TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 20, 2025

The state has requested permission to appeal a Nashville chancellor's ruling that temporarily blocked the National Guard's deployment in Memphis. According to The Tennessean, the state filed paperwork with the Davidson County Chancery Court seeking to raise three issues: whether the state is able to benefit from the sovereign immunity waiver law, whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue, and whether Gov. Bill Lee violated state law in deploying the Guard. The state also asked the court to clarify if the request to appeal will trigger a stay of the temporary injunction. In related news, the plaintiffs in the case this week indicated they would seek legal action against the broader Memphis Safe Task Force given the "win" in the National Guard case. The Daily Memphian has more on that story. And while some have suggested the legislature should hold a special session to address issues raised in the suit, Tennessee Senate Speaker Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, said he prefers the matter be resolved by the judicial system, according to the Tennessee Journal.