The U.S. Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules on May 2 advanced a proposal to regulate evidence generated by artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to ensure it meets the same reliability standards as expert witness testimony. Reuters reports that the draft rule would require non-expert-generated AI evidence to be scrutinized under Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, while exempting basic scientific instruments. Some committee members expressed uncertainty about adopting the rule, but all emphasized the need to act quickly as AI technology evolves. The panel also voted 8-1 to seek public feedback. The proposal now moves to the conference's Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, which will decide in June whether to publish the proposal for public comment.

Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti on Monday released a statement warning Knoxville-area residents to guard against scammers exploiting the May 10 earthquake that impacted the region. “Unscrupulous scammers find every opportunity to target vulnerable citizens, particularly the elderly,” Skrmetti said. "Always be sure to thoroughly research contractors who offer to work on your home, get multiple quotes and only hire reputable professionals." For guidance on avoiding scams, visit the AG's Consumer Protection website.

Tennessee death row inmates are urging a Davidson County court to compel the state Department of Correction to disclose the sources of its lethal injection drugs, according to News Channel 5. The group argues the drugs pose serious safety risks, stating, "Every manufacturer of pentobarbital has put in place strict distribution controls to prevent its drugs from being sold to departments of correction for use in executions." Oscar Franklin Smith is scheduled for execution on May 22. The inmates also are seeking a halt to executions until a March 2026 trial on the constitutionality of the state's protocol is held.

A federal judge in Pennsylvania has ruled that President Donald Trump can invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport members of Tren de Aragua, a group he labeled a foreign terrorist organization, but must provide proper notice before doing so. The Hill reports that the decision from Judge Stephanie Haines diverges from other rulings — including from a Texas-based federal judge — that have found the law may be used only during formal invasions or wartime. The ACLU is urging the Supreme Court to intervene and resolve the conflict. Haines lifted a previous block on deportations in Western Pennsylvania, allowing the administration to proceed with a 21-day notice in both English and Spanish.

Criminal charges against four Youth Villages staffers in the 2023 death of 17-year-old Alegend Jones have been dropped following an agreement between the facility and Jones’ family. The staffers had been indicted for facilitation of aggravated child abuse and reckless homicide, but the indictments were rescinded after prosecutors decided not to pursue the case. An autopsy suggested Jones died from complications of a physical restraint, but due to unclear video footage and inconclusive findings, the manner of death was ruled “undetermined.” The Daily Memphian reports that as part of the resolution, Youth Villages will undergo a review by independent experts to assess and improve safety protocols.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has extended its suspension of a rule requiring law schools to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) through efforts like targeted recruitment of underrepresented groups. The suspension, now lasting until August 2026, comes amid legal challenges, executive orders from the Trump administration and communications from the U.S. Department of Justice. The council overseeing law school accreditation cited “extraordinary circumstances” and potential hardship for schools caught between ABA rules and federal law prohibiting race- and gender-based policies in supporting the extension. The council first voted to suspend enforcement of the rule in February. Bloomberg News has more on the story.

Blount County District Attorney Ryan Desmond’s office has begun reviewing evidence in an ongoing investigation into the Knox County Trustee’s Office after Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen formally recused her office from any future prosecutions, Knox News reports. Desmond confirmed his office is coordinating with the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury and does not need to wait for that agency's investigation to conclude to begin legal review. The probe centers on Trustee Justin Biggs and staff members, who are accused of misusing taxpayer funds on luxury hotel stays and personal use of county-leased vehicles. The investigation also recently expanded to include other county officials and possible misuse of public resources, according to the paper.

Tennessee has renewed its contract with private prison operator CoreCivic to run the South Central Correctional Facility in Wayne County. The State Building Commission approved the three-year, $168 million contract during a meeting last Thursday. The contract will take effect July 1 and run through June 30, 2028, according to the Nashville Post. The South Central facility is one of four prisons in Tennessee operated by CoreCivic that have faced scrutiny in recent years over poor conditions and inmate deaths. The new contract comes as the state legislature recently passed HB1144/SB1115 as amended, increasing oversight of private prisons by requiring a facility’s inmate population to be reduced by 10% if its death rate is twice that of a comparable state-run prison. The legislation, signed by Gov. Lee on May 9, also requires population reductions to continue until the issues are resolved.

Former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether she was protected by the First Amendment when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples nearly a decade ago, her attorney says. The News-Enterprise reports that the move follows the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to deny a request to rehear her case, stating that the panel of judges who ruled against Davis in March had already fully considered it. Davis is challenging a federal jury’s decision that she must pay $100,000 to a couple she denied a marriage license in 2015. Davis, then the Rowan County clerk, made national headlines for refusing to issue marriage licenses to several same-sex couples, citing her religious beliefs. U.S. District Judge David Bunning jailed Davis for five days for contempt after she failed to comply with a court order. In 2024, Bunning ordered Davis to pay $260,104 in legal fees and expenses to attorneys who represented one of the couples.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a federal law banning nonviolent felons from owning firearms, ruling the ban does not violate the Second Amendment right to bear arms. In an en banc decision, the court said its ruling aligns with four other federal circuit courts that have reached similar conclusions, Bloomberg News reports. It is the latest federal appeals court decision to apply the U.S. Supreme Court’s constitutional test, which requires courts to examine whether a gun restriction has a historical analogue dating back to the nation’s founding. The ruling upholds the criminal conviction of Steven Duarte, who was caught with a pistol in Los Angeles while knowing he had previously been convicted of five nonviolent felonies. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit had found the law unconstitutional in 2024, but the court voted to rehear the case after the Supreme Court clarified the test in the U.S. v. Rahimi.