Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, along with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, have announced that Florida, New York and the District of Columbia have joined the multistate coalition suing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The suit, filed in January, argues that the NCAA is violating federal antitrust laws with its anticompetitive restrictions on the ability of current and future student-athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). Read more in a release from the attorney general’s office.

Shelby County Juvenile Court is now closed indefinitely while asbestos, mold and lead issues are abated, the Daily Memphian reports. County officials discovered the hazards last week, according to Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon. Although he has not viewed test results, Sugarmon said he was informed last week that asbestos was located in the building’s boiler room. Mold was also discovered and lead was located in a few stairwells. There is no timeline for opening the building. Court staff members are conducting most proceedings and administrative work virtually. Court proceedings that cannot be handled virtually have been rescheduled. In a separate report from the paper, Sugarmon said the court is looking for temporary space.

Today is Law Day, a time set aside to reflect on and celebrate the rule of law as America’s founding principle. In a statement issued today, American Bar Association (ABA) President Mary Smith writes that Law Day has never been more important. “Today, we are at an inflection point regarding the rule of law. At home and around the globe, autocrats threaten its very existence. American democracy is under strain, and we must all use our voices to maintain our system of laws and ensure that our democracy — as conceived — endures.” She calls on lawyers to help promote a renewed nationwide focus on civics education, the principles of democracy, the rule of law and basic human rights.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has won its bid to toss a proposed class action over a 2023 data breach that exposed the personal information of about 1.5 million lawyers and others. Reuters reports that a New York federal judge granted the group's motion to dismiss the case, finding the plaintiffs did not provide enough evidence to support their claims. The ABA announced last year that an unauthorized third party penetrated its network and took user names and passwords for online accounts used to access an old ABA website and its career center prior to 2018.

Bradley County Juvenile Court has been selected by the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts as a new site for a Safe Baby Court, Chattanoogan.com reports. The expansion of the concept is part of the state's ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of infants, toddlers and families, officials said. Safe Baby Courts focus on building a multidisciplinary team, including judges, attorneys, child welfare workers, mental health providers and early childhood specialists, that works collaboratively to develop individualized plans that address the needs of families involved in the court system. The program emphasizes trauma-informed care, early intervention and prevention strategies.

After 22 years of teaching judges, Tennessee Senior Judge Don Ash will retire as a regular faculty member at the National Judicial College, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. Ash, who joined the judicial college faculty in 2001, has taught nearly 1,500 judges from around the country and world and 50 courses, including ethics, case management and managing self-represented litigants. He first attended the judicial college in 1995, later earning a master’s degree in judicial studies through the college and the University of Nevada. His thesis focused on custody issues. Based on that research, he worked with the General Assembly to change the laws in Tennessee. His legacy will continue on following his retirement as Ash has set up a scholarship to the college for Tennessee judges. Read tributes from his colleagues.

Environmental groups have filed suit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over its approval of a pipeline that will supply methane gas to a new Tennessee Valley Authority power plant near Clarksville. Tennessee Lookout reports that the Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to set aside the federal agency’s January order approving the 32-mile pipeline through Dickson, Houston and Stewart counties. The groups, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, argue that the pipeline poses avoidable risks to the communities and natural resources that lie in its path.

Jeanne Bigham Heaton has been named the new executive director of the Nashville Bar Association. She will begin her duties on May 20. Heaton is a lawyer who served as the director of continuing legal education for the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) for more than 17 years. In that role, she directed the association’s CLE program, working with more than 50 sections and committees. She also represented the ISBA on the CLE Advisory Committee to the Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism. Heaton previously practiced environmental law in Illinois. Read more from the NBA.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has announced that Tennessee and five other states are suing the federal Department of Education (DOE) to challenge its overhaul of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. The Tennessean reports that Title IX is a longstanding federal law that bans sexual discrimination against students, employees and others at public schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funds. Earlier this month, the Biden administration introduced updated Title IX rules that include protections against all sex-based harassment and discrimination, including discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual characteristics. The lawsuit claims that the changes would harm Tennessee students, families and schools.

Chief Deputy Clerk Lisa Marsh retired from the Tennessee courts after 25 years. She began working in the clerk's office in 1976 and left in 1983 after the birth of her son. She returned in 2003. "You will not find a more dedicated or reliable public servant in the judiciary than Lisa Marsh,” said Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Neal McBrayer. “So many of us, especially me, have come to rely on her intimate knowledge of the inner workings of clerk's office. It is difficult for me to imagine coming to the courthouse without her steady presence." Read this tribute from the Administrative Office of the Courts.