Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy has announced that the Shelby County Juvenile Court is piloting the separation of its juvenile delinquency docket into two: one for cases that will be settled and the other for cases that will go to trial, reports the Daily Memphian. The docket separation, which begins Monday, will mirror the dockets of the Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County Juvenile Court.

Carter County lawyer Kristi Lea Norris Johnson received a public censure today from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Clients hired Johnson in January 2016 on a car wreck matter and she filed a lawsuit on Jan. 30, 2017. The case was set for trial in 2019 and 2020 and continued each time. Johnson filed a nonsuit of the case on Dec. 1, 2021. In June 2022, the clients discovered the nonsuit and terminated the representation. The court determined that these actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 8.4(d).

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission meeting in Columbia voted to send three individuals to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration in filling a new position on the 22nd Judicial District Circuit Court. They are: Lee E. Brooks of Lewisburg, Julie C. Heffington of Columbia and P. Nicole Long of Lawrenceburg. The new position was created by the Tennessee General Assembly and will be effective on Sept. 1. The district covers Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties.

Judge Julie Canter was sworn in Monday as the interim general sessions and juvenile court judge at the Johnson County Courthouse in Mountain City, reports the Tomahawk. The Johnson County Commission voted 12-1 for Canter to replace former judge Perry Stout, whose June 15 resignation for “immoral” behavior went into effect earlier this month. Canter, a Johnson County native with 17 years of experience as an attorney and former prosecutor, will now serve until an election in 2024 to fill the remainder of the term.

Early voting is underway for the Aug. 3 election in Davidson County. Voters will cast a ballot for mayor, vice mayor, and district and at-large Metro Council seats. The special general election for state House District 52 and the Democratic and Republican primaries for state House District 51 also will be on the ballot. For those who want to vote absentee, the deadline to request a ballot is July 27. Find polling places, hours and other election information.

Sullivan County lawyer Samuel Ervin White was suspended from the practice of law on June 30 after the Tennessee Supreme Court found that he misappropriated funds for his personal use and posed a threat of substantial harm to the public. On July 6, White filed documentation with the court that he repaid the funds at issue and had brought the matter to a “complete resolution.” He asked the court on July 10 to either dissolve the suspension or provide an additional 30 days to make all required notices of the suspension. White noted that he has the three upcoming jury trials and numerous criminal defense appointments through the end of the year. The court granted the extension and directed the Board of Professional Responsibility to consider his dissolution request “with the utmost speed consistent with due process."

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday extended a monitoring agreement requirement for Shelby County lawyer Philip Logan Wyatt in conjunction with a petition for conditional admission. Wyatt now must remain in substantial compliance with an agreement from the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program until May 20, 2027.

Murders in Tennessee dropped 14.55% in 2022, while reported cases of rape and kidnapping respectively fell 10.6% and 11.98% from 2021, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's latest annual "Crime in Tennessee" report. However, the report, which is based on annual crime statistics submitted by state and local law enforcement agencies, showed that motor vehicle thefts rose 26.91% and reports of identity theft grew 25.55% from 2021 to 2022. The TBI also says the number of crime victims also rose last year by 1.08% to 346,362. The Times Free Press has more on the report’s findings. Read the full report.

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and its Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts (VLPA) program will hold a pro bono clinic on Aug. 2 for those needing legal advice on issues surrounding their creative practice. The free 30-minute in-person appointments are available to income-qualified artists, musicians, creatives and arts organizations in the state. The clinic will run from 6-8 p.m. CDT at the East Park Community Center. Those who would like to participate should register by July 26. To volunteer at the clinic email vlpa@abcnashville.org.

Gov. Bill Lee formally opened the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center in Roan Mountain on Wednesday, saying it should be "a model for what could happen in other communities across the state,” reports WCYB News. The site was formerly the Center Carter County Work Camp, part of the Northeast Correctional Center. The new facility was funded by a multi-million-dollar settlement of a 2017 lawsuit filed by Branstetter, Stranch and Jennings against pharmaceutical companies under the Tennessee Drug Dealer Liability Act. Read the previous story in TBA Today.