Martesha Johnson Moore is running for a third term as Nashville Metro Public Defender (PD) and is unopposed, just as she was in 2022. She also spent more than a decade in the office before succeeding Dawn Deaner as department head. Moore recently talked to the Nashville Banner about what has — and has not — changed with the city’s criminal justice system, commenting on caseloads, cash bail, night court judges and more.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has signed on to a bipartisan amicus brief backing Massachusetts’ lawsuit against prediction market platform Kalshi, The Tennessee Journal reports. The brief, filed by 38 state attorneys general, argues that the platform facilitates unlicensed sports betting and its event contracts breach state gambling laws and require licensing. The federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission also filed a brief asserting exclusive federal authority over prediction markets. KuCoin has more on the case. Read the brief.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) will hold its Spring Memorial Service on May 15 to honor 13 lawyers who recently died. The group says that due to the number of passages, some recently passed members will be honored at a separate ceremony in November. The spring event will take place at 3 p.m. EDT in the Supreme Court courtroom at the Tennessee Supreme Court building, 505 Main St., 2nd Floor, Knoxville 37902. The Chattanooga Bar Association (CBA) recently held its annual memorial service as well. Judge Alex McVeagh presided over the event. Read more about those honored.

The TBA is accepting applications from candidates interested in the position of Education and Professional Development Coordinator of Online Learning. This position will support the delivery and ongoing enhancement of TBA’s online continuing legal education (CLE) portfolio. Working closely with the TBA's director of education and professional development, the position will focus on executing high-quality digital learning programs, supporting the promotion and visibility of online offerings, and contributing to member engagement and program growth. View the full job description. To apply, send a cover letter explaining interest in the position and a resume to Human Resources & Administrative Coordinator Tanja Trezise.

The Tennessee Supreme Court, which approved adoption of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) for Tennessee exam takers in 2024, announced new details on score transfers as the state prepares to transition from the legacy UBE in July 2027. Tennessee will accept transferred NextGen UBE scores beginning with the July 2026 administration, as some jurisdictions begin offering the new exam, while others will not implement it until February or July 2028, according to a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts. The court also will continue to accept unexpired legacy UBE scores earned through the February 2028 administration. By no later than Aug. 31, 2026, the court will set the minimum passing score for the NextGen UBE for applicants seeking admission in Tennessee, including those transferring scores from other jurisdictions.

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall is running unopposed for reelection and poised to begin a seventh term after more than two decades overseeing Nashville’s jail system, the Nashville Banner reports. Hall says he remains committed to the role as the department faces challenges including jail overcrowding, contraband smuggling and the need for expanded mental health services. The department is responding through the county's Behavioral Care Center, which provides alternatives to the traditional jail system, and investing in new technology and enforcement measures to curtail dangerous drugs entering facilities. Hall also says he is reviewing a legislation requiring cooperation with federal immigration authorities and that his office is seeking legal guidance on how it may affect current practices. That measure is awaiting the governor's signature.

CVS Health is threatening to sue Tennessee after both the House and Senate gave bipartisan approval to a bill requiring pharmacy benefit managers to divest from pharmacies they manage, the Tennessean reports. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are third parties that manage prescription drug benefits. Audits have found PBMs, including CVS Health, have unfairly favored affiliated pharmacies and shortchanged independent pharmacies. The FAIR Rx Act (SB2040/HB1959) would bar PBMs from managing pharmacies they own. Hospital- and employer-owned pharmacies are excluded from the bill. CVS, which owns PBM Caremark as well as retail pharmacies and insurer Aetna, said it may sue if the bill becomes law, and warned it could close its 137 Tennessee locations, eliminate jobs and reduce access to care. The bill now awaits the governor's consideration.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has settled a lawsuit brought by a nonprofit, which alleged that its law school scholarship program was discriminatory, according to Bloomberg Law. In a filing Monday, the ABA said it will refrain from using race or ethnicity to determine scholarship eligibility. The ABA’s Legal Opportunity Scholarship provides $15,000 to about 25 first-year law students. The American Alliance for Equal Rights filed suit in April 2025. The ABA subsequently updated the program’s eligibility requirements to remove references to underrepresented racial or ethnic groups and instead require “a strong commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.” Under the settlement, the group will not receive damages or other relief, and no alliance member will receive scholarship funds.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is challenging Tennessee’s denial of fingerprint testing for death row inmate Tony Carruthers, who is scheduled to be executed May 21, NewsChannel 5 reports. The ACLU, the ACLU of Tennessee and Quarles & Brady LLP filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday seeking access to fingerprint evidence and other forensic testing in Carruthers’ case. The complaint argues Tennessee courts wrongly denied Carruthers’ request for fingerprint testing and improperly refused to consider newer evidence, including records allegedly confirming that a key witness worked as a paid confidential informant. Carruthers has maintained his innocence. His attorneys argue no physical evidence links him to the killings and say six fingerprints recovered from the crime scene did not match his. The lawsuit follows a separate request filed in the Tennessee Supreme Court seeking additional DNA testing, which remains pending, according to the complaint.

Comments in response to the Tennessee Supreme Court's Sept. 16 order seeking feedback on seven questions related to regulation of the state's legal profession are due tomorrow. The court extended the deadline to April 30 in January. The court says the goal of the effort is to increase the availability of affordable legal services in the state while ensuring the competency of attorneys and safeguarding the public. Comments should include docket No. ADM2025-01403 and be submitted to Clerk James Hivner, Re: Regulatory Reform, 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37219 or by email to appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov. Visit TBA's Legal Access & Regulatory Reform resource page to learn more about the areas the court is reviewing.