The TBA Criminal Justice Section will host a free webinar on Sept. 6 regarding juvenile justice for criminal law practitioners. The one-hour event will cover the basics for lawyers tackling their first juvenile case, including best practices, transfer hearings, new laws and more. Panelists include federal prosecutor and TBA Criminal Justice Section Immediate Past Chair Sean Deitrick, supervisor of the Knox County Public Defenders Office's Youth Defense Unit Christina Kleiser, Williamson County Juvenile Court Judge Sharon Guffee and juvenile defense attorney Wenke West. One hour of general CLE credit is available for a $50 processing fee.

This year's Creditor's Practice Forum will be held in person Oct. 18 at 1212 Germantown, 1212 6th Ave. N., Nashville 37208. The program, which offers three general and one dual credits, will cover topics including AI and its application to law practice, charging orders and related post judgement strategies, and using contractual and statutory liens to increase likelihood of payment. The program will conclude with a "tips and tricks" session presented by bankruptcy attorneys.

Lawmakers will return for a second week of the special session after the state Senate met briefly as a full body today and then adjourned until Monday at 4 p.m. CDT, according to the Nashville Post. The House was scheduled to meet today at 3 p.m. CDT but was delayed by extended committee meetings. The leaders of the two chambers are seeking to reach a compromise on how many bills will be considered during the special session. The Senate yesterday passed four bills and closed its committees. House committees remain open. Yesterday, a bill that would have allowed more people to carry guns on school grounds failed on a tie vote in the House Education Administration Committee. Earlier in the day HB7064 had passed the House Civil Justice Committee. Local Memphis reports on that proposal.

Retired Memphis lawyer Carroll Cullen Johnson Jr. died in Virginia last week. He was 97. Born in Memphis, Johnson earned his law degree in 1952 from the University of Virginia School of Law. He began his law practice in Memphis and continued to practice there for 58 years. Johnson was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and Memphis Lawyers Journal Club. Johnson moved to Green Level Farm in Orange County, Virginia, after retiring. A memorial service was held in Orange last week.

Family, friends and supporters of Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee were in Knoxville last week for the unveiling of her official portrait at the Supreme Court Building. The event was live streamed and the archived video can be viewed on the court’s YouTube page. Lee will retire on Aug. 31. She has served as a Supreme Court justice since 2008 and previously served on the Court of Appeals. Her portrait is the first portrait of a female justice to hang inside any of the Tennessee Supreme Court's three courtrooms. Read more about the ceremony and see photos on the Administrative Office of the Court's website.

The Biden administration officially launched its new income-driven student loan repayment plan for borrowers Tuesday, The Hill reports. The official launch of the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan comes just weeks before interest will begin to accrue on student loans for the first time in more than three years. The application to participate in the program is online.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will host two in-person Essential Documents for Essential Workers clinics this Saturday. Volunteer attorneys are still needed for the clinic in Cookeville, which will be held at the Cookeville Police Department from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. Volunteers will meet with clients and enter client information into software that creates wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives. No prior experience is needed and a training session will be offered. Contact YLD District Representative Amber Vargas to help.

A group of Williamson County parents, represented by lawyer and state Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, is turning to the courts to try to remove five books from middle and high school libraries. The Tennessean reports that the group filed a petition in Williamson County Chancery Court, accusing the county's board of education of violating a state law passed in 2022 that requires school boards to review library materials and remove those deemed inappropriate for students. The board voted 8-2 during its June 19 meeting to keep the books. The parents argue that the board did not actually evaluate the five books or adopt an adequate procedure for reviewing library collections as required by the law.

Longtime Metro official Raymond Lester "Ray" Barrett died Tuesday at the age of 88. Barrett worked 52 years for the Nashville government, including as clerk and master of the Davidson County Chancery Court and administrator of elections. He was president of the Tennessee County Officials Association and later worked for the Williamson County Circuit Court. Barrett earned his law degree in 1962 from the Nashville School of Law. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. CDT Saturday at First Presbyterian Church of Franklin, 101 Legends Club Ln., Franklin 37069. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to service on Saturday at the church. Interment will be at Williamson Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Salvation Army.

The Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure has presented its annual recommendations for rules changes to the Tennessee Supreme Court, which is now soliciting comments on the proposals. This year's package includes two proposed changes to the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure: adding a comment to Rule 30 that all appellate court electronic filings are governed by Tenn. S. Ct. Rule 46 and changing Rule 31 regarding the brief and oral argument of an amicus curiae. The commission also proposed one change to the Rules of Civil Procedure, which would amend Rule 43.01 to allow witness testimony to be presented using audiovisual transmission from a remote location. Written comments on the proposed changes are due by Nov. 22. Submissions should reference Docket Number ADM2023-01208.