Johnson City law partners Matt Bolton and McKenna Cox recently announced that after 100 years, the law firm of Herndon, Coleman, Brading and McKee is now Cox Bolton. In a statement on their new website, the pair said, "We feel this change better reflects who we are in 2026 and our vision for our firm into the next century. Cox Bolton LLP honors HCBM's commitment to provide legal services with integrity to our community." The firm's contact information will remain the same.

Christa Pike, the only woman on Tennessee’s death row, has sued the state over its new single-drug lethal injection protocol, arguing it violates the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions given her medical conditions and the risk of severe pain and suffering. According to the Nashville Banner, the lawsuit challenges the use of pentobarbital, the lack of transparency and emergency medical contingencies, restrictions on spiritual advisors, and a mandatory 14-day pre-execution isolation period that Pike says amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Pike, who is scheduled to be executed Sept. 30 and who would be the first woman executed in Tennessee since 1820, also argues the protocol would cause her to effectively "drown in her own blood" due to a blood disorder and small veins, and that it infringes on her Buddhist beliefs. She is seeking a permanent injunction against the protocol and additional safeguards, citing past botched executions and ongoing litigation over Tennessee’s execution practices.

Former Millersville officials have filed a series of federal lawsuits accusing activists, former city leaders and journalists of conspiracies ranging from defamation to racketeering and even international terrorism. Defendants say the claims are frivolous and unsupported. According to The Tennessean, the lawsuits stem from years of turmoil in the small town, including mass firings, resignations, accusations of secret meetings and a botched 2024 sex-trafficking sting that later led to the indictment of a police captain. Five former employees — including ex-assistant police chief Shawn Taylor and former city attorney Bryant Kroll — allege coordinated efforts by activists, commissioners and reporters to sabotage investigations, defame them and force them from office. News organizations and the city have moved to dismiss the cases, arguing the allegations lack factual basis and that reporting and public statements are protected by the First Amendment.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) on Monday announced the appointment of veteran attorney Rebekah Parkhurst as its general counsel. “With nearly two decades of experience in public sector law, litigation management, and regulatory compliance, Rebekah has demonstrated a track record of leadership that I know will benefit our department and, in turn, all Tennesseans,” said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. Prior to joining TDCI, Parkhurst served in various roles with Tennessee state government beginning in 2005, including serving as law clerk at the Tennessee Supreme Court, as an assistant attorney general, and as a deputy general counsel with the Department of Human Services. She earned her law degree from Appalachian School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Marshall University. Read more in a press release from the department.

Metro Nashville Council Member Joy Kimbrough has filed a $40 million defamation lawsuit against Ryan Moses and his liquor distribution company, Best Brands Inc., over a dismissed ethics complaint that accused her of demanding $500,000 in exchange for support of a rezoning proposal. The Nashville Post reports that the Metro ethics board dismissed the complaint after Moses failed to provide evidence. Kimbrough alleges the false claims severely damaged her reputation and caused emotional distress.

In addition to serving on the bench, District 29 Chancellor Tony Childress is a volunteer firefighter, and on Dec. 26, 2025, he assisted with a surprise delivery. Childress was hunting with friends when he received a text from the Bogata Volunteer Fire Department about a woman giving birth in her car. He was the first firefighter on the scene and was able to assist the mother and baby until an ambulance arrived. Of his work with the fire department, Childress says, “I was a volunteer firefighter before I was a judge. I just said that’s not one of the things I’m going to give up. I believe in serving the community in whatever capacity you can. Judges ought to serve their communities in more roles than just being a judge. If you’re a leader, and judges are leaders, at some point you need to lead if you can do something. That’s why I keep doing it.” Read more in this profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts. District 29 serves Dyer and Lake counties.

Vice President JD Vance announced Thursday that the Trump administration is establishing a new Department of Justice (DOJ) Division for National Fraud Enforcement to be lead by a new assistant attorney general, The Hill reports. The move follows the DOJ's investigation into allegations of mass welfare fraud in Minnesota. It has charged 85 defendants in that case and the administration said it is increasing prosecution resources and attorneys assigned to the investigation. Vance said the new position will “focus primarily” on the Minnesota fraud case, but also will have “nation-wide jurisdiction over the issue of fraud.” Following the news, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the new role on the social platform X. Read more about the new fraud division from this White House fact sheet.

Litigator and pilot Edward A. Hadley has launched Aero Legal Advocates PLC, a law firm in Brentwood specializing in aviation law. The firm announced the news in a press release. Hadley brings more than three decades of legal and aviation experience to the firm, which also includes pilot-attorneys Jake B. Callaham, Chris Hughston II and Mark Blount. Aero Legal Advocates will represent a wide range of aviation professionals and entities including aircraft owners, pilots, mechanics, operators, aviation businesses and airports in matters before the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and state and federal courts. The firm also will advise clients on accidents, aircraft purchases, leasing, hangar construction, tax issues, regulatory compliance, agency investigations and aviation-related commercial disputes.

Nashville-based Lipscomb University is facing a lawsuit from 11 students who say they became ill from black mold in their dorm rooms. According to the Nashville Post, the lawsuit, filed Jan. 7 in Davidson County Circuit Court, alleges that “persistent condensation, damp air, musty odors and unexplained illness” have harmed the students’ quality of life. The plaintiffs claim the university continued assigning female students to dorms despite knowing about poor ventilation and recurring mold problems. The students are seeking $14.5 million in damages. In a statement, the university said, “Lipscomb University takes these allegations seriously, and we are deeply committed to the well-being of our students. Based on our initial review, this case is egregiously overstated. Lipscomb University has established and follows strict protocols, consistent with EPA guidance and industry standards, for addressing suspected mold concerns.”

Attorney General Skrmetti announced in a press release that a settlement with Metropolis Technologies Inc. will end an investigation by his office into the private parking company. Metropolis will pay $8.75 million to cover consumer refunds, litigation costs and a free parking program, and will also be required to implement numerous changes to its business practices to promote transparency and protect consumers. Skrmetti’s office began investigating Metropolis in 2024 following consumer complaints alleging unclear pricing, inadequate signage, misleading notices and surprise fees caused by technology glitches. More than 300 complaints have been filed to date. Under the settlement, Metropolis must implement changes to its business practices, including clearer signage, pricing transparency, automatic refunds for wrongful charges and the creation of the Tennessee Parking Program, which will offer $2.25 million in free parking credits to eligible Tennessee consumers in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville.