The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has adopted a new rule aimed at curtailing “judge shopping,” whereby state attorneys general, activists and companies file lawsuits against government policies in courthouses where one or two sympathetic judges are virtually guaranteed to hear the case. The move reportedly comes in response to concerns from the American Bar Association, the Biden administration and other Democratic lawmakers about the number of suits being filed in single-judge divisions in Texas, which have limited President Joe Biden's policy agenda. Under the new policy, lawsuits seeking to block state or federal laws will be randomly assigned to a judge in the federal district. Some judges have criticized the rule, saying it appears to clash with a federal law that  gives district courts control over the allocation of cases on their dockets. Others have questioned the logistics of transferring cases, Reuters reports.

Diversity Law Week students participated in a unique opportunity at the Court of Appeals in Nashville today. The students met for a Q&A session and tour with Judge Andy D. Bennett. The students learned the history of the Supreme Court building, the appellate process, and what clerks and judges do. The event concluded with a tour of the court's museum, an explanation of the formation of the Tennessee Constitution and a chance to view interesting artifacts. Special thanks to Judge Bennett and Nashville attorney Erin Shackelford for meeting with the students. See photos from the day.

Volunteer attorneys and notaries are needed for a wills clinic for Brentwood first responders. The clinic will be held on March 30 beginning at 9 a.m. CDT in the Community Room of the Brentwood Police Headquarters located at 910 Heritage Way, Brentwood 37027. For more information and to volunteer contact Charles Ferguson.

A bill that would have prevented state courts from hearing challenges to legislative rules failed to pass the Senate Judiciary Committee, effectively shelving the measure this year, the Tennessee Journal reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, and Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, was filed in response to Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin‘s injunction blocking a House rule that would have banned members of the public from holding signs during a special session last August.

The U.S. Marshals Service has asked Congress for $38 million to fund two new programs aimed at bolstering judicial security, Reuters reports. According to the service, the request is in response to a rise in threats against federal judges and U.S. Supreme Court justices. The funding request comes as the U.S. Supreme Court included $19.4 million in its federal budget request to use its own police force rather than the U.S. Marshals Service to protect the nine justices.

Nashville area legal services provider Latitude has opened an office in Tampa, joining the firm’s existing Florida presence in Miami. The Nashville Post reports that Kyle Robisch, formerly a partner in the Tampa office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, will serve as office founding partner and leader. Robisch spent 10 years litigating cases and serving as outside general counsel to Bradley clients. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. Latitude’s Miami office was founded in 2020. The new office joins locations in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Francisco and St. Louis.

The comprehensive set of data on bar passage rates released by the American Bar Association (ABA) this week included some additional findings not previously reported in TBA Today. According to Reuters, Vanderbilt University Law School placed third in the nation for its first-time bar pass rate of 96.97%, coming in behind the University of Michigan Law School (97.27%) and the University of Chicago Law School (97.1%). Reuters also reports that longstanding racial disparities in the rates of passage continued in 2023. White exam takers had the highest first-time pass rate at 84%, followed by Asian test takers at 74%, Hispanic examinees at 71% and Black examinees at 58% — continuing an ongoing trend that has fueled criticism of the bar exam as biased.

A free legal advice clinic will be held in Memphis on March 23 from 10 a.m. to noon CDT. The event will take place at the Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave., Memphis 38104. Volunteer lawyers are needed. Those who are willing to participate should email midtownlegalclinic@gmail.com.

TBA's Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Legislative Reception will be held next week in Nashville on March 20. The events give Tennessee lawyers an opportunity to meet with their legislators and talk to them about issues important to the profession, including funding for indigent representation. The TBA Day on the Hill will include a luncheon and meetings with legislators in the afternoon, followed by the annual Big Shrimp reception that night. Sign up today to take part!

A bill that would change the way the Tennessee Legislature handles sexual harassment claims against members failed Tuesday when the House Public Service Subcommittee could not muster the votes necessary to consider the proposal. The legislation, sponsored by Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, and Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, would have moved claims from legislative leaders to the state attorney general. Former Rep. Scotty Campbell, who left the legislature last year after lawmakers determined he violated workplace discrimination and harassment policies, was on hand to testify for the measure but was not given the opportunity. The Tennessean has more on the story.