Elizabethton lawyer William J. “Bill” Byrd died unexpectedly Oct. 8. He was 65 years old. Byrd practiced law with Norris, Bush and Byrd and was a member of the Carter County Bar Association and Tennessee Bar Association. Byrd practiced law in Elizabethton for over 35 years. He graduated from East Tennessee State University in 1981 and received his law degree in 1984 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. A service to remember Byrd's life was held yesterday at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Memorial donations may be made to the Valley Forge Freewill Baptist Church, Building Fund, 1502 Riverview Dr., Elizabethton, TN 37643.

A unanimous three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Midwestern State University in Texas must face a Malaysian political science professor's race discrimination lawsuit, reports Reuters. The panel ruled that a lower court judge was wrong to toss out Sugumaran Narayanan's suit against the university because it did not involve an "ultimate employment decision" such as hiring, firing and setting pay – a test it previously used to determine whether cases should be allowed to continue. Narayanan claimed in 2018, that the university refused to let him teach summer courses based on his race and in retaliation for a previous discrimination complaint he filed against the school. Read the decision.

Campbell County Sheriff Wayne Barton says an investigation is underway after six inmates in the Campbell County Jail are believed to have overdosed, reports WATE Knoxville. Barton said that six inmates were taken to LaFollette Medical Center yesterday after suspected overdoses. The individuals were treated and are now back at the jail. The nature of the substance and its source are unknown at this time.

Lt. Governor Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville released a proclamation yesterday condemning the invasion of Israel by the terrorist group known as Hamas, reports the Chattanoogan. “The invasion of Israel by Hamas was illegal, immoral and unconscionable,” said McNally, who referred to Israel as “our greatest ally and the only true democracy in the Middle East … It was an act of war.” The speakers issued the proclamation on behalf of the members of the House and the Senate. In related news, Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday that flags would fly at half-staff for the rest of the week to honor those who have died in the conflict. WBIR has that report.

Registration is open for this year's Disability Law Forum, which will be in person for the first time since 2019! Make plans to join your colleagues on Oct. 20 at Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club in Hendersonville. Attendees can earn up to three general and one dual CLE credits. Sessions will cover a variety of topics applicable to disability law practitioners, including ways to prepare a successful GRID case, a session featuring best practices from a vocational expert, a DDS/OHO update and an ethics course designed to help you "un-stick" stuck cases. A happy hour will follow the day's programming.

The Tennessee Supreme Court and its Access to Justice Commission held a pro bono recognition event Tuesday night at Belmont University College of Law. It was the first in-person recognition event since the pandemic, and honored lawyers for their pro bono work in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Pro Bono Recognition Program honors lawyers and law students who provide at least 50 hours of pro bono service during the year as an "Attorney for Justice" or "Law Student for Justice." In 2021, the court also added the category "Mediator for Justice" to increase the number of mediators providing pro bono services. At this year's event, Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Holly Kirby and Justices Jeffrey Bivins and Sarah Campbell were on hand to thank lawyers for their contributions. Belmont College of Law Dean Alberto Gonzales welcomed honorees to the law school, Tennessee Access to Justice Commission Chair and TBA Board member John Farringer congratulated honorees, and Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht gave keynote remarks. See photos from the event.

Franklin Alderman Matt Brown yesterday called on the Board of Mayor & Aldermen to vote to censure mayoral candidate and current Alderman Gabrielle Hanson at the next board meeting or special session, reports the Tennessean. Brown's motion follows reports that members of the Tennessee Active Club – which has been identified as a white nationalist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center – attended a mayoral forum where Hanson spoke. The board previously issued a statement, saying it would not "tolerate any form of hatred, intimidation, or violence directed at our residents, media representatives, or anyone else attending or participating in the democratic process."

Fall out from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action continues with ramifications for law firms, law schools and private organizations. The American Alliance for Equal Rights has dropped its suit against Perkins Coie’s fellowship program after the law firm made changes to eligibility criteria, Reuters reports. But the group said today it would sue three other firms – Winston & Strawn, Hunton Andrews & Kurth and Adams and Reese – if they do not change their law student diversity fellowship programs. Bloomberg Law has that story. In other news, Yale and Harvard are among law schools saying they will eliminate “diversity statements” in their application processes, Law.com reports. Finally, an appeals court has blocked a venture capital fund from awarding grants to businesses run by Black women. That move reverses a lower court’s decision, according to Reuters.

The U.S. government has agreed to pay $125 million to refund users of the electronic records system PACER to resolve a class action suit alleging the judiciary overcharged those who downloaded court documents. The settlement will provide automatic reimbursements of up to $350 for anyone who used PACER from April 2010 to May 2018, Reuters reports. Anyone who paid more than $350 during that time will be able to apply to receive a pro rata share of the remaining settlement funds. The settlement resolves a 2016 lawsuit filed by three nonprofits alleging the judiciary overstepped its authority when collecting fees. A federal judge still must sign off on the deal according to Bloomberg Law.

President Joe Biden recently detailed new efforts to eliminate so-called junk fees, including a proposed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule that would require businesses to disclose all charges for goods and services upfront. Biden said the new rule was “the most comprehensive action” his administration has taken on hidden or confusing charges. In remarks announcing the rule, the president also said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau soon would propose a new rule to make it easier for consumers to switch banks. Bloomberg Law has more on the story.