Nominations for the Fourth Estate Award: Honoring Courageous Reporting on Justice and the Law are due tomorrow. Don't miss your chance to nominate a Tennessee journalist or media organization for reporting that promotes public understanding of the rule of law and our system of justice. Learn more about the award and access the nomination form.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that access to the abortion pill mifepristone will remain unchanged through at least Friday. Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency requests from the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, announced the extension through Friday at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The order gave no indication of how the court intends to proceed. Last Monday, the Court of Appeals issued an emergency stay of U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling, which invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the pill citing insufficient research but imposed that new restrictions on the pill's distribution. Last Thursday, the Biden administration asked for an emergency intervention from the Supreme Court to allow access to the pill through mail order and without first seeing a physician. Read more about today's ruling in The Hill.

The Commercial Appeal reported today that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent a letter of intent to distribute $4 million in funds earmarked for HIV prevention and treatment services through the United Way of Greater Nashville. The amount is less than half of previous grants. The rare move bypassing the Tennessee Department of Health comes three months after the department said it would no longer accept and distribute federal funding for HIV prevention-related services. Tennessee's health commissioner told a state Senate committee that federal funding would be replaced with $9 million in state funding. It is estimated that the loss of federal funds could impact more than 20,000 residents in western Tennessee and Shelby County, one of the highest areas of HIV transmission rates in the country. Read more at the Tennessean.

The Tennessee Bar Foundation recently inducted its class of 2022 Fellows. Invitations to membership were extended to 27 attorneys by the foundation's board of trustees. The Bar Foundation recognizes attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the community and the profession, and administers a grant program from Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA), which has awarded over $25 million in grants to public interest projects in Tennessee. See the full list of inductees.

The family of Tyre Nichols filed suit today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee against the city of Memphis, Police Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis and officers and Memphis Fire Department employees who were present at Nichols’ death in January. Nichols, age 27, died three days after officers with the department's Scorpion Unit pulled him over and beat him. The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the city of Memphis for ignoring Davis’ prior employment with the Atlanta Police Department, where he supervised the Red Dog drug unit task force, which was disbanded after accusations of excessive force. “Much like the Red Dog unit, Scorpion unit officers were encouraged by the chief of police and supervisors to engage in searches and seizures when there was no basis to do so in violation of the Fourth Amendment," the lawsuit states. It continues: "Ultimately, Scorpion developed into a gang unit carrying out an oppression style of policing ratified by the chief and assistant chief of police with inexperienced, untrained, and unsupervised police officers." Read more about the suit in Knoxville News Sentinel.

The TBA has announced that "Full Court Press" by Bill Haltom and Amanda Swanson will be the fourth quarter book for its book club. "Full Court Press" is a valuable addition to research on how individual initiative can bring about social change in Tennessee, in the sporting world and as a part of the broader struggle for women’s equality. Written in a lighthearted and inspiring style, this book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the many achievements of Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s basketball or women’s sports history in general. Start reading now and make plans to hear the authors at the TBA Convention June 15 in Knoxville.

The Tennessee Bar Association’s online renewal for 2023-2024 is now open! Renew your membership to continue your access to CLE programming with three pre-paid credits, TBA’s Practice Management Center, free online legal research through Fastcase, and timely information through TBA Today, TBA Podcasts and the Tennessee Bar Journal. Be sure to check out the new career center and watch this fall for TBA’s Group Health Insurance enrollment. Attorneys not participating in the TBA's firm billing program can login and access renewal information through their MyTBA dashboard.

The Tennessee Bar Association’s online renewal for 2023-2024 is now open! Renew your membership to continue your access to CLE programming with three pre-paid credits, TBA’s Practice Management Center, free online legal research through Fastcase, and timely information through TBA Today, TBA Podcasts and the Tennessee Bar Journal. Be sure to check out the new career center and watch this fall for TBA’s Group Health Insurance enrollment. Attorneys not participating in the TBA's firm billing program can login and access renewal information through their MyTBA dashboard.

The Chattanooga Bar Association (CBA) hold its celebration of Law Day 2023 May 17 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT at the Westin in Chattanooga. Belmont University College of Law Dean Alberto R. Gonzales will be the keynote speaker and the association will present its Liberty Bell Award. Gonzales served as the 80th attorney general of the United States during the George W. Bush administration. RSVP to 423-602-9430 or LHood@chattanoogabar.org before May 12. Read more about the event.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti says the state does not plan to appeal a preliminary injunction imposed on a new law that would have required Metro Nashville Commission to reduce its membership for the next election. Arguing that the three judge panel that issued the injunction upheld the “the substantive provisions” of the law, Skrmetti said he fully expects future elections to be capped at 20 members. The law has been “delayed but not … defeated,” he said in a written statement.