The Johnson County Commission on Thursday accepted the resignation of Judge Perry Stout for what he called “immoral” acts, WJHL reports. But Stout told commissioners he hopes to return to the bench, planning to run again in 2024. Stout serves as a general sessions and juvenile court judge. He self-reported an incident in January involving “court staff.” County Mayor Larry Potter said the incident involved “an elected official and a county employee.” During a commission meeting this week, Stout said he did not break any laws but said it was best that he step aside. “All acts were consensual with a woman twice the age of consent,” he told the panel. The commission will appoint someone until the next election.

YWCA Nashville will hold a virtual conversation with academics, community leaders and advocates on June 28 to discuss what the Second Amendment was created to protect. The event, part of the group’s Stand Against Injustice webinar series, will offer unique perspectives on America’s relationship to gun rights and the Second Amendment in advance of the General Assembly’s special session to consider gun safety in the state. Register here for the free event.

Memphis lawyer Jim Barry has been sworn into office as the 143rd president of the Tennessee Bar Association. The oath of office was administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Bivins during the TBA’s Annual Lawyers Lunch. Barry, who is retired from International Paper, highlighted his plans for the coming bar year, including a new housing subcommittee of the Access to Justice Committee to focus on evictions and affordable housing, an effort to expand the pool of attorneys in the state willing to do pro bono work, a new initiative to provide safe options for pets of domestic violence victims and an effort to keep lawyers engaged with the bar as they transition to retirement. He also pledged to continue several initiatives started by predecessors, including the Women in the Profession Committee, the Court Square CLE series, legislative advocacy to increase pay for indigent representation and eliminate the professional privilege tax, and the TBA book club, with the first book to be Beale Street Dynasty by Preston Lauterbach. Finally, Barry announced that the TBA would be traveling to Ireland in May 2024. Those interested in learning more about the trip can sign up here for updates. See photos from the event.

Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who became infamous for leaking the Pentagon Papers to news outlets in 1971, has died, according to his family. He was 92 years old. As a military analyst working on a Pentagon project in 1971, Ellsberg chose to release to the public an extensive, documentary record of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Known as the "Pentagon Papers," Ellsberg's mammoth disclosure helped end the longest U.S. war of the 20th century. Read the obituary from NPR.

State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office has engaged external attorneys to help defend at least one federal lawsuit. The Tennessean reports that Cameron Norris with Virginia law firm Consovoy McCarthy PLLC, and Adam Mortara with Nashville-based Lawfair LLC are now representing Tennessee in an ongoing lawsuit against the state's new law banning gender transition treatments for minors. The attorneys, and any other attorneys at their firm, have been engaged at a $400 hourly rate, with a $100 hourly rate allotted for any non-attorney staff who may bill hours, according to documents obtained by The Tennessean.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators held the first of four town halls on Thursday in Hamilton County. The Chattanoogan reports that the lawmakers answered questions about new third-grade testing requirements, juvenile justice and marijuana. Next, caucus members will travel to Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, was joined Thursday by caucus members and Memphis Democrats Sen. Raumesh Akbari, Rep. Joe Towns, Rep. Antonio Parkinson and Rep. Jesse Chism, as well as caucus Chair Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville. The Black Caucus is a nonpartisan group, though there have been no Republican members join yet, Akbari said Thursday.

The White House announced this week that several ticket brokers, including Live Nation, will be changing their ticketing policies to disclose fees upfront, Axios reports. In addition, Ticketmaster will add a feature to give consumers the option to receive all-in upfront pricing for tickets sold on the platform, and Seat Geek has committed to all-in pricing features this summer. The announcement comes after Tennessee passed first-of-its-kind legislation to ensure ticket brokers disclose fees in advertised prices. Those requirements go into effect on July 1.

At today’s Lawyers Luncheon, outgoing TBA President Tasha Blakney presented a number of awards. Chattanooga lawyer Russell Fowler received the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing for two voting-related articles in the March/April 2022 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal. Rutherford County attorney Mary Bonita Tucker received the Fourth Annual Claudia Jack Award for her work as a court-appointed private practitioner for involuntary commitment proceedings. Blakney presented her President’s Award to Knoxville lawyer and former TBA President Jason Long, who chaired the search committee responsible for hiring TBA’s new executive director Sheree Wright. In addition, Nashville lawyer and TBA Communications Section member Jay Harbison presented the Fourth Estate Award to Elk Valley Times general manager and editor Lora Scripps and reporter Wanda Southerland for their reporting on Jack Daniels' exemptions from regulations while locals complained about a “whiskey fungus” created by unregulated barrel houses. Finally, former TBA President Buck Lewis presented Knoxville attorney and University of Tennessee College of Law Dean and Professor Emeritus Douglas A. Blaze with the William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award from the TBA Young Lawyers Division Fellows. See photos from today's event.

Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, have both won their special primary elections after being ousted from the state House of Representatives in April for their roles in gun violence protests. WKRN caught up with Jones after he voted. “Quite frankly, it’s a waste of taxpayer money," Jones said. "But it is part of the process to undo what happened on April 6th.” The general election will be held in August.

The TBA offices will be closed Monday for Juneteenth, a federal and state holiday in the United States commemorating emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The TBA will reopen on Tuesday.