Kilmar Abrego Garcia of Maryland appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee today and pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, the Associated Press reports. In their request to keep Abrego Garcia in jail pending trial, prosecutors also accused him of trafficking drugs and firearms and abusing the women he transported, though he has not been charged with those crimes. His defense challenged the credibility of government witnesses, citing their criminal records and possible motivations, and denied all criminal allegations. They also argued the charges are a political maneuver to justify his recent removal to El Salvador, which they say violated a court order protecting him from deportation due to fears of gang violence.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission has received applications for two vacancies in the 30th Judicial District. The applicants for the criminal court judge vacancy are Jahari M. Dowdy, Lora D. Fowler, Raymond J. Lepone and Kenya N. Smith. The applicants for the circuit court vacancy are William Christopher Frulla, C. Scott Jones and Mitzi H. Pollard. A public hearing for these candidates will be held July 16 and 17 at 9 a.m. CDT in the Historic Courtroom (Room 325) at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687 with questions. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward nominations for each position to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. To view the applications, visit the AOC's website.

A new study by the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service finds the Shelby County Jail is facing severe overcrowding, understaffing and facility disrepair, and may need nearly 1,000 additional beds over the next 20 years. The 177-page report, presented to the Shelby County Commission on June 11, details extensive deferred maintenance issues, including broken escalators that delay emergency medical response, and inadequate medical and intake facilities. The study, requested by Sheriff Floyd Bonner, also outlines three options for expanding or replacing the jail, including building a new facility near Shelby Farms or at the former Firestone factory site. According to the Commercial Appeal, recommendations emphasize consolidating services for men, women and juveniles, and improving booking and release operations to meet Tennessee standards and better accommodate a projected 4.3% regional population increase by 2045.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday announced the appointment of Jeff Holmes as interim commissioner for the Tennessee Department of General Services (DGS), effective today. Holmes will succeed Matt Van Epps, who stepped down on June 10 to pursue a new venture after serving in multiple roles in the Lee administration. Van Epps was appointed commissioner of DGS in September 2024. He previously held multiple roles within the Lee administration, including deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office, assistant director of procurement and contracts with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and assistant commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services. Holmes most recently was the director of planning and programming at Tennessee Board of Regents, and previously served as Tennessee’s 76th adjutant general, supervising Tennessee’s Military Department which includes the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Tennessee State Guard. Read a press release from the governor's office.

Nashville’s latest annual census of the city’s unhoused population found 2,180 people in shelters or living unsheltered on one night in January, a 4% increase from the previous year, according to WPLN. In contrast, homelessness nationwide rose by 18% over the same period. Each year, volunteers canvas the county during a single evening to conduct the “point-in-time” count. Metro officials noted that this year’s count occurred on a night with below-freezing temperatures, which led to the opening of additional shelter spaces and may have contributed to the higher total.

President Donald Trump has fired a third member of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors. Beth Geer, one of six people nominated to the board by President Joe Biden in 2023, was dismissed, according to a report TVA filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10. Trump previously removed Biden appointees Michelle Moore in March and Board Chair Joe Ritch in April. The board, now reduced to three members from its usual nine, will continue meeting to ensure TVA operations continue for its 10 million customers across seven Southeastern states, Knox News reports. Trump has not publicly given a reason for the firings or announced replacement nominees yet.

Candidates who passed the February bar exam, along with others, were sworn in during a ceremony in Knoxville on Monday.  Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight E. Tarwater presided over the ceremony. See photos from the event here.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) crime lab in Jackson will dedicate two scientists to DNA and ballistics testing exclusively for the Memphis Police Department. Memphis City Council member Philip Spinosa and Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, announced the agreement Tuesday. According to the Daily Memphian, the city will fund both positions, and the arrangement will remain in place until the city or county proceeds with building an independent crime lab. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told the news outlet he is still pursuing a local crime lab independent of the TBI. Harris and District Attorney General Steve Mulroy estimate the annual cost of that operation to be $5.5 million.

Gov. Bill Lee has signed an executive order aimed at expanding Tennessee’s workforce development, particularly in high-growth industries. Executive Order 109 designates the Tennessee State Workforce Development Board as the central leadership for the state’s broader workforce agenda, according to Fox 17. The order calls for leveraging technology and employer partnerships to personalize career pathways, promote continuous innovation and maximize public return on investment. “As companies continue to invest in Tennessee and create high-quality jobs, continued coordination across state government and public-private partnerships will be necessary to unlock our full economic potential and create greater opportunity for all Tennesseans to thrive," Lee said. The signing ceremony took place in Knoxville.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met in Hohenwald to select nominees for a circuit court judge in the 32nd Judicial District, which includes Hickman, Lewis and Perry counties. Following a public hearing and interviews, the commission selected three nominees to forward to Gov. Bill Lee for consideration: William K. Lane III, Patricia W. Holder and Jack B.D. Heath. Read more about the nominees in their applications on the Administrative Office of the Court's website.