Born out of efforts to crack down on illegal drag racing on Memphis interstates, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and Memphis law enforcement have launched the "Bluff City Task Force." The Commercial Appeal reports that the group is focused on disrupting crime through "strategic deployment of high-visibility patrols in communities facing the highest rates of violence." Task force members have recovered illegal firearms, seized drugs and arrested repeat offenders, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security. “In Memphis, we are standing shoulder to shoulder — state troopers, deputies and city officers — making our streets safer one traffic stop at a time,” said THP Commander Col. Matt Perry.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last Thursday released one of the Covenant School shooter's journals, without explanation, reports the Tennessean. In July 2024, Davidson County Chancellor I'Ashea Myles ruled that the writings would not be made public, agreeing with Covenant families that the shooter’s writings were protected by copyright laws and should not be treated as public records. Several news outlets, as well as Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, had petitioned for release of the journals, and the Tennessee Star claimed in September 2024 to have published 90 pages of the shooter's "manifesto." The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) in April released the final report on the Covenant School shooting, concluding that the shooter, Aubrey Hale, had sought notoriety, acted alone in planning and carrying out the attack, and left no reason for the attack or choice of target. In May, former Lt. Garet Davidson was indicted on charges of stealing documents related to the shooting.

Foley & Lardner LLP has announced the opening of its newest office in Nashville with the addition of three corporate partners to support the firm’s growing Health Care & Life Sciences and Manufacturing sectors. New partners Jesse Neil, Brent Bowman and Jon Gaston join the firm from Holland & Knight LLP. Two Foley litigation partners, Kevin Hyde and Lauren Loew, also will work from Nashville to help establish and grow the office. “Nashville is a perfect fit for us. It’s a vibrant market marked by robust growth and a strong pipeline of corporate investment, particularly in health care, life sciences, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure — industries that closely align with our firm’s strengths,” said Daljit Doogal, chairman and CEO of the firm. The new office is located at 501 Commerce St., Ste. 1650, Nashville 37203 and can be reached via phone at 629-312-9200. Read more in a press release from the firm.

A Chattanooga public charter school has agreed to pay $100,000 to the family of an 11-year-old boy, settling a federal lawsuit claiming that it wrongfully reported the student to police for an alleged threat of mass violence. WPLN News reports that the incident began when the student, nicknamed “Junior,” overheard two classmates discussing a potential school shooting and jokingly said “yes” when one appeared about to confirm the threat. Students then reported that Junior had threatened to shoot up the school. Though school administrators initially said he could return the next day, a sheriff’s deputy later handcuffed him at a family birthday dinner. The news outlet in partnership with ProPublica wrote about the case last October as part of a larger investigation into a new law in Tennessee making threats of mass violence at school a felony. According to the settlement, Chattanooga Preparatory School also agreed to implement training on how to handle threats of mass violence, including reporting only “valid” threats to police and differentiating between “clearly innocuous statements” and “imminent” violence.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is officially unveiling “Promise to Call,” a new effort to prevent suicide and save lives. The initiative urges people to write down their promise, keep it nearby and share it with others to raise awareness about available resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The campaign also aims to spark community conversations about suicide, reduce stigma around mental health and emphasize the life-saving power of a simple promise, Clarksville Online reports. “The concept of a promise is so simple and so universal. A promise is something that people hold dear and will remember. It is our belief that if someone makes a promise prior to a suicide crisis, it can save a life,” said Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commissioner Marie Williams. For more information email matthew.parriott@tn.gov.

One day after Knox County Mayor Glen Jacobs called for "immediate state intervention" at the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center in Knoxville, Richard Bean has been forced out as superintendent. Knox News reports that he announced his retirement in a press release today, stating that his last day will be Aug. 1. Bean fired the center's sole registered nurse and an information technology specialist on May 28, but Jacobs and Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin cited "questionable circumstances" and demanded that the employees be reinstated. The nurse had been documenting errors and concerning incidents regarding patients before she was fired.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hear a decade-long rape kit lawsuit against the city of Memphis, effectively ending the case, the Daily Memphian reports. The court denied Janet Doe’s request to appeal a 2023 ruling from the Tennessee Court of Appeals that dismissed her claims. The case began in 2014 when three women sued the city and Shelby County, alleging their sexual assault kits were mishandled. Doe later became the sole plaintiff after the others withdrew. The appeals court found Doe’s claims were filed 14 months after the alleged injury — beyond the state’s 12-month statute of limitations — and did not relate back to the original filing. The court also overturned a lower court’s decision to certify the case as a class action, ruling that the proposed class of more than 12,000 untested rape kit victims was too vaguely defined.

On Wednesday, the Shelby County Commission approved three resolutions to release more than $1.4 million in emergency funding to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office for repairs and improvements to the Shelby County Jail, also referred to as 201 Poplar. The money will come from the county’s primary operating budget, with more than $1.2 million going to Schindler Elevator Corp. to fix and maintain 10 escalators inside the jail, Local Memphis reports. Additional funds have been allocated for the installation of a shower system and for plumbing services and supplies. The emergency funding approval comes as some city officials continue to push for construction of a new jail outside downtown.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division continued its Exploration Series today at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, one of the state’s scenic natural landmarks. TBA members attended presentations from TBA YLD District Representative Mary Frances DeVoe, as well as John Rice, Thomas Shumate and Joanna McCracken, with Patrick Morrison, the YLD board’s health and wellness coordinator, serving as moderator. The event included a ranger-led hike to the falls and a group lunch. The Exploration Series offers members quality CLE programming in an unplugged, outdoor setting while fostering professional networking. Upcoming events in the series are scheduled at Meeman-Shelby Forest and Long Hunter state parks. See photos from the event.

The Nashville School of Law (NSL) celebrated 72 graduates during the school’s 117th commencement ceremony on May 24. Dean William C. Koch Jr., Board of Trust Chair Aubrey B. Harwell Jr. and commencement speaker Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater shared inspiring and encouraging messages. The school recognized seven students who were inducted into the prestigious Cooper’s Inn Honor Society, reserved for those in the top 10% of their graduating class while nine students were recognized for completing 50 hours of pro bono service during their law school career. Koch also presented the Founder’s Award, which is given to the student with the highest grade-point average, and the Dean’s Certificate of Excellence for recording the most pro-bono hours to Jennifer Burch. Read more about the award recipients in a release from the school. See photos from the event.