Local and state elected officials, members of the local legal community and judges gathered with the family of former Hamilton County judge and state representative Mike Carter this week to unveil his official portrait in the Hamilton County Courts Building. Carter was praised for his four decades of service to the community, which included serving as general counsel for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, as a Hamilton County General Sessions judge and as a state representative for District 29. Carter died in 2021. Chattanoogan.com has photos from the ceremony and comments from local officials.

The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to hear a bid by the Biden administration to preserve broader access to the abortion pill, SCOTUSblog reports. The court will review a ruling by a federal appeals court that would significantly restrict, but not eliminate, access to mifepristone, which now accounts for over half of all abortions performed in the United States. A federal judge in Texas suspended federal approval of the drug in 2000 as well as an expansion of its availability in 2016 and 2021. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit upheld the ruling on the expansion, but said the challenge to the original approval of the drug came too late. The high court will consider the expansion of availability but will not consider the appellate court’s ruling related to initial approval of the drug.

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd was indicted yesterday for coercion of a witness and harassment, the Daily Memphian reports. She was booked into the Shelby County Jail today, posted $5,000 bail and was released. The indictment accuses Boyd of attempting to coerce her campaign manager Lashanta Rudd to testify falsely or withhold truthful testimony in 2022 while Rudd was a witness in an unidentified “official proceeding.” The indictment came from Judicial District 28 District Attorney Frederick Agee since the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case. Boyd has received two reprimands from the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct for failing to abide by the terms of an earlier suspension. The board referred her case to the Tennessee General Assembly last month following issuance of the second reprimand.

One of the most important responsibilities of the TBA is to advocate for the legal profession and our system of justice with Tennessee lawmakers. TBA’s Government Affairs team is committed to affect positive change on behalf of Tennessee attorneys when the 2024 session of the 113th General Assembly reconvenes on Jan. 9, and we need your help! Please consider joining TBA’s Grassroots Advocacy efforts to receive action alerts as relevant policy issues arise, including indigent representation. Respond to this survey to ensure that your voice is heard. 

Chicago-area lawyer Philip Pomerance died Dec. 9 at the age of 67. A graduate of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, he began his practice in the Chicago area. He also lectured across the country on health care law and legal ethics, and taught at Loyola University’s Beasley Institute for Health Law. In 2007, he left private practice to become the chief operating officer and general counsel for Best Practices Inpatient Care Ltd. in Long Grove, Illinois. He retired in 2017 due to health issues. Pomerance was a longtime speaker at the TBA’s Health Law Forum, presenting on legal ethics at no fewer than 20 seminars. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be sent to Congregation Kneseth Israel, 330 Division St., Elgin, IL, 60120, or to the animal shelter of the donor’s choice.

TBA's Year End CLE event brings you quick and easy content, right from the comfort of your own home or office, whether you need one hour of CLE or 15. Hourly packages make it easy to get just what you need. Check out our 15.5 hour package, 12.5 hour package, 10.5 hour package, 8.5 hour package or 6 hour package, or choose your own CLE options anytime by visiting cle.tba.org to find more than 200 on-demand programs.

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The TBA will present The Rookie's Guide to Personal Injury: Mastering the Basics on Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. CST. This webcast will explore essential topics such as liability determination, damage assessment and negotiation tactics. Learn the intricacies of litigation from both plaintiff and defense perspectives. Learn more and register.

The Minnesota congressman running against Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination has failed to make it on the March 5 primary ballot in Tennessee, the Tennessee Journal reports. Dean Phillips did not file with the Tennessee Democratic Party before its deadline, according to State Election Coordinator Mark Goins. Phillips also did not collect the 2,500 valid voter signatures needed to bypass a decision by the party chair as to who should be automatically included on the primary ballot. Eight Republicans will be listed on the GOP ballot: Ryan Binkley, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy, David Stuckenberg and Donald Trump.

The 16th annual Law Department Operation Survey from Blickstein Group and Deloitte found that a significant number of legal departments want their outside counsel to use generative AI, reports Law.com. The survey, which included 77 in-house legal and legal ops professionals from separate companie, found 68%, believe that the value of law firms’ legal services will increase if they leverage generative AI.