A new law banning the sale of most hemp-derived THCa products takes effect Wednesday, making it illegal to sell or ship products containing 0.3% or more THCa statewide, the Nashville Banner reports. The law effectively prohibits smokable hemp products such as flower and pre-rolls while allowing certain low-potency drinks, edibles and vape products to remain on the market under new regulations. The measure also transfers oversight of hemp products to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and imposes new taxes and packaging, labeling and advertising requirements. Industry leaders estimate retailers could lose about 60% of their revenue under the law. Some dispensaries plan to remain open with limited products while others have announced plans to relocate out of state.

Attorneys for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) and Shelby County government have expanded their lawsuit challenging the state's takeover of the school district to include individual members of the newly appointed oversight board, the Daily Memphian reports. The federal lawsuit, filed against the oversight board and key state officials, argues the takeover law is unconstitutional and asks a federal judge to halt the takeover. The amended complaint also contends the law is "void for vagueness" because it grants the appointed oversight board the same authority as the elected school board. In related news, the oversight board also met and voted to begin the process of hiring its own legal counsel. Law firms are invited to submit proposals. A final vote on that decision is expected July 7. The Tennessee Attorney General's Office is representing the state in the case.

A federal judge ruled in 2002 that Rutherford County's display of the Ten Commandments in its courthouse violated the First Amendment because it advanced a religious purpose. Now, a new Ten Commandments display has been installed in the renovated Civil War-era Rutherford County Courthouse, the Tennessean reports. Former Mayor Bill Ketron said the display is permitted under a Tennessee law allowing historical displays of the commandments, while the plaintiff in the original lawsuit argues the new display also violates the U.S. Constitution. The renewed dispute comes as state lawmakers recently passed a new law allowing local school boards to consider displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools.

Judge Thomas Wyatt will retire at the end of June after 12 years on the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and a legal career spanning more than four decades. Wyatt earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law in 1980 and served as a law clerk to the late Court of Appeals Judge Herschel P. Franks before entering private practice in Chattanooga, where he focused primarily on personal injury, Social Security disability and workers’ compensation law. Appointed to the newly created Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims in 2014 and reappointed in 2020, Wyatt was recognized throughout his career for fairness, professionalism and service to the legal community, his colleague Judge Audrey Headrick says. Following retirement, Wyatt plans to volunteer with community ministries, continue teaching Sunday school, visit every courthouse in Tennessee and document those experiences in a book. Read more in the Hamilton County Herald.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday barred a former Louisiana inmate from suing prison officials who cut off his dreadlocks, in what he argued was a violation of his Rastafari religious beliefs, WSMV 4 reports. The justices condemned what happened to the former inmate, but ruled that a federal law designed to protect the religious rights of inmates does not permit lawsuits for money damages against individuals even when rights are violated. In a 6-3 decision, the court agreed with lower courts that,  without exception, the law Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, cannot be used to hold those who violate inmates’ rights financially responsible. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing the decision weakens incentives for prison officials to comply with federal protections for inmates' religious rights.

Unemployment rates in 69 of Tennessee’s 95 counties improved from April to May, and that rate held steady in another 18 counties, according to data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Thursday. In Davidson County, the May unemployment rate was 2.7%, with an estimated 11,725 workers unemployed. That was down 0.1% from April and down 0.1% from May 2025. It also was below the state’s overall unemployment rate, which was 3.6% for the fourth straight month. Williamson County, at 2.4%, had Tennessee’s lowest unemployment rate. Cheatham, Dickson and Knox counties were not far behind at 2.5%. Perry, at 5.3%, was the only county with an unemployment rate above 5%. The national unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%.

The Tennessee County Attorneys Association (TCAA) recently selected Henry County attorney Rob Whitfield as the County Attorney of the Year, the Paris Post-Intelligencer reports. Whitfield, a past president of the association with 12 years on the job, was honored for being a stabilizing force in county government despite turnover among mayors and developing a strong system of dealing with delinquent tax properties in the county. The selection was made by the TCAA board of directors and announced during the group’s state conference in Knoxville. “Anytime you get recognition from your peers, it’s lovely,” Whitfield said.

Three doctors from Siloam Health yesterday sued the Tennessee Department of Health over its decision to report the names of critically ill undocumented children to immigration enforcement entities if they remain in the program past June 30. The doctors are represented by the Tennessee Justice Center, the Nashville Banner reports. Later in the day, Davidson County Chancellor Pat Moskal granted a temporary restraining order and set a temporary injunction hearing for July 2. At the beginning of June, the department sent letters to about 400 immigrant families enrolled in the state’s Children’s Special Services program letting them know about the change. The department argues the move is needed to comply with a new state law, now codified in Public Chapter 1106. Advocates for the program called on Gov. Bill Lee to intervene in the issue earlier this week.

Free Legal Answers has surpassed 500,000 total questions responded to, marking a major milestone for the virtual pro bono platform that launched in 2016, according to a release from the American Bar Association (ABA). Currently, 42 states and territories offer live access and 17,700 volunteer attorneys have provided more than 100,000 hours of pro bono service. A federal portal also is available to address veterans' benefits and immigration questions. The ABA Journal also reports on the milestone.

Jonathan Cole and Buck Lewis, both shareholders with Baker Donelson — which maintains the platform in collaboration with the ABA — praised the achievement in a release. “Free Legal Answers really makes a difference,” Nashville-based Cole, chair of the ABA House of Delegates, said. “Passing 500,000 questions answered demonstrates the depth and scope of this initiative to address the access to justice gap across our country.” Memphis-based Lewis, founder of Free Legal Answers, added: “We can all be proud of what has been achieved through this collaboration between Baker Donelson, the ABA and our many state partners.” Lewis also touted the firm’s role in recently rewriting the code so the platform can serve the next 500,000 clients “even more quickly.”

The U.S. Supreme Court and a federal district court in California ruled recently on a number of Trump administration immigration policies. The Supreme Court today allowed the government to terminate temporary legal protections for thousands of Haitians and Syrians. The court also today ruled that the government may legally turn back asylum seekers before they physically enter the country. The policy, called metering, began under former President Barack Obama but officially was rescinded by the Biden administration in 2021. In addition, earlier this week, the court made it easier this week for the government to remove green card holders who commit crimes. SCOTUSblog reports on these three decisions. In addition, a federal judge in California has issued a nationwide ban on the arrest of immigrants going to and from immigration hearings at courthouses. Reuters has more on that ruling.