NASHVILLE, June 3, 2024 — Nashville Public Radio reporter and producer Meribah Knight will receive the Tennessee Bar Association’s Fourth Estate Award for her podcast series “The Kids of Rutherford County,” which brought to light abuses in the juvenile court system in Rutherford County.

Knight’s reporting for the podcast series, which received national and international exposure, led to the retirement of the county’s juvenile judge and brought new oversight of its juvenile detention center. Access the podcast series, which was produced by Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio.

TBA President Jim Barry praised Knight for her work saying, “The Kids of Rutherford County podcast brought much-needed attention to a situation that was leading to the harm of children. A free press is critical for the integrity of the judicial system. Knight’s courageous reporting made a real difference in the lives of vulnerable Tennesseans.”

Knight is also the reporter and host of the Peabody Award-winning podcast “The Promise,” an immersive series from Nashville Public Radio about inequality and the people trying to rise above it. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times; The New Yorker; O, The Oprah Magazine; and The Chicago Reader. Her radio and multimedia work has been featured on National Public Radio, PBS “NewsHour,” WBEZ Chicago and Chicago Public Television.

The Fourth Estate Award was established to recognize and encourage journalists who promote public understanding of the rule of law and improvements in our system of justice through the vigorous exercise of their First Amendment rights.

The award will be presented at the Tennessee Bar Association’s Annual Convention in Memphis on June 14 during the Lawyers Luncheon.

The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) is the largest professional association in Tennessee with nearly 14,000 members. Founded in 1881, the TBA represents the entire spectrum of the legal profession in Tennessee and beyond and is dedicated to enhancing fellowship and professionalism among the members of Tennessee’s legal community.