a successor. Wiseman is a former University of Tennessee basketball star who went on to earn a law degree from Harvard University. He is also a former Shelby County Republican Party chair who later served on the reconstituted University of Tennessee Board.

Join the TBA Administrative Law Section for its annual forum Friday from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. CST. Worth one dual and two general CLE hours, the program will begin with a session covering Supreme Court changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Rules for Disciplinary Enforcement. It will also feature a session on recent updates related to the Tennessee Public Records and Open Meetings Act and a panel discussion that explores the UAPA and environmental contested cases. Learn more and register for the program here.

Gov. Bill Lee today named Lisa Helton as interim commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Correction. Helton will assume the office on Wednesday. Helton currently serves as the assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Correction Community Supervision Division and has more than 25 years of experience across the criminal justice field. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Trevecca Nazarene University and master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. She will serve until a permanent commissioner is named to replace retiring commissioner Tony Park.

The number of applicants to law school nationwide has declined year-over-year for the first time since 2018, according to data from the Law School Admission Council. As of Nov. 28, some 22,662 people had applied to start law school in the fall of 2022, nearly 5% fewer than this time last year. Reuters has more on the development and what it means for the legal industry.

Knox County Juvenile Court invites the legal community to a celebration honoring Magistrate Michael Fortune’s career with the court. The event will take place Dec. 8 from 3 to 4 p.m. EST. Those who are interested also may send a note or card to the court to be presented to Fortune at the ceremony. Send correspondence by Dec. 6 to Debbie Wade, Knox County Juvenile Court, Carey E. Garrett Juvenile Court Building, 3323 Division St., Knoxville, TN 37919.

Earlier this month, the National Republican Congressional Committee added U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, to its list of 2022 targets in a sign that national Republicans seem to be growing more optimistic they can win the Nashville-based district, the Nashville Post reports. That effort could be aided if state Republicans split Nashville into multiple congressional districts, potentially putting the city’s reliably Democratic electorate into GOP-friendly districts. Cooper has been warning about a possible split for months, even going to the state legislature to publicly ask lawmakers to leave his district intact. And while he faces the possibility of a redrawn district, Cooper also must weather a primary challenge from Odessa Kelly, his "most spirited" opponent yet according to the paper.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has directed federal prosecutors to prioritize cases involving violence on flights amid an increase in assaults on airline workers, WSMV reports. In making the announcement, Garland cited dozens of violent air travel incidents referred to the FBI for investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has received 5,338 reports of unruly passengers, about three-quarters involving the federal transportation mask mandate, and has opened more than 1,000 investigations. It has publicly disclosed more than $1.6 million in fines against passengers accused of violence or misbehavior.