Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Nashville Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) will hold a pro bono tax consultation clinic for artists, musicians and creatives on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. CST. Attendees will learn how to file their taxes or can meet with a financial counselor to discuss ways to manage debt or repair credit scores. The clinic is presented by the United Way of Greater Nashville. It will take place at the FEC office, 217 South 10th St., Nashville 37206. Learn more or sign up to volunteer.

A special report looking at the state of the Shelby County Criminal Court has found a significant decline in the number of annual trials and an increase in the length of time it takes for cases to come to trial. The Commercial Appeal looks at the findings of former Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Bobby Carter, who was asked to conduct the investigation by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. Carter found that fewer than 40 trials occurred this year compared to years past when some 200 trials took place. Carter also found that the length of time it takes cases to reach trial has made plea deals less attractive to defendants, amplifying the backlog of cases. Read the full report and Carter’s recommendations for addressing these challenges.

U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided over Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy deal today, questioning whether it can immunize the Sackler family from civil lawsuits for their role in the opioid crisis, The Hill reports. The Biden administration and a small group of creditors have raised objections to the liability releases. During the session, several justices reportedly raised concerns that the administration’s position would unravel the settlement and deprive victims of a timely resolution to the case. Others appeared sympathetic to the government’s position, saying the protection would raise due process concerns. The bankruptcy deal is on hold under an emergency ruling from the court. A decision is expected in June.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases this week at the University of Tennessee at Martin as part of its SCALES program. The event on Wednesday will feature arguments in Robert L. Trentham v. Mid-America Apartments, LP et al. and Pharma Conference Education, Inc. v. State of Tennessee. Sessions will be livestreamed starting at 9 a.m. CST on the court’s YouTube page. SCALES, which stands for Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students, educates high school students about the Tennessee legal system and the functions of the judicial branch.

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct has issued a public reprimand to Knoxville Municipal Judge John R. Rosson. The letter from the board states that Rosson breached the Code of Judicial Conduct when he held a campaign event in his courtroom on Oct. 11, 2023. The board also said that Rosson took election-related questions from the press during the event, and asked those who would see the press conference to vote for him. The board found that Rosson violated Rules of Judicial Conduct 1.2, 1.3 and 3.1(E). Rosson, who has no history of disciplinary issues, accepted the reprimand and took full responsibility for his actions according to the board.

The mother of a 17-year-old girl says her daughter was "body slammed" by two male counselors from Youth Villages after she refused to strip in front of them during an appointment at the Shelby County Health Department and later was beaten by at least 12 counselors at the facility. Youth Villages strongly denies the accusations, and in the case of the first incident, says Alegend Jones was accompanied by two women to the department. According to the Commercial Appeal, Jones went to the facility after her mother asked the Department of Children's Services (DCS) to take over as guardian to help with mental health struggles. Her death was described by the center as an "incident" and "medical emergency." The mother has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump. DCS says it also is investigating the death.

Mike Dunavant, former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and former elected district attorney general of the 25th Judicial District, has been named deputy executive director of legal services and policy at the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC). In his new role, Dunavant will oversee four divisions: Legislative, Legal Services, Training and Child Support. He also will serve as the liaison between Tennessee’s 32 elected district attorneys general and the agencies and officials of the executive and legislative branches. Dunavant first joined the TNDAGC in 2006 when he was elected as the district attorney general for Lauderdale, Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman and McNairy counties. He was reelected in 2014 and served in the position until his 2017 appointment as U.S. attorney. He left that office and joined the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Division of Investigations in 2021. Read more in a press release from the group.

Overton County lawyer Joyce Annette “JJ” Oakley died Nov. 30. Services were held yesterday in Livingston. Oakley earned a bachelor of science in nursing in 1972 and a master of nursing in 1980. She taught for many years but then attended the University of Tennessee College of Law, earning a law degree in 1985. Oakley served as president of the Oakley First National Foundation, which provides scholarships to students in need. She also was a member of the Livingston Regional Hospital Board of Trustees and the Cumberland University Board of Trust.

If you tend to procrastinate, you may be asking, “Is it December already? And how do I get my CLE hours by the end of the month? Don’t panic! TBA has a number of CLE packages based on hours needed, including our most popular 15-hour package. We also have 12, 10, eight and six hour options. Access packages here or browse the full offerings of our Year End CLE event.

The TBA Health Law Section will host a free webinar on Dec. 11 on artificial intelligence (AI), and how health care-related businesses can build a viable AI Governance Program. AI applications have long been used to create health plans and technology services for decision support, back-office transactions, claims processing, supply management, surgical robotics and more. The growth in AI technology, however, has led to enforcement actions and lawsuits, making it important for companies to be aware of new standards. One hour of general CLE credit is available for a $50 processing fee.