A joint operation between the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in South Nashville is facing new scrutiny over concerns by some lawmakers that Hispanic drivers were disproportionately targeted during traffic stops conducted in May. According to WSMV, partial dispatch records obtained by the news station identified the ethnicity of 34 drivers, 29 of whom were Hispanic, two were Asian, two were Black and one was white. The state has not released full data on the 369 stops conducted. Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville said the lack of transparency raises legal and constitutional concerns, while U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has denied any racial profiling, saying all enforcement operations are based on investigative work. The Department of Public Safety says it will work on producing “responsive records.”

A man is paralyzed after being stabbed multiple times at the Shelby County Jail earlier this month. An inmate was assaulted by another on Aug. 6 inside the jail, The Daily Memphian reports. The family identified the victim as Christopher Ross and said he was stabbed 17 times, resulting in paralysis from spinal cord injuries. Kokou Sanoumegah has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of contraband and other offenses. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that jail staff immediately intervened and provided medical aid. Ross was taken to Regional Medical Center at Memphis. At least six inmates from the jail have died this year.

Vanderbilt University Law School recently announced that Cristina Gapasin Tortal will be the next dean of admissions, succeeding Todd Morton, who is retiring this summer. Gapasin Tortal has more than 20 years of experience in law school admissions and most recently served six years as dean of admissions at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. She previously spent six years as director of admissions at Northwestern Law. “Cristina is a leading figure in the law school admissions world and well known to our staff. I am thrilled that she has agreed to join us,” Dean Chris Guthrie said in a press release.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is now accepting applications for its Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) Class of 2026. DLI is a six-month leadership, professional development and networking program for all Tennessee law students in their second, third or fourth years of study. There are no costs to particpate in the DLI program. Class size is limited to 8-10 students selected from across the state. Learn more about the program. The application deadline is 5 p.m. CDT on Nov. 2. There will be a mandatory zoom meeting on Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. CST for all applicants. All are encouraged to apply. This year's DLI coordinators are TBA YLD Board Members Morgan Hanna and John Murphy.

Tennessee is one of just nine states meeting the Anti-Defamation League's standards for combating antisemitism, according to a new report from the group. Axios reports that in addition to Tennessee, the group designated only California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas and Virginia as "leading states." The designation means that these states are responding to rising antisemitism through laws, policies and public commitments. According to the group, hate crimes in the United States last year hit their second-largest total since the FBI started keeping data. Tennessee state Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, tells the paper that Tennessee "will not tolerate hate or intimidation against our Jewish communities, whether it's on our streets, in our schools or on college campuses."

Nashville lawyer Rose Palermo has announced that her son Andrew Cheatham has joined her boutique law firm. With the retirement of her attorney husband Denty Cheatham, the firm has been renamed from Cheatham Palermo & Garrett to Cheatham & Palermo. Andrew Cheatham will focus his legal work on international and family law issues. He is based in Washington, D.C. and primarily assists clients there and New York. He also will continue his solo practice in the nation’s capital. Palermo will continue to work in Nashville. She and her husband launched the firm in 1973. Read more about the firm’s transition in the Nashville Post.

TBA staff member Laura Labenberg has been promoted to the position of Director of the Young Lawyers Division and Law Student Development, a move applauded by both TBA and Young Lawyers Division (YLD) leadership. Labenberg joined the TBA in September 2022 in a coordinator role supporting the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and law students across the state. She previously served as a professor of rhetoric at Hofstra University and executive director of an educational nonprofit in New York. Earlier in her career in higher education, Labenberg served as a grants coordinator and conference coordinator. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies at Hofstra University. According to TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright, the promotion reflects Labenberg’s outstanding service to the TBA and YLD over the past three years.

The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR) has cleared Davidson County District Attorney (DA) Glenn Funk of an ethics complaint filed by Comptroller Jason Mumpower, the Nashville Banner reports. The complaint related to the use of video cameras in the DA’s office and campaigning by staff. Following a September 2024 report by Mumpower’s office, the BPR launched a nine-month inquiry and found that the “complaint was without merit.” This follows Funk being cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti last year. “The summary dismissal of Comptroller Mumpower's complaint by the Board of Professional Responsibility and the clearance letter from the State Attorney General were the obvious conclusions to these investigations as General Funk's Office operates at the highest levels of professionalism and integrity,” said Greg Reed, who represented Funk.

University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd said Tuesday the school has hired a national law firm to provide guidance on meeting federal diversity, equity and inclusion standards set by the Trump administration, Knox News reports. UT has faced accusations from federal officials that it failed to comply with DEI regulations. In July, the school initiated an independent, systemwide review of all access and engagement activities and mandated compliance training for employees. The national law firm Saul Ewing will assess the school's policies and activities to ensure they meet the administration’s requirements. Boyd also asked employees to familiarize themselves with the federal rules and respond promptly to compliance auditors and attorneys if contacted. The move comes after other Tennessee universities, including Belmont University and Vanderbilt University, have launched similar investigations.

Officials in Mason voted Tuesday to approve reopening the West Tennessee Detention Facility as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) site operated by private prison company CoreCivic. The 600-bed Tipton County facility, which closed in 2021 after the Biden administration ended Justice Department contracts with private prisons, was previously used by the U.S. Marshals Service, News Channel 9 reports. Residents shared mixed views, with some opposing the reopening and others supporting potential job growth. CoreCivic said the project could create nearly 240 jobs and generate more than $500,000 annually for local government, though no timeline has been set for reopening.