Due to inclement weather, the Nashville Bar Association reported by email the following closures, cancellations and rescheduling: The Circuit Court’s Order of Protection docket is canceled for today. The First Circuit Court will hold court virtually today. Please contact the court directly with questions about dockets. For the Second Circuit Court, Judge Amanda McClendon will continue Friday’s cases one week to Jan. 26. The Third Circuit Court will be closed today. For tomorrow’s motion docket, the court will offer the Bridge line as an option for their docket. In order to participate by phone, contact Catherine Jackson ahead of time. The Fourth Circuit Court will postpone the show cause docket for today and will be operating virtually by Zoom tomorrow. A Zoom link is provided. Additional information can be found at CircuitClerk.Nashville.gov. The Fifth Circuit Court will be closed today. Canceled motions will be reset for Jan. 26. Sixth Circuit Court scheduled conferences will be conducted via WebEx. Contact the court directly with questions for other dockets. The Eighth Circuit Court will be operating virtually today and tomorrow. In addition, the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims announced in an email today it will be open tomorrow as scheduled for settlements between 8 -11 a.m. CST, depending on any developments in the weather overnight Thursday. Judges will be at the Judicial Conference Jan. 25-26 so the court will be closed then, but the Nashville office will be open for settlement approvals Jan. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A group of freelance writers and editors filed a lawsuit in Georgia federal court Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Labor, claiming a new rule making it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors is vague and should be struck down, reports Reuters. The rule is scheduled to take effect March 11. In their complaint, freelancers said they would seek an order temporarily blocking the rule while their lawsuit plays out. The rule was intended to clarify the test for determining whether workers are independent contractors or employees and who was entitled to legal protections. More legal challenges are expected, the news source says.

The Memphis Bar Association announced this evening that the following area courts will be closed tomorrow: Shelby County Chancery Court, Circuit Court (if there are emergency matters that require attention, emails should be sent to the division clerk), Criminal Court, General Sessions Criminal Court, Juvenile Court and Probate Court, as well as Memphis city courts. General Sessions Civil Court as well as the federal courts in Memphis and Jackson will be closed tomorrow and Friday. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court will be closed to the public tomorrow, but court proceedings will take place virtually and all staff will be available to answer calls.

Attorneys interested in seeking one of 700 appointments to various American Bar Association (ABA) committees, commissions and other entities have until Feb. 12 to apply. New positions available this year include 10 slots for young lawyers to serve on special or standing committees through a Young Lawyers Fellows program. Read more about the appointment process in this letter from ABA President-elect Bill Bay. Applications are posted online. For questions or guidance on the process, contact TBA ABA Resources Committee Chair Jonathan Cole or Tennessee Delegate John Tarpley.

The Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims has canceled in-person settlements at its Chattanooga office for tomorrow due to winter weather. Those with business before the court should call 800-332-2667 to reschedule.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 26 states in sending a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) emphasizing the potential harm in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by telemarketers and asking the FCC to impose strict restrictions on such usage. Read more about that effort. Skrmetti also recently joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and the Arizona Legislature in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the National Rifle Association. The group is attempting to sue a New York state official who is alleged to have violated its First Amendment right to free speech. The brief asks the court to reverse a lower court ruling that rejected claims that the official threatened financial institutions doing business with the NRA.

Birmingham-based Burr & Forman LLP recently announced that it experienced a data security incident that impacted data belonging to some of its clients. The firm said in a press release that it has begun notifying impacted individuals of the incident and providing resources to assist them. The affected information, belonging to two health care clients, included individuals' names as well as Social Security numbers, medical coding information with dates and descriptions, and insurance information. It has estimated that the breach impacted nearly 20,000 people. The firm has established a toll-free call center to answer questions. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST and can be reached at 888-774-8132. The firm has offices in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. It's sole Tennessee office is in Nashville.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced appointees to a series of key state boards and commissions last Friday. New members have been named to the Tennessee Board of Parole, Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Board, Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Advisory Board, University of Tennessee at Martin Advisory Board, State Board of Accountancy, Real Estate Commission, Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission, Tennessee Auctioneer Commission and Air Pollution Control Board. See the full list.

A recent article from the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) looks at the path 16th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Terry Fann has taken to the bench. Fann, who was appointed to the court last November following the retirement of Judge Mark Rogers, recounts how he learned of the upcoming vacancy and the encouragement he received from lawyers and friends to apply for the seat. Since his appointment, Fann says he has “overwhelmed and honored by the kindness and the assistance of all the people involved” in the court system. Fann was sworn in Nov. 23, 2023, by Rogers at an event hosted by the Cannon and Rutherford County Bar Associations. His longtime law partner Steve Waldron introduced him during the investiture and retired judge David Bragg gave the invocation. Read the full profile from the AOC.

Senior 12th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Justin C. Angel has been named chair of the Tennessee Judicial Conference’s (TJC) Courtroom Security Committee, Chattanoogan.com reports. The committee is comprised of trial judges across the state who focus on the safety of judges, attorneys, court staff, jurors and litigants. The committee appropriates millions of dollars in grant funds which improve safety measures and judicial building security statewide. Angel has served the 12th Judicial District, which encompasses Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Marion, Rhea, Franklin and Grundy counties, for almost 10 years.