Nashville health officials have installed free naloxone vending machines across the city as overdose deaths continue to decline, The Tennessean reports. Metro Public Health Director Sanmi Areola said the goal is to make the opioid antidote more accessible during a time when the holidays can increase stress for those struggling with addiction. The two-dose Narcan kits, are now available through three vending machines and at public health clinics. Davidson County recorded 99 suspected overdose deaths in the third quarter of 2025, an 18% drop from the same period in 2024, though fentanyl remained a factor in most fatalities. Statewide and national data also show overdose deaths trending downward, a shift officials attribute in part to wider naloxone distribution and increased awareness of addiction resources.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and its Mock Trial Committee have released case materials for the 45th Annual Tennessee High School Mock Trial Competition, which will take place in February and March 2026. Students will present their best arguments in State of Tennessee v. Callahan, a criminal case centered around the murder of a member of an organized crime family. Local competitions will take place in February with the district winners advancing to the state competition, set for March 20-21 in Nashville. This year's competition also will include the Second Annual Artist in the Courtroom Contest. Following the state competition, Tennessee's mock trial winner and first place artist will have the opportunity to represent the state at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa, May 7-9. Tennessee's 2025 state champion Montgomery Bell Academy took first place in the national championship in Phoenix, Arizona, this summer! Learn more about the 2026 case and thank you to Mock Trial Committee Chair John Jolley, Vice Chair Bridget Pyman and Long Range Planning Coordinator Ashley Tipton for their leadership.

Book publishers and literary groups are challenging Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s directive for public libraries to audit children’s collections and report on any books that include gender identity concepts. More than 30 groups have signed a letter expressing “profound concern” about the effort. They also argue that a presidential executive order, which Hargett cites in his directive, should regulate only federal agencies. Hargett has asked libraries that receive state or federal grant funds to make an “age-appropriate” review of books and file final reports by Jan. 19, 2026. He says the review is necessary based on the state's new Dismantling DEI Departments Act, and encourages libraries with questions to contact their county attorney. According to the Tennessee Lookout, some libraries have had to shut down temporarily to conduct the assessment.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has selected members for the 2026 Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) class. Starting in January, class members will embark on a six-month leadership and networking program designed to develop skills to succeed as law students and attorneys, build relationships among students of diverse backgrounds, and encourage involvement in the TBA and the legal community. Congratulations to Sara Ali-Amghaiab and Carole Rizkallah from Belmont University College of Law; Naimad Delgado, Sierra Dennis, Charleston Pritchett, Cayla Scott and Carlee Sullins from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law; Ronal Bueso, Marilyn Harrison-Bates and Cecilee Tinajero from Nashville School of Law; Abigail James from University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law; and Dimend Little from UT Winston College of Law. Special thanks to DLI Co-Chairs and Nashville attorneys Morgan Hanna and John Murphy for their work preparing for this new class.

The U.S. Justice Department plans to expand gun-rights protections with a new office in the Civil Rights Division dedicated to enforcing the constitutional right to bear arms, according to Reuters. The office, called the Second Amendment Rights Section, is expected to open Dec. 4 and will investigate local laws or policies that limit gun rights. The section also will carry out broad directives from a February executive order issued by President Donald Trump directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to assess any ongoing infringements of gun rights across the federal government. Earlier this year, the department launched a civil rights investigation into allegations that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was delaying approvals for concealed-carry permits after gun-rights groups filed a lawsuit over the department’s process, fees and wait times.

Nashville Metro Council Member Zulfat Suara has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Meharry Medical College, alleging she was treated differently than others who have been dismissed from their jobs in recent months, according to the Nashville Banner. Suara worked at the school from 2015 through October 2024, when she and several other finance officials were terminated from their positions. The lawsuit alleges, in part, that she never received official notice of her termination, which has hindered her pursuit of a new job. Suara is asking for compensatory and punitive damages in the lawsuit. She is represented by attorneys from Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall.

Federal officials traveled to Memphis on Monday to tout the city’s falling crime rate, attributing a 48% decline in murders to the 56-day existence of the Memphis Safe Task Force. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was joined by U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta. The group announced that the task force has made 3,000 arrests and seized more than 500 guns. The Daily Memphian has more on the press conference.

In related news, nine Shelby County Criminal Court judges addressed jail overcrowding in an order that includes recommendations for the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office designed to help alleviate current problems. The recommendations center on staffing issues, records management, charging errors and transportation delays according to Action News 5. The clerk’s office has responded, saying it shares many of the same concerns, especially with regard to funding and staffing shortages. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, also recently addressed the issue, saying that funding for any plan to replace the aging Shelby County Jail at 201 Poplar would be "upon the locals," not the state, the Commercial Appeal reports. Sexton was asked specifically about overcrowding at the Criminal Justice Center, reports WREG. He reiterated his stance for tougher sentencing laws and expansion of state prison capacity, adding that Shelby County could borrow the money needed for its own jail, or pursue other options, including relying on federal detention facilities.

Former Republican Rep. Robin Smith of Hixson has been directed to report to Alderson, a minimum security federal prison in West Virginia, by 2 p.m. on Jan. 5, reports Chattanoogan.com. In October, Smith was sentenced to serve eight months in prison and pay a $7,500 fine for her role in the legislative fraud case that also involved former House Speaker Glen Casada and his top aide, Cade Cothren. Smith pleaded guilty to honest-services wire fraud connected to a taxpayer-funded mailer scheme. After her guilty plea, she cooperated with prosecutors in their cases against Casada and Cothren, who were convicted and given prison time, but pardoned recently by the president. Smith is seeking to have her sentence reduced. One of her attorneys also has sought a presidential pardon.

The Tennessee Bar Association will be closed Wednesday through Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. An abbreviated edition of TBA Today will be published on Wednesday. Visit the TBA website at any time to access CLE offerings and contact information for individual staff members. The office will reopen Dec. 1 at 8 a.m. CST. Happy Thanksgiving!

Law firms now account for 10.5% of U.S. office leasing activity — double their pre-pandemic share — as other industries have scaled back and firms increasingly require in-person work, Reuters reports. Strong profitability and a renewed emphasis on office presence have allowed many firms to expand or maintain space, contributing to 8.3 million square feet leased through the third quarter. While more than a third of firms expanded their footprint, nearly one-third reduced space.