Make plans now to attend the annual TBA Health Law Primer and Health Law Forum CLE programs to be held in Nashville in November. The primer will take place Nov. 1 followed by the forum on Nov. 2-3. Designed for those new to health practice, the primer will provide an introduction to the U.S. health care system, issues of fraud and abuse, provider licensing and employment and contracting. The two-day forum will dig deeper into topics such as The False Claims Act, telehealth, antitrust, artificial intelligence and legislative developments. A block of hotel rooms is reserved for those traveling to the event. Get details at the links above.

Nashville mayoral candidate Alice Rolli announced Monday she would no longer employ McShane, a campaign consultant firm, after she found it had "more than a strong connection to the Proud Boys" militia group, reports the Tennessean. Rolli's campaign had paid the Las Vegas-based firm over $250,000 since March, according to finance records. Woodrow Johnston, a senior vice president for McShane, resigned from the campaign on Saturday but disputed Rolli's portrayal of the separation, claiming they disagreed on the direction of the campaign.

A judicial reform advocacy group filed a misconduct complaint on Tuesday against a Texas federal judge for requiring three attorneys for Southwest Airlines to attend "religious liberty training," reports Reuters. Fix the Court accused U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr of violating the judicial code of conduct by assigning Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group not involved in the case, to carry out attorney sanctions related to a religious bias case brought by a flight attendant against the airline.

The Tullahoma City School District today removed a disciplinary action from the record of a high school student who had been suspended for memes he shared on his personal Instagram account during vacation, reports the Tennessean. The action comes two months after the student filed a lawsuit against the school district and two administrators for First Amendment violations. The district also removed two student handbook policies challenged in the lawsuit. The student’s lawsuit is still pending.

Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, have proposed a resolution that names “irresponsible and sensationalistic” reporting practices as a major factor in the recent rise in mass gun violence across the country, the Commercial Appeal reports. The resolution calls on the media to change its coverage of mass shootings and “prioritizing coverage” of heroics “of any law enforcement, first responders or bystanders.” The proposal has been criticized by First Amendment advocates for the potential harm of limiting coverage on an issue that poses a danger to the public.

The 20th annual TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) program has launched their annual call for nominations for the 2024 class. Nominees should have from 5 to 15 years of experience in practice. Nominations are due Oct. 2. Last year, 33 lawyers from across the state were accepted into the program. TBALL programming will kick off in January 2024 with an opening retreat at Henry Horton State Park and end in June with class commencement during the TBA Annual Convention in Memphis. Read more about the program here or contact Paul Burch for more information.

A Davidson County jury on Friday found a former security guard not guilty of murder in a fatal shooting outside a Nashville restaurant where he was working, reports the Associated Press. Nathan Glass faced an indictment for second-degree murder in the death of Deangelo Knox, who was engaged in a shootout outside the Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden. Prosecutors argued that Knox was fleeing assailants who were firing on him. Glass’s attorneys contended he was protecting himself and patrons when Knox turned toward the restaurant holding a gun. A lawsuit filed by Knox’s family against Glass was settled privately. Glass had been admitted to the police academy prior to the shooting. His entry into the program was paused during the investigation. He resigned in 2021.

Save the date for the Juvenile & Children's Law Forum to be held via Zoom on Oct. 27. This program is designed for newer Juvenile & Children's Law practitioners and will feature topics such as adverse childhood experiences and secondary trauma, guardian ad litem basics and neglect actions, guardian ad litem work in termination of parental rights cases, and much more. Visit the course page to register.

Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile announced yesterday he has drafted legislation that would make any threat of violence against four or more people a felony, reports the Tennessean. Threats would include the use of firearms, vehicles, a bomb or other weapon. Penalties would be increased for threats against schools, churches, government buildings or other locations where 250 or more people gather daily. Currently, a threat of mass violence at a school is a misdemeanor offense. Haile plans to file the bill during the Tennessee General Assembly’s upcoming special session.

Retired NFL star Michael Oher, whose supposed adoption out of poverty by a wealthy, white family was immortalized in the 2009 movie "The Blind Side," told a Tennessee court last week that a central element of the story was a lie concocted by the family to enrich itself at his expense. The 14-page petition, filed in Shelby County Probate Court, alleges that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who took Oher into their home as a high school student, never adopted him. Instead, the petition says, the couple tricked him into signing a document making them his conservators, which gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name, including millions of dollars from the movie. Oher is now petitioning the court to end the conservatorship and bar the Tuohy family from using his name and likeness. ESPN has more on the story. The Daily Memphian reports that Sean Tuohy responded to the allegations saying, “We’re devastated. It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.” Asked if he would support ending the conservatorship, Tuohy said, “Of course. I want whatever Michael wants.”