Gibson County Safe Baby Court (SBC) held its first graduation ceremony on March 13, reuniting a mother with her four children. “If I didn't have Safe Baby Court, I wouldn't have my babies back now,” said Stacey, a SBC graduate. “Thanks to all the support from Safe Baby and Recovery, I have a new life today.” Gibson County Juvenile Court implemented the SBC in 2024, becoming the third county in West Tennessee to do so. “Safe Baby Court is not easy,” said Juvenile Court Judge Mark Johnson. “It is a long road for parents who have the willingness to make life better for their young children, but not always the ability to succeed without help. Stacey’s case is a perfect example of teamwork between two separate judges and courts.” Read more in a profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

A three-year legal battle over the new Memphis Art Museum was dismissed by Shelby County Chancellor Melanie Taylor Jefferson last week, with plaintiffs Friends for our Riverfront and heirs of the city's founders arguing the $180 million museum violated restrictions on how riverfront land should be used. The Daily Memphian reports that the lawsuit, filed in 2023, claimed the museum's construction conflicted with terms set by city founders in 1819 and 1820, which designated the land as a public promenade, and violated easement terms for a public Bluff Walk. The plaintiffs plan to appeal the ruling, while defendants — the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and the City of Memphis — maintain the museum is consistent with the land's public purpose and that the current administration has the right to determine how the riverfront is used.

The Tennessee Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee passed the FAIR Rx Act (SB2040/HB1959) with bipartisan support on March 24. The bill would bar pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning the pharmacies they manage, targeting vertically integrated companies like CVS, which has threatened to close all 134 stores in the state if the bill becomes law. Relatedly, the Tennessee Journal reports that Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti is threatening to sue CVS for using customers' pharmacy data to run a political text campaign against the bill. Cost estimates are disputed, with state officials suggesting the bill could cost taxpayers up to $53 million annually, though legislative analysts argue pharmacies could restructure rather than close. The controversy is fueled by audits showing CVS's PBM arm, Caremark, routinely underpaid independent pharmacies and overcharged a federal employee health benefits program by more than $615 million. The Tennessean has more on the developments.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah K. Campbell will serve as the keynote speaker for the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law's Spring 2026 commencement ceremony on May 14. Campbell joined the court in February 2022. Prior to her appointment, she served in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office as associate solicitor general and special assistant to the attorney general. “We are honored to welcome Justice Campbell back to Rocky Top for this milestone event in our graduating students’ law school journey,” said Dean Lonnie T. Brown Jr. Campbell graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2004 and from Duke University School of Law in 2009. Read more in a press release from the law school.

Thank you for your continued support of the Local Government Practice Section. It has been a busy year, led by Section Chair Will Patterson. The section's annual forum will be held in the fall, so keep an eye out for information to be announced over the summer. You will not want to miss this yearly favorite, especially since section members receive a discount on all section-sponsored CLE!

In the meantime, you do not have to wait to connect with colleagues. The section directory is a great resource for meeting other government attorneys or for referrals. We hope to see you at the annual forum, and if you have thoughts or ideas about future section initiatives, please do not hesitate to reach out to TBA staff coordinator Jamie Rhode.

The Administrative Office of the Court's (AOC) Court Improvement Program (CIP) hosts a FREE monthly training series for attorneys who take appointments in Tennessee juvenile court. Sessions are designed to support Tennessee attorneys representing children, parents and the state in juvenile court, while also serving the broader multidisciplinary child welfare community. Presentations are held live on the second Friday of the month from noon to 1:30 p.m. CDT. All sessions also are recorded and available on demand for distance learning. Additional sessions will be announced this summer. Upcoming topics include:

• April 10: Understanding Tennessee Graduation Requirements & Transcripts
• May 8: Drug Testing in Child Welfare with Dr. Mollie Nissen
• June 12: Severe Abuse Litigation with a Tennessee Parent Attorney Panel
• July 10: Tennessee Service Array
• August 14: Legislative Update
• Sept. 11: Case Law Update

Registration is posted roughly two weeks prior to each session. Practitioners also may email Elizabeth Whitt to be added to the CIP mailing list and receive registration information via email.

General, Solo, & Small Firm Section members have access to quality TBA CLE programming that can be purchased using a section member discount. Join colleagues for upcoming ethics courses featuring Stuart Teicher: Dealing with Deep Fakes: Danger and Direction, What Batman Teaches About Attorney Ethics and Lyrical Lessons from Taylor Swift: An Ethics Program. Brush up on your elder law knowledge at the Elder Law Basics program coming up in April. There are many forums coming up in May as well, focusing on labor and employment, business law, alternative dispute resolution and international law. Looking for something else? Check out the TBA CLE catalog to find more courses focused on the needs of solo and small firm practitioners!

The TBA YLD and Belmont Law need attorney volunteers for a wills clinic on April 11 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CDT. This clinic will serve Rebuilding Nashville Together clients. Attorneys will assist with drafting simple wills, durable powers of attorney (POAs) and health care POAs for program participants. Belmont Law students will serve as witnesses. Please email ginny.blake@belmont.edu if you are interested in helping or would like more information.

Juvenile Court Magistrate Judge Mitzi H. Pollard has announced her candidacy for Shelby County Circuit Court Division 3. She received her law degree in 2001 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Pollard was a sole practitioner for more than 12 years, focusing on mediation, juvenile and family law, and advocating for vulnerable children and working families. She was appointed magistrate judge by Judge Dan Michael in 2015 and reappointed in 2022 by Judge Tarik Sugarmon. Pollard says in a statement that throughout her legal career, she has "remained deeply committed to public service, professional excellence and the fair and impartial administration of justice. My candidacy is rooted in a desire to continue that service on the Circuit Court bench — ensuring that every litigant is treated with dignity, that the law is applied faithfully and that our courts remain accessible, efficient and trusted by the community." Learn more at www.pollardforjudge.com.

The inaugural Joint Georgia/Tennessee Construction Law Conference hosted by TBA's Construction Law Section is now available as a 1-Click package. The CLE sessions are for both Georgia and Tennessee construction attorneys, covering topics such as regional differences in construction law, a view from the bench session featuring judges and arbitrators, a case study session and more. The program offers 6.5 total CLE hours, including one dual hour. Access the individual programs or the 1-Click package.