Tennesseans affected by severe storms in April have until Aug. 19 to apply for individual assistance, WPLN reports. Help with applications is available at Disaster Recovery Centers set up in affected areas. All centers will be closed on July 4, but a list of locations and hours is available online. Individuals in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through FEMA’s mobile app or by calling 800-621-3362.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider the constitutionality of state laws that bar transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that align with their preferred gender. The court will take up two state laws — one from Idaho and one from West Virginia — in its next term, SCOTUSblog reports. Idaho was the first state to enact such a ban. It was sued by a transgender woman who wanted to try out for the Boise State University women’s track and cross-country teams. The West Virginia case centers on a 14-year-old who wanted to participate on the middle school girls’ sports teams. Lower court and appellate court rulings barred both states from enforcing their laws. The plaintiffs had urged the Supreme Court to let those rulings stand.

The Tennessee Bar Foundation inducted 29 new fellows at the group’s annual dinner in June. The new members were recognized for their contributions to the legal profession and the public good. Foundation Chair Jacqueline B. Dixon said of the group, "We are incredibly proud to welcome the Class of 2025 into the distinguished ranks of our Fellows. Their exceptional contributions elevate the legal profession and reinforce the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to support critical law-related programs across our great state." The foundation administers Tennessee's Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program and funds projects that provide civil legal services to low-income Tennesseans, improve the administration of justice and ensure greater access to justice for all. See the full list of new fellows.

Brentwood attorney Brandon Bass has taken office as president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) for the 2025-2026 term. He succeeds Danny Ellis of Chattanooga. Bass, who works for the Law Offices of John Day, has more than 15 years of experience representing clients in hundreds of injury cases including medical negligence, product liability, child sexual abuse, tractor-trailer and commercial vehicle accidents. Other leaders named include President-elect Troy Jones of Knoxville, Vice President East Audrey Dolmovich of Chattanooga, Vice President West Tiffany Carpenter of Memphis, Vice President Middle George Spanos of Nashville, Secretary Ali Toll of Goodlettsville and Treasurer Josh Cantrell of Franklin. See the full list of all board members in a release from the association.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued notice that the Tennessee General Assembly has ratified amendments to the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure and Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. The amendments, adopted by the court in December 2024, took effect on July 1.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on July 9 designed for new businesses. Participants will learn about state tax obligations and resources that are available for new businesses in Tennessee. Register for the webinar or view all upcoming educational events from the department.

Defendant, Corridirus Qualls, was convicted of one count of first degree premeditated murder; two counts of attempted second degree murder; one count of reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm into an occupied habitation; two counts of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony; two counts of aggravated assault; and one count of reckless endangerment. The trial court sentenced Defendant to a total effective sentence of life plus eighteen years. On appeal, Defendant argues that (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions and (2) the trial court abused its discretion by imposing partial consecutive sentencing. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

NALBANDIAN, Circuit Judge. Deangelus Thomas was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) for his role in a shooting. Though his indictment gave him notice that he might be subject to enhanced penalties based on his criminal history, he was not formally indicted as an armed career criminal. At trial, a jury found him guilty of both felon-in-possession counts. Throughout sentencing, Thomas maintained that he could not be sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1). Because he had never been indicted for it, and the jury had not found the essential fact —that he had three prior violent- felony convictions committed on different “occasions, ” —he claimed he could only be subject to the penalties associated with § 922(g)(1). Otherwise, his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights would be violated. The district judge disagreed. Following then-binding Sixth Circuit precedent, the judge found the fact of Thomas’s three prior convictions by a preponderance of evidence at sentencing, and imposed an enhanced, 432-month sentence on Thomas. We affirmed. But the Supreme Court later decided Erlinger v. United States, 602 U.S. 821 (2024), which held that the Fifth and Sixth Amendments require a jury to find the three-occasions element of an ACCA conviction. Now, Thomas is back before us. He argues that Erlinger is a form of structural error and requires automatic reversal. As a remedy, he argues for a remand to the district judge for resentencing based on the crime he was convicted of by a jury—the unenhanced § 922(g)(1). Because our circuit has already decided that Erlinger errors are subject to harmless error, we affirm his sentence because the failure to charge the jury was harmless.

In this post-divorce proceeding, Appellant initiated a contempt action against Appellee for failure to make two alimony payments, as required under the parties’ marital dissolution agreement (“MDA”). After Appellee remitted payment, the sole issue to be tried was the amount of attorney’s fees Appellant expended enforcing the MDA. Appellant sought $14,289.50 in attorney’s fees and $396.36 in expenses. The trial court awarded her $2,500.00. Because the trial court made limited findings and failed to consider Rule 1.5(a) of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct, we vacate its award of attorney’s fees. On remand, the trial court is instructed to reconsider Appellant’s attorney’s fee award in view of the Rule 1.5(a) factors and to make written findings consistent with these factors. Husband’s request for appellate attorney’s fees is denied.

Following an automobile accident allegedly involving a State of Tennessee employee, claimant sought damages against the State based on alleged injuries arising from the accident. The Division of Claims and Risk Management denied the claim, and claimant appealed to the Claims Commission. Because claimant’s appeal was not filed within the ninety-day statutory time limit, the Claims Commission dismissed it. Finding no error, we affirm.