TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jul 1, 2025

President Donald Trump has nominated former U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant to be the chief federal prosecutor for the Western District of Tennessee, a position he held during Trump's first term. The Daily Memphian reports that during his tenure, Dunavant oversaw a shift in the federal office, from a focus on reviewing police conduct and policies to a focus on backing law enforcement. Prior to his first stint as U.S. attorney, Dunavant served as district attorney general for Tennessee's 25th Judicial District, which covers Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale and McNairy counties. He replaces career prosecutor Joe Murphy, who has been the interim U.S. attorney since Trump fired interim U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren, who was appointed when U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz stepped down.