The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Service (TALS) has announced a new grant partnership with the Tennessee Department of Human Services to provide more access to free, civil legal services for families and children throughout Tennessee, reports Channel 9 in Chattanooga. The new statewide network, Family Centered Legal Solutions (FCLS), will reach out to all 95 counties in Tennessee to help identify and address the core legal issues that often lead to poverty and family instability. Families with children can access the FCLS’s free legal services either by calling the helpline at 1-844-HELP4TN or by contacting the legal aid firm in their area.

The City of Memphis, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis and other defendants in a $550 million civil case filed in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols joined attorneys for Nichols' mother Wednesday in opposing recent motions filed by former Memphis police officers to pause the civil proceedings, reports the Commercial Appeal. In June, TBA Today reported that attorneys for four former officers are requesting that the civil lawsuit filed by Nichols’ family be halted until the criminal case is finished. In their motions, attorneys claimed that the civil case could be prejudicial to the criminal case.

The Justice Department filed notice of appeal Wednesday regarding a federal court ruling that would limit the Biden administration’s communication with social media companies, reports The Hill. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of Louisiana directed the Biden administration to limit contact with social media companies. The appeal will go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals which based in New Orleans. A Justice Department official said the agency expects to request a stay of the district court’s decision. Read more about the ruling. 

If you missed "Accounting 101: An Attorney’s Crash Course in Understanding Financial Documents" this past spring, join us next Friday for a replay of the webcast. The program, airing at noon CDT, will cover the essential principles of accounting that attorneys should know, including how accounting can be crucial to certain cases, how to read and understand key financial documents, how to know which financial questions you should be asking your clients, and which documents you need from your clients or opposing counsel.

Former state Sen. Roy Herron was injured on Saturday during a jet ski accident at Kentucky Lake, WBBJ-TV reports. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which responded to the incident, said it is investigating the crash of two personal watercraft. Herron apparently was riding with another person, who also was seriously injured. Both were airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. According to WSMV-TV, Herron’s family says he has broken bones, internal bleeding and a badly injured arm, but is improving. Herron, a Democrat, was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1986. He was elected to the Senate in 1996 and served through 2012. Since retiring from the legislature, he has been practicing law in Dresden.

Chancellor Jeff Atherton today upheld a contract between Hamilton County Attorney Rheubin Taylor and the County Commission that extended his term until 2025, the Chattanoogan reports. County Mayor Weston Wamp had earlier tried to fire Taylor and said he was "disappointed by the court’s ruling" and believes "this high-profile case should have been handled outside Hamilton County by a judge who does not personally know the parties."

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is offering free “Baby in the Back” hangtags to remind parents and caregivers that there is a baby in the back seat. The effort is designed to prevent heat-related child deaths by reminding drivers there is a child in the car before they leave the vehicle unattended. Sign up online to receive a hangtag. For questions about the program email communications.sos@tn.gov.

Knox County lawyer James Edward Foglesong was permanently disbarred from the practice of law today. The Tennessee Supreme Court reported that Foglesong consented to disbarment because he could not successfully defend himself against pending disciplinary charges. The court found that Foglesong continued to accept and deposit a client’s pension checks after the client died. He also used his power of attorney to withdraw funds for his own use for five years. His conduct was determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 and 8.4(b). Foglesong pled guilty to a class D felony theft in April and received judicial diversion. He has been suspended since March 15, 2021, for failing to pay the state professional privilege tax.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance recently gave former state Senate candidate Gary Humble extra time to provide proof that his campaign did not coordinate illegally with Tennessee Stands, a nonprofit entity he controls. Humble now has until October to provide documentation on contributions and spending by his campaign, Tennessee Lookout reports. Registry members subpoenaed Humble’s information in January after opening an audit of the campaign in 2022. He was supposed to have provided the information by March. Humble barely lost to Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson in the 2022 Republican primary. He has denied that he coordinated with Tennessee Stands. Shortly after the registry’s extension, a Humble supporter filed a complaint against Johnson alleging he engaged in illegal coordination with three groups.

“Winning in Your Own Court: 10 Laws for a Successful Career without Burning Out or Selling Out” looks at how attorneys can find or design a new career. Authored by Dena Lefkowitz and published by the American Bar Association, the book is designed to help readers who want to change directions or give their career a tune-up. It shows readers how to assess where they are, determine what needs to change to get where they want to be, and create a plan to get there. The book recently was recognized as a 2023 award winner by Nautilus, an organization that honors books that support conscious living, green values, wellness, social change, social justice and spiritual growth. Read more from the ABA.