Lawrenceburg attorney Randy Hillhouse died Aug. 23 at age 71. Hillhouse earned his law degree from the University of Knoxville in 1977. He was the owner of Randy Hillhouse, Attorney at Law and a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. Funeral services will be conducted at Neal Funeral Home, 231 N. Military Ave., Lawrenceburg 38464, at 3 p.m. CDT tomorrow. Interment will follow at Fall River Cemetery in Leoma. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bo's Blessings.

The TBA YLD Rookie Series continues with a webcast on the role of federal magistrate judges on Dec. 3 at 12 p.m. CST. Make plans now to join U.S. Magistrate Judges Mike Dumitru, Debra Poplin and Cynthia Wyrick for a panel moderated by TBA YLD Board member and CLE Chair for East Tennessee Weslen Lakins. Watch for more information coming soon.

A Knoxville police officer has been suspended after he was captured on video knocking a woman to the ground with a punch, straddling her and swinging at her again, Knox News reports. The Knoxville Police Department released a statement Friday announcing preliminary steps in its investigation of the incident, which occurred around 10 p.m. EDT Thursday in the 2600 block of Woodbine Avenue. “The situation escalated and (the woman) was detained following a use of force by on-scene officers,” the KPD statement said. She was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. KPD did not name the officer who was suspended. The video, recorded by a bystander from a front porch, was shared on Facebook and accumulated more than 57,000 views.

State lawmakers are reconsidering how accomplices to murder are charged under the state’s felony murder law, which allows accomplices to face equal or harsher punishments than the actual killer, Local 3 News reports. During a Senate Judiciary Committee summer study session, lawmakers heard testimony from Mindy Dodd, who served decades in prison for conspiring to murder her husband and stepfather despite not being at the crime scene before her sentence was commuted in 2021. Former District Attorney Stephen Crump argued the law fairly deters crime, while Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said it can unjustly punish people with little or no intent to kill. No vote was taken, but proposals to amend the law could be filed next year when the legislature reconvenes.

President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked more than 6,000 student visas for overstays and breaking the law, Reuters reports. Directives from the State Department this year have ordered U.S. diplomats abroad to be vigilant against applicants the administration could view as hostile to the United States or with a history of political activism. About 4,000 visas were canceled because visitors broke the law, and 200 to 300 were revoked for terrorism, a State Department official said Monday. In April, five students from the University of Memphis and nine from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville reportedly had their visas terminated.

The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office on Thursday announced the launch of a new online system for submitting public records requests. The system is designed to provide the public and members of the media with a more transparent and accessible way to request public records, The Chattanoogan reports. County Attorney Janie Parks Varnell said the system is part of a broader modernization effort to improve access to government information, efficiency and accountability by reducing reliance on paper-based processes.

Students at Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law (LMU Law) in Knoxville will be able to take high-level, specialized courses at three ABA-accredited schools for no cost starting in spring 2026, the ABA Journal reports. Through a course-sharing agreement, Tennessee students will have access to online courses at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio and Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Administrators say the agreement will expand access to niche courses, reduce administrative burdens and enrich learning by connecting students across institutions. The long-term goal is to balance participation among the schools and potentially expand the program to more law schools. “Even though our part-time hybrid students already attend law school with students from all over the country, the opportunity to actually be enrolled in classes with students enrolled in different law schools will enrich their law school experiences,” said LMU Law Dean Matthew Lyon.

Dickson County government has provided $15,000 to the 23rd District Recovery Court to purchase a pickup truck for the program. According to a press release, the money comes from settlements reached between pharmaceutical companies and state and local governments to address the opioid crisis. The program will use the truck to transport equipment and supplies for participants in the court’s sober living residences. The recovery court provides services to residents who have been ordered by the court to seek treatment and monitored recovery due to addiction. The 18-month program offers housing, employment, transportation and comprehensive treatment services. According to the court, about 50 recovering addicts are served each year.

The TBA Administrative Law Section will host its annual forum on Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m CST. Save the date and watch for more information coming soon to the TBA website. Section members receive discounted registration. Not a section member yet? Get started here.

On Aug. 19, the Supreme Court of Tennessee suspended 73 attorneys for failing to complete annual continuing legal education requirements in 2024. View the order or see the full list online, including those who have been reinstated in the last few days. Attorneys suspended for not completing CLE requirements in 2019 and 2024 also recently were reinstated. Access all administrative suspension lists dating back to 2005.