The Tennessee Department of Revenue will hold a free webinar Tuesday at 9 a.m. CDT for people interested in learning more about the state's business tax for contractors. The session will cover business tax and licensing for in-state and out-out-state contractors. The webinar is one in a series of educational sessions held by the department each month. Learn more or register.

Memphis lawyer Edward J. "Ed" McKenney Jr. with Harris|Shelton|Hanover|Walsh has received the 2023 Distinguished Municipal Attorney Award from the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association. Award recipients are selected by the association’s membership. McKenney has been with the firm since 1979, focusing his practice on municipal law, employment law defense, education law, business litigation, personal injury and contract disputes. He is a former president and longstanding member of the association.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Mary Wagner has dismissed Alicia Franklin's lawsuit against the city of Memphis. The suit claimed the police department could have prevented the kidnapping and killing of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher if it had adequately investigated Franklin's rape allegation a year earlier. Wagner relied on the state’s “Public Duty Doctrine,” which protects government employees from being sued for their actions or inactions, the Commercial Appeal reports. Franklin alleges that she was raped by Cleotha Henderson (also known as Abston) in September 2021. Her rape kit was tested a year later only after Henderson’s DNA was identified in connection with Fletcher’s death. Days after he was arrested in the Fletcher case, Henderson was indicted for abducting and raping Franklin.

The Nashville Metro Planning Department today released two possible redistricting maps to satisfy legislation that requires Davidson County’s 40-member Metro Council to cut back to 20 members. One option would seat 17 district councilmembers with three countywide at-large representatives, while the other would seat 15 district council members with five at-large representatives. A public hearing on the proposals will be held April 4, according to the Nashville Post. While continuing to work toward a solution, the metro government has asked the courts for a temporary injunction, arguing the law is unconstitutional and requires unrealistic deadlines.

State Sen. Raumesh Akbari and Rep. GA Hardaway, Democrats from Memphis, have introduced legislation to create a pilot program that would allow juvenile court judges in Davidson and Shelby counties to keep someone in the juvenile court system until they are 24. The legislation is supported by Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon, who says extending jurisdiction to those in their mid-20s would provide greater opportunities for rehabilitation. Sugarmon’s predecessor, Dan Michael, unsuccessfully tried to convince the state legislature to increase the age to 25. Action News 5 has the story.

A federal judge in Nashville has granted a preliminary injunction ordering Tennessee’s Judicial Advisory Commission to open its meetings to the public, Chattanoogan.com reports. Dan McCaleb, executive editor of the online news organization The Center Square, filed a suit last year to open the meetings. He argued that the First Amendment right of press access to government meetings applies to the commission’s meetings, which had been closed to the public and press. In the ruling, Judge Eli Richardson wrote that the Administrative Office of the Courts must open the meetings to the public either by livestreaming or by allowing in-person attendance. The Tennessee Supreme Court established the commission to recommend court rules of practice and procedure.

Franklin lawyer and TBA Senior Counselor Frank Calvin Ingraham died March 20. A 1954 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Ingraham built a litigation practice representing individuals and corporation and was also a founding member of the American Trial Lawyers Foundation. He retired from the practice of law in 2014. Visitation will be held April 15 at 10 a.m., followed by a celebration of life at 11 a.m. CDT. A time of fellowship will be held after the service. All events will take place at the Church of The City, 828 Murfreesboro Rd., Franklin 37064. A private burial will be held at his longtime residence, Tap Root Farm. Donations may be made to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home or The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Following former state Sen. Brian Kelsey’s request to withdraw his guilty plea in a federal campaign finance case, the judge overseeing the matter has canceled a sentencing hearing set for March 28. The prosecution now has an April 14 deadline to respond to Kelsey's motion to withdraw his plea, the Tennessean reports. Kelsey's co-defendant, Joshua Smith, asked the court to delay his sentencing as well while the Kelsey situation is decided. The judge agreed to postpone that hearing as well.

The Tennessean looks at the week in politics with updates on legislation that would lower open gun carry age limits from 21 to 18; a Senate panel’s rejection of a bill that would require adult cabaret performers to obtain work permits; the outlook for a measure that would block insurance companies from contracting with TennCare if they cover gender transition care; and Senate support for making Juneteenth an official state holiday. A number of bills also are likely dead for the year. The Jackson Sun reports on the fate of a bill that would have moved foreclosure advertisements from newspapers to a state-owned website. WPLN reports on the effort to eliminate the state Commission on Children and Youth. And WKRN looks at a bill that would have authorized the legislature to nullify any “unconstitutional federal action."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee told Nashville's business leaders this week that is he is focused on the state’s growth and putting "dollars back in the hands of people." Speaking at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce's Annual Governor's Address, Lee mostly side-stepped the ongoing feud between state and local political leaders, according to the Tennessean. He lamented the “very toxic political world” and reiterated his priorities of maintaining low taxes, enhancing job-training programs, increasing transportation infrastructure and offering more K-12 educational opportunities.