Federal judges may address “illegitimate forms of criticism and attacks,” according to a new advisory ethics opinion from the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Committee on Codes of Conduct. According to the ABA Journal, Opinion No. 118 states that federal judges may publicly oppose the “persecution of lawyers and judges” but need to “favor reasoned discourse and respectful language over demeaning rhetoric or acerbic criticism.” The opinion also states that judges may make public statements about the need for judicial security, independence of the judiciary or the rule of law in general, including why these values are crucial to our system of government. The opinion concludes with this warning: “With respect to some particularly controversial topics, judges should be mindful that simply addressing certain topics might be viewed as taking a partisan position or reflecting a lack of impartiality.”

Nashville attorney Joseph “Joe” Micajah Boyd Jr. died Feb. 10 at 97. Raised on a farm in Dyer County, Boyd served on active duty in the U.S. Navy before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 1956 and returning to Dyersburg to practice law. He served as chair of the Dyer County Election Commission and as the first director of the Dyersburg Housing Authority, where he advocated for equality and civil rights during desegregation. In 1991, he was appointed district attorney general for the 29th Judicial District, a role he held for nearly two years. He moved to Nashville in 1993 to become general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health, where he served until his retirement. Boyd was buried in a private ceremony Feb. 13 at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. CST Feb. 28, at Belmont United Methodist Church, 2007 Acklen Ave., Nashville 37212. Donations may be made to Operation Stand Down Tennessee or Belmont United Methodist Church.

As part of its ongoing effort to gather feedback from Tennessee attorneys on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Sept. 16 order seeking public comment on seven areas of potential regulatory changes to the legal profession, the TBA’s Legal Access and Regulatory Reform Task Force is hosting a series of virtual town halls. Thursday's event will start at noon CDT and will focus on whether the court should consider modifying requirements for admission to the Tennessee Bar for those licensed in other states to promote interstate practice and mobility. There is no cost to attend but registration is required to receive the meeting link. Attorneys also are encouraged to review the TBA’s Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page before attending.

Join members of the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee for a live interactive roundtable on how best to manage work-life balance as a legal professional. This 45-minute Zoom event on March 25 at 12:30 p.m. CDT will feature attorneys discussing their day-to-day practice and provide effective tools for personal well-being. While geared toward law students and young lawyers, this free event is open to all TBA members, but registration is required. Questions and feedback are encouraged. Submit questions in advance to jword@tnbar.org.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division's Mock Trial Committee is seeking attorneys to serve as volunteers for Round 4 at the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place on Saturday, March 21, in Nashville from 12:30-2:30 p.m. CDT.  Teams will argue the criminal case of State of Tennessee v. Alex Callahan. The problem, rules and other competition information can be found on the TBA website. Those interested in helping at the state competition should indicate availability using this form.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is continuing its program to address the critical shortage of attorneys in rural Tennessee counties, while providing law students an opportunity for meaningful and enriching clerkship experiences. The Rural Judicial Fellowship (RJF) will give six rising 2L, 3L or 4L law students attending Tennessee law schools the opportunity to spend six weeks of the summer as a judicial law clerk in a legal community in rural Tennessee. The program will provide a $1,000 stipend and the opportunity to work directly with judges, gaining practical legal experience and fostering connections in underserved areas. Fellows also will be invited to attend the TBA's Annual Convention in June. View a flyer and access the application for more information. The deadline to apply is Feb. 27.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Feb. 20 suspended 71 attorneys who did not pay the annual professional privilege tax as required. The attorneys include those living in Tennessee as well as 11 other states. View the order or see the list with reinstatements noted. Access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is discontinuing gender-related surgeries for transgender adults, the Tennessean reports. The hospital cited “operational limitations and lack of surgical coverage” for ending one of its few remaining medical services for transgender patients. It will continue nonsurgical gender care for adults 19 and older. Vanderbilt’s transgender health clinic was at the center of a legal battle in 2023 over the release of patient medical records. The Tennessee attorney general’s office opened an investigation into the clinic’s comprehensive health records, and patients later sued Vanderbilt for sharing detailed records with the office, settling with the hospital last September.

The Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center could soon be governed and operated by Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin, Knox News reports. Knox County commissioners are scheduled to vote Feb. 25 on whether to place Irwin in charge. If approved, a final vote would be required in March. Irwin said he is prepared to take on the added responsibility with the support of newly trained staff. Under the proposal, Irwin would be accountable to an advisory board of experts he appoints, along with members selected by the county mayor and the chair of the Knox County Commission. The move follows improvements at the facility, which was certified Feb. 10 by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for the first time in three years.

Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals announced Friday that he plans to take senior status beginning Oct. 1, Bloomberg Law reports. Sutton, who has served on the court since his 2003 appointment by President George W. Bush and became chief judge in 2021, has presided over major cases that later reached the U.S. Supreme Court and authored notable opinions addressing the Affordable Care Act and same-sex marriage bans. Before joining the bench, Sutton worked at Jones Day and served as Ohio’s solicitor general from 1995 to 1998. Trump now will have the opportunity to nominate a successor to the life-tenured seat, subject to Senate confirmation. The 6th Circuit covers the states of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee and is based in Cincinnati.