The Supreme Court voted 5-4 on Tuesday to put on hold a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that invalidated regulation of “ghost gun” kits, the Associated Press reports. Justice Alito had previously put a one-week hold on the ruling. The new rule, issued last year, changed the definition of a firearm under federal law to include unfinished parts. Firearms made with ghost gun kits do not have serial numbers and have been increasingly found at crime scenes across the nation. The regulation will remain in effect while the Biden administration appeals the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

In a presentencing report filed on Friday, prosecutors called for former state senator Brian Kelsey to serve 41 months in federal prison for his conviction of two felonies stemming from a campaign finance scheme connected to his failed 2016 congressional bid, reports the Tennessean. The report cites Kelsey's "troubling lack of respect for the law and the public good." Kelsey is scheduled to be sentenced next Friday. An initial sentencing date was called off after Kelsey attempted to revoke his 2022 guilty plea. A federal judge declined to allow him to change his plea.

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan announced last Thursday at a judicial conference in Portland that she supports an ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court, reports Associated Press. Kagan said her opinion was not a response to fellow Justice Samuel Alito’s recent editorial for the Wall Street Journal related to ethics concerns in the court, and there was no consensus yet among the justices on how to proceed. “It’s not a secret for me to say that we have been discussing this issue,” said Kagan. “And it won’t be a surprise to know that the nine of us have a variety of views about this.”

Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Police Chief John Drake announced last Thursday at a press conference that they plan to place full-time resource officers on the city’s elementary school campuses as soon as possible, reports the Tennessean. Drake said officers assigned to school would wear uniforms similar to bike patrol officers and would be trained on best practices for dealing with young children. Despite pushback against officers in elementary schools from public school leaders, Cooper said the long-term goal is to put at least one full-time officer on every MNPS campus.

A new report compiled by the Nashville Community Oversight Board shows Nashville police are more likely to use excessive force when interacting with Black and Hispanic people. Using data from 2018-2022, the 43-page document found that Black people are three times more likely to have a gun drawn on them by police than white people. In school settings, 96% of students who had force used against them by a school resource officer were Black.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will host two in-person Essential Documents for Essential Workers (EDEW) clinics on Aug. 26. One will be held at the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office located at 940 New Salem Highway, Murfreesboro, 37129 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. CDT. Volunteer attorneys are needed to meet with clients and enter clients’ information into software which will create the wills. No prior experience is needed. There will be a virtual training session for volunteers prior to the event. Contact YLD District Representative Morgan Hanna to sign up to volunteer and for any questions. The second will be from 9 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CDT at the Cookeville Police Department located at 1019 Neal Street, Cookeville, TN 38501. The EDEW program offers free wills, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives to essential workers and their spouses. Volunteer attorneys, notaries and witnesses are needed. You do not have to volunteer for the entire clinic. Contact YLD District Representative Amber Vargas to sign up or ask questions.

The American Academy of Appellate Lawyers will hold its bi-annual meeting Oct. 12-14 at the Lowes Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville. The meetings offers programming combined with social events. Visit the website for information on future events and how to become a fellow.

Make plans now to join the TBA for the 2023 Animal Law Forum, set for Sept. 22 at the Nashville Zoo. This annual favorite will feature topics relevant to several practice areas, including general ethics, pets in divorce, veterinarian liability, crimes against animals, conservation and more. Breakfast, lunch and zoo admission are included, with an extended lunch break in the savannah and an optional walk around the zoo.

The mother of a Covenant School shooting victim has released a video ad for the nonprofit "Voices for a Safer Tennessee," calling on state lawmakers to pass meaningful gun reform in the upcoming special session. In the video, Katy Dieckhaus says that her nine-year-old daughter, Evelyn, lost her life because "a troubled person" had easy access to firearms. The ad is part of a statewide public education campaign launched by the nonpartisan nonprofit, which is advocating for temporarily restricting gun access for people who pose a danger to themselves or others, closing background check loopholes and adding new gun storage requirements. Axios Nashville has more on the story.

The Memphis Lawyers’ Chapter of the Federalist Society will host an in-person luncheon event on Aug. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT at the Majestic Grille, 145 S Main St. in Memphis. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Attendees will hear from Matthew Rice, associate solicitor general and special assistant to the solicitor general in the Tennessee Attorney General's Office, who will present a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court update. Those interested in attending may register online or contact Greg Grisham, 901-333-2076.