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Your membership includes full access to Fastcase for your legal research needs. As your legal research ninja, Fastcase tracks recent searches and documents so you can track when you ran your searches. Research attorneys are available to assist with research or navigating the database. Start using your member benefit now. You can contact support by email, using the LiveChat feature located on the website, or by phone to speak with a research attorney.

TBA members have access to premium Fastcase legal research, including case law for all 50 states, statutes, regulations and cutting-edge legal technology such as the interactive timeline, bad law bot and limitless printing. In addition, over 100,000 expert witness profiles are also searchable through Fastcase’s partnership with JurisPro. Start using Fastcase.

READLER, Circuit Judge. Eric Patterson has had a long-running dispute with UnitedHealth Group, his insurer and health plan administrator. In short, Patterson claims that United collected reimbursement for medical expenses paid on Patterson’s behalf even though his health plan gave United no such right. For that reason, Patterson sued United and others under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The district court dismissed those claims, and we largely affirmed the district court on appeal. See Patterson v. United HealthCare Ins. Co., 76 F.4th 487 (6th Cir. 2023). While that appeal was pending, however, Patterson filed an action in state court asserting state law claims against defendants that echoed in substance his federal claims. Defendants removed on the grounds that ERISA completely preempted Patterson’s state law claims and sought dismissal of what it viewed to be a lawsuit duplicative of its federal case. The district court again granted dismissal, and Patterson again appealed. We agree with the district court and affirm.

The Defendant, Esau Caleb Kelly, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, attempted second-degree murder, employment of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment by discharge of a firearm into an occupied habitation, for which he received an effective sentence of 24 years. The sole issue raised on appeal is whether the trial court erred in affirming the jury verdict for the attempted second-degree murder conviction and reckless endangerment by discharge of a firearm into an occupied habitation conviction. Upon our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

The Petitioner, Ronnie Lee Clayborn, appeals from the Fentress County Criminal Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his convictions for rape of a child and incest. The Petitioner alleges that the post-conviction court erred by denying him relief on his claim that he was denied a fair and impartial jury. We affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

A mother appeals a juvenile court judgment terminating the mother’s parental rights to three minor children. Discerning no error, we affirm.

Federal officials last week unveiled a new crime-reporting hotline for Memphis public housing residents, part of the Memphis Safe Task Force surge that has generated thousands of arrests. U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner said the hotline is meant to provide residents of HUD-funded housing a direct line to report “criminals, illegal aliens, sex offenders, human traffickers and those guilty of gang activity, drug distribution and fraud.” Calls will go to the HUD Office of Inspector General, which investigates fraud, waste and abuse in government-subsidized housing. The office also will coordinate with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and state and local law enforcement, Turner said. The Tennessee Lookout, which reported on the story, noted that federal law already bars most from public housing and mixed-status families make up less than 1% of assisted households nationwide. Federal and state leaders have praised the task force’s work amid reports that the influx of arrests is straining Shelby County courts and jails.

Legal research tool Fastcase, now owned by TBA member benefit partner Clio, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Canadian legal research startup Alexi of breaching a data-licensing agreement, infringing its trademarks and misappropriating trade secrets. The suit alleges that Alexi used Fastcase’s proprietary legal database — licensed only for internal lawyer research — to build and commercialize an AI legal research platform that directly competes with Fastcase, including training its AI models on Fastcase data and displaying Fastcase-sourced case law to users. Alexi's CEO denies any wrongdoing, calling the dispute a “massive miscommunication” that surfaced only after Clio’s recent acquisition of vLex, and says Alexi always operated within the agreement’s intended scope. After issuing a notice of breach in October and receiving a denial from Alexi, Fastcase terminated the agreement and filed suit, seeking injunctions, damages and disgorgement of profits. Reuters reports on the developments.

The Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women (TLAW) will host its 8th Annual Empowerment Conference on Dec. 12 at Holland & Knight's downtown Nashville office. A mediator/ADR panel will be moderated by retired Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, and will feature Germantown attorney Anne Davis with the Gill Law Firm, retired Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Janice Holder and Brentwood attorney Anne Hunter. The session will explore best practices in mediation, alternative dispute resolution and ethical considerations, offering practical strategies for navigating complex legal matters. The luncheon keynote speaker will be Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary Wagner. To see the full agenda and register, visit TLAW's website.