Several members of the TBA leadership attended the American Bar Association's (ABA) Day on the Hill this spring. Participants met with several members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to discuss Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funding, judicial security, utilizing lawyers as resources when drafting AI-related legislation and public service loan forgiveness. The group also attended the LSC reception at the U.S. Supreme Court. See photos from the event.

In a statement issued on May 1, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall asserted that Metro Nashville is exempt from newly passed legislation HB2219/SB2223, which requires sheriffs' offices to enter into agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) known as 287(g) partnerships. The Tennessean reports that Hall said the bill only pertains to sheriffs certified by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, a categorization that does not involve Metro Nashville-Davidson County. In related news, U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, and Lindsay Graham, R-South Carolina, last week introduced the 287(g) Expansion Act to provide financial incentives for local governments to participate in the program, which allows ICE to partner with state and local law enforcement to identify and remove individuals in the country without legal status.

TBA members should have received printed membership renewal statements by now, but for those who would prefer to renew online, the web-based portal remains open. Be sure to log into your TBA account and go to the MyTBA dashboard to get started. TBA members receive the daily TBA Today newsletter, bi-monthly Tennessee Bar Journal, three free hours of CLE, resources for starting and building a new firm, a free legal research tool, savings on a range of products and services and more!

Greeneville attorney Curt Collins has been appointed Greene County Juvenile Court magistrate by Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey, replacing David Leonard, who died in January. A part-time appointment, Collins will hold court on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Collins said, “I am humbled and honored to serve in the position previously held by my mentors, Magistrate Dave Leonard and Judge Bailey. I cannot fill the void left by the passing of Judge Leonard, but I pledge to seek justice and deal respectfully with all who are before me." Collins is a founding partner at Collins Shelton Blair & Wright PLLC in Greeneville. The Greeneville Sun has more.

FBT Gibbons, formerly Frost Brown Todd, will undergo a major office renovation, expanding its footprint to include the full 19th floor and a part of the 18th floor for a collective 35,876 feet. The Nashville Post reports that the firm has extended its lease through October 2037 at SoBro’s Symphony Place, 150 Third Ave. S., where it has operated since 2012. “Over the years, we’ve had a front‑row seat to Nashville’s remarkable growth, and this extension reflects our decision to double down on the market with space that allows us to grow significantly from here,” Brian Masterson, partner-in-charge, said in a press release.

Rogersville attorney Mark Stapleton was sworn in as 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court judge last Thursday. Judge John Dugger Jr. administered the oath. Stapleton was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee to fill a vacancy created by the elevation of Judge William Phillips to the Court of Appeals. The Citizen Tribune reports that Stapleton pledged to his future litigants that he will come to court every day ready to be fair, honest and respectful. “We’re gonna demand the same thing in our court rooms,” he said. “It’s a professional place to be and we’re going to treat it as such.” Stapleton has said he plans to run for the bench in the August primary and serve at least through the November general election.

A man accused of killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig pleaded guilty Monday ahead of trial, the Tennessean reports. Shaquille Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and to five counts of aggravated assault in a separate case and will serve a total sentence of 38 years. Ludwig was fatally struck by a stray bullet near campus in November 2023. Taylor had initially faced felony murder and evidence tampering charges, and questions about his competency to stand trial had been raised prior to the plea. Ludwig’s death later prompted the passage of a 2024 state law requiring defendants found incompetent to stand trial for a felony to be committed to a mental health facility for treatment and prohibiting them from possessing firearms.

A $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, has taken effect, resolving years of litigation over their role in the opioid crisis and directing funds to states, communities and victims nationwide. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced in a press release that Tennessee is expected to receive approximately $122.4 million as part of the agreement, which follows a multistate investigation launched in 2016 and Tennessee’s 2018 lawsuit against Purdue. The settlement, reached after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated key provisions of a prior deal in 2024, permanently bars the Sacklers from selling opioids in the United States and provides funding for addiction treatment, prevention and recovery efforts over the next 15 years. It also requires the release of millions of documents related to Purdue’s opioid business and transfers the company’s operations to a new entity, Knoa Pharma LLC, which will be subject to independent oversight.

Metro Nashville has filed a motion in Davidson County Circuit Court alleging it effectively has been subsidizing state government by more than $5 million annually due to the continued housing of individuals already sentenced in criminal court, WPLN reports. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office typically houses people awaiting trial, but once sentenced to state custody, those individuals are to be transferred to the Tennessee Department of Correction. Metro’s filing includes motions asking the department to explain in court why it has not complied with sentencing orders in 10 separate cases.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has released the comments submitted in response to its September 2025 order soliciting feedback on seven potential regulatory reforms, which according to the court, are designed to increase access to legal representation while also ensuring the competency of attorneys and safeguarding the public. The comments have been combined into five separate documents: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5. Access the documents on the TBA’s Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resources page. Read the TBA's comments.