Members of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) joined the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands on Saturday evening to celebrate the group's 55th anniversary. TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. was in attendance at the gala — held at the historic Fisk University in Nashville — to honor LAS' dedication to justice and the progress made in the last past, as well as to inspire the work ahead. Congratulations to LAS Executive Director DarKenya W. Waller on a successful event.

A challenge to the legality of the Nashville transit referendum will go to trial Jan. 8-9, 2025, Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin announced Friday, The Tennessean reports. If the challenge is successful, the results of the referendum will be voided. Former Metro Council member Emily Evans and the Committee to Stop an UnFair Tax filed suit against the Davidson County Election Commission the day before Thanksgiving to contest the election results, which endorsed Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s $3.1 billion transit plan. The group argues that some of the plan’s projects, such as sidewalk improvements, are not allowed under the IMPROVE Act, the state law that permits local governments to impose tax increases to fund public transit systems. Before the trial, the case will return to court Dec. 20 to determine the structure of the proceedings.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) recently awarded $424,694 to West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) for it to modernize and enhance its pro bono program based on the findings of a recent planning assessment. WTLS plans to hire additional staff, integrate pro bono into core practice areas, develop clear priorities and protocols and improve volunteer engagement. It also will create a pilot project to address the region's need for re-entry legal services. The funding comes as part of a large award of more than $5.4 million to 21 legal aid organizations in 14 states. As noted in past reporting, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee (LAS) and the Cumberlands also received $73,218 from the Pro Bono Innovation Fund to conduct a six-month assessment focusing on staffing structures, integration of services, and technological enhancement to optimize pro bono legal service delivery.

Demetrius Haley, who was convicted in October of civil rights violations related to the death of Tyre Nichols, is appealing the denial of bond while he awaits sentencing on Jan. 22, 2025. The appeal was filed with the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Daily Memphian reports. Haley's attorneys argue he should be released pending sentencing because he was not convicted of a "crime of violence." In related news, the federal sentencing date for another of the five former officers charged in the Nichols case has been delayed until early next year. Emmitt Martin III, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in August, is now scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2025. He was originally set to be sentenced Dec. 5. Martin will be tried separately from the other officers because of his cooperation with prosecutors in his federal case.

A Hamilton County attorney has been charged with forgery after an investigation found he allegedly forged a judge's signature on court documents. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Alan Norton faces a felony charge of forgery and a misdemeanor charge of criminal simulation. He turned himself in at the Rhea County Jail last week after a grand jury returned an indictment Tuesday, according to a news release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). He was released on a $15,000 bond. The district attorney for Tennessee's 12th Judicial District asked the TBI to investigate allegations that the signature of a 12th District judicial chancellor had been forged. Agents identified Norton as the person responsible. According to the paper, the alleged forgery occurred on chancery court orders filed between June and September.

The Greene County Courthouse was named a recipient of a $500,000 Tennessee Historic Development Grant last week to help fund rehabilitation of the building. According to WJHL News, a release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) indicated that more than $6 million will be distributed to recipients across the state for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. The program helps communities and private developers invest in structures that contributed to a town’s history. This round of grants is expected to also leverage more than $13 million in private investment, the paper reports.

A federal judge has denied a request from criminal justice reform groups to block a law that requires public safety to be the primary consideration when setting bail, Action News 5 reports. Just City Memphis, the ACLU and other legal advocates filed a lawsuit in July challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s new bail law, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis. The law, which took effect in May, prohibits judges or judicial commissioners from considering a suspect’s "ability to pay" when setting bail. Just City argues the law violates the Constitution and a local agreement the group reached with Shelby County to reform the bail system. In November, a federal judge denied Just City’s request for a preliminary injunction.

TBA hosted its inaugural Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Law (TCAIL) Friday at the Tennessee Bankers Association Training Center in Nashville. The daylong program covered topics from AI in ethics, to the judiciary, to access to justice. AI Task Force chair A.J. Bahou kicked things off with an introduction to using AI in the practice of law, complete with real-time AI demonstrations. Bill Ramsey of Neal & Harwell, Clinton Sanko of Baker Donelson, Kyle Turner of Vanderbilt Law School, and David Wood of Prudent Jurist focused their panel discussion on practical changes that AI will bring to the practice of law. Their topics included how various technologies will enable lawyers to engage differently with technology to support client needs, how AI will transform legal research, and how tools are changing in document review and discovery. The second panel focused on AI in the courtroom and featured Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Tom Greenholtz, Circuit Judge Jimmy Turner and former judge Penny White now with the University of Tennessee (UT) College of Law. Up next, UT Law professors Ben Barton and Eliza Boles discussed AI's ramifications in the access to justice sphere, while Brian Faughnan focused his session on current and likely future ethical implications for attorneys. The day wrapped up with a session on digital evidence and AI use in public safety with Matthew Drewes, an enterprise business solutions architect for the state, and Richard Littlehale with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. See photos from the event.

A new site on Vine Street is being considered for a proposed federal courthouse in Chattanooga. According to the Chattanoogan, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced two shortlisted sites: the Hawk Hill Stadium site and the TVA site, and has added an additional location for consideration, which requires an environmental assessment (EA). The proposed courthouse would include seven courtrooms, nine chambers and 40 secured parking spaces, and would be located within the city limits of Chattanooga. The public is encouraged to submit written comments on the findings presented in the draft supplemental EA and draft "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI). Any substantive comments received by the Dec. 18 deadline will be addressed in the final EA. Information on how to submit comments can be found on the GSA website.

CSX Transportation has been ordered to stop rail cleanup efforts in the Nolichucky River Gorge until it obtains the proper permissions, according to a letter sent to the company by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Knox News reports. The company began restoring tracks shortly after Hurricane Helene damaged large portions of the key CSX rail line, but multiple environmental groups filed a lawsuit last month, alleging the work is “extremely damaging” to the river. A CSX spokesperson told the paper the company continues to work with regulators, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and TDEC, to ensure the rail lines are recovered from the river in a “safe and responsible manner.”