Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin on Monday ruled that Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's transit plan could go forward. Voters approved the $3.1 billion plan nearly two-to-one in November. The Tennessean reports that the plan outlines major changes to the city’s bus systems, sidewalks and traffic signals over several years, funded by a sales tax increase from 9.25% to 9.75% and other sources like grants. Former Metro Council member Emily Evans and the opposition group she formed, Committee to Stop an UnFair Tax, had filed the lawsuit to block the plan and its accompanying half-cent-per-dollar sales tax before the tax increase goes into effect Feb. 1.

The Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth recently released its 2024 annual report, which finds the average cost of infant child care centers in Tennessee — at just over $13,000 per year — is now higher than in-state tuition at almost all of the state's public universities. That figure has steadily increased over the past five years, as has Tennessee's child poverty rate, despite a slight decline in child poverty nationwide. The study also found that more than half of Tennessee’s children are covered by TennCare; that since 2017, all measures of suicidal ideation have increased among Tennessee high school students; and that from April 2023 to March 2024, Tennessee had 5,026 children enter foster care, a rate of 3.20 per 1,000. Access the full report and data highlights here.

A three-judge panel from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that Tennessee's new age verification law — which requires websites with content deemed "harmful to minors" to verify the age of each user — can take effect while a legal challenge to it continues. The decision overturns Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl Lipman's decision in early January to block the law, citing free speech protections. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti released a statement in response, saying, “We’re glad that the unanimously-passed Protect Tennessee Minors Act remains in effect while this case proceeds ... [T]his law seeks to stem the flow of toxic content to kids and keep adult websites adults-only.” The Associated Press has the story.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law recently announced the development and funding of the David Pickler Dean’s Professorship at the law school, thanks to a donation of $250,000 from law school alumnus and Memphis-area attorney David Pickler. The gift will be 100% matched by the University of Memphis through a grant received from the state of Tennessee as part of Gov. Bill Lee’s efforts to support the retention of the University of Memphis’ Carnegie R-1 designation. According to a press release from the law school, the $500,000 endowment will allow the school and the dean to support both students and faculty, and presents the dean with additional funds necessary to assist with priority items throughout the year, in perpetuity.

Newly appointed 22nd Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Jessica Parrish, who was sworn in Aug. 5, 2024, describes herself as a reader and analytical thinker since childhood. Although those are great traits for the legal profession, she had no idea what she wanted to pursue until attending a summer school program. “I went to Junior Statesmen of America Summer School when I was in high school,” says Parrish. “I got to go to the capitol, the embassy and take government classes at Georgetown University. I remember coming home and telling my family ‘I think I want to become a lawyer.’” From that point forward, she was headed straight to law school. Parrish succeeds retired Circuit Court Judge David Allen. Read more about her career in this profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The Knoxville City Council approved a $27.6 million expansion of its police surveillance contract last week, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The agreement extends the Knoxville Police Department’s partnership with Axon Enterprises for the next decade. Axon currently provides the department with body cameras and taser equipment. The new proposal includes expanding the agreement to incorporate a records management system, services to support the department's new Real Time Information Center and additional citywide cameras. It also will include adoption of Axon’s Fusus software, which, according to the company, integrates various data sources, allowing officers to stream video monitoring, respond to incidents more efficiently, and share real-time updates with other first responders. The city council approved the contract by a 7-2 vote, a month after Nashville rejected a similar proposal.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with a group of state co-plaintiffs, has expanded an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage Inc. to six more of the nation’s largest landlords. According to the Nashville Business Journal, the expanded case accuses all of the companies of harming renters. The complaint alleges the landlords "actively participated in a scheme" to set rents based on each other’s competitively sensitive information through shared pricing algorithms. At least two of the landlords named in the complaint deny the allegations and plan to defend against the claims. Tennessee had joined the original federal antitrust lawsuit against RealPage in August.

KPMG, a global network of independent firms offering audit, tax and advisory services, is seeking to launch a new legal services business in the United States, leveraging the relaxed law firm ownership rules in Arizona, according to Reuters. KPMG Law US, a subsidiary of KPMG US, has applied to the Arizona Supreme Court to operate as an alternative business structure under a state program that allows non-lawyers to co-own law firms. The Arizona location would offer compliance, contract-related services and other outsourced legal work. A committee will review the application at a meeting tomorrow. If approved, the application then will go to the court for final approval. In 2020, Arizona became the first state to lift restrictions on non-lawyers owning an economic interest in law firms, allowing co-ownership with court approval. Since 2021, the Arizona court has approved more than 100 alternative legal business structures.

Free Legal Answers, the American Bar Association's (ABA) virtual legal clinic program, has surpassed 400,000 total questions answered since its inception in 2016. In 2024, the program provided over 16,500 hours of pro bono service, assisting with family law, housing, consumer rights, employment and civil rights questions. The program, which has over 15,000 registered volunteers and is available in 42 states and territories, allows eligible users to post questions and receive answers to civil legal issues. Baker Donelson created and continues to maintain the portal in collaboration with the ABA. Originally launched in 2009 as Online Tennessee Justice to serve low-income individuals, the initiative has expanded into a nationwide program under the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. See the most recent program report for more information. 

Those interested in serving on the TBA Board of Governors or House of Delegates, or as a TBA delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates, should apply by the end of the day this Wednesday, Jan. 15. Open positions include TBA's vice president (must be from middle Tennessee this year); district governors in two districts and grand division governors on the TBA Board; certain members of the TBA House of Delegates; and two Tennessee representatives to the ABA House of Delegates, one of whom must be a young lawyer. The 2025 Election Notice has more information on the open positions, including the qualifications for each and the process for applying. Questions? Visit the TBA’s election guidelines webpage.