Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer is slated to be tried for allegations of wire fraud and theft in January 2027, according to the Commercial Appeal. Judge Sheryl H. Lipman presided over Sawyer's first hearing in the criminal case, which revealed that federal investigators have "about 50,000" documents in discovery and a few recorded witness statements. Sawyer was indicted on June 15 after federal investigators accused her of six federal crimes. She later was suspended by the General Sessions Court judges, who signed a unanimous order temporarily removing her from the role for 60 days. Sawyer is set to be in court next on Aug. 19 for a report date.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications to fill two judicial positions for newly designated violent criminal courts in the 30th Judicial District. The two vacancies are identical and applicants should submit only one application to be considered for both positions. A public hearing to consider applicants will be held Aug. 14 at 9 a.m. EDT in the Historic Courtroom, Room 325, of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Completed applications must be received by the Administrative Office of the Courts by noon CDT on July 15. The application and instructions are available here. For questions or to request accommodations, contact John Jefferson at the Administrative Office of the Courts at John.Jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687. The Daily Memphian has background on the creation of the seats.

The Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee Judicial Conference recently co-hosted a Bench Bar Mixer at the TBA office in Nashville, bringing together TBA leaders and members of the judiciary for an evening of conversation and fellowship. The event provided an opportunity for judges and bar leaders to connect in an informal setting, strengthen professional relationships and discuss issues affecting Tennessee's legal community. The gathering highlighted the ongoing partnership between the TBA and the Tennessee Judicial Conference and the groups' shared commitment to fostering collaboration across the bench and bar. See photos from the event.

The latest episode of BarBuzz is out! In this special convention edition, recorded live at the TBA's Annual Convention in Knoxville earlier this month, Communications Coordinator Azya Thornton talks with newly installed President Charlotte Knight Griffin and Young Lawyers Division President Jennifer Sneed Perry, Executive Director Sheree Wright and Data and Systems Analyst David Lazar about leadership, member services, professional development and priorities for the year ahead. The episode also features conversations with Tech Showcase exhibitors about emerging legal technology, artificial intelligence and resources available to help attorneys strengthen their practices. Listen to the episode on the TBA's website or directly on the streaming platform Libsyn.

The University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees has approved a $1.9 million settlement with former University of Tennessee assistant professor Tamar Shirinian, ending a federal lawsuit over her firing for a social media post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Knox News reports. Under the agreement, Shirinian will not be reinstated. The settlement remains subject to approval by state officials, including the attorney general and Gov. Bill Lee. Shirinian was dismissed after posting a comment on Facebook following Kirk's 2025 assassination. The university said settling the case would avoid the costs and demands of continued litigation. Court filings indicate the parties must finalize the settlement by Aug. 28.

Tennessee's lethal injection protocol, adopted in January 2025, eliminated a previous requirement that execution team members practice inserting IV lines during monthly mock executions, the Nashville Banner reports. This change now has drawn renewed scrutiny following the halted execution of death row inmate Tony Carruthers, whose execution was called off in May after prison staff spent more than an hour unsuccessfully attempting to establish a secondary IV line. Court filings in an ongoing challenge to the state's execution protocol contend the revised training requirements are inadequate, with expert witnesses questioning whether execution team members receive sufficient instruction and oversight in IV placement. The Tennessee Department of Correction declined to comment on the protocol changes or the qualifications of execution team members.

The Williamson Remembers Committee unveiled two historical markers in downtown Franklin on June 20 honoring six African American victims of lynchings in Williamson County during the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. The markers also acknowledge the lynching of Jewish merchant, believed to be the first Jewish lynching victim in the United States, the Tennessean reports. The markers are part of a broader effort launched by the committee in 2020 to recognize the county's history of racial violence. Community leaders, historians and elected officials participated in the dedication ceremony. A third historical marker is planned outside Franklin City Hall once construction on that new building is complete.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients sued the federal government last Thursday, alleging significant delays in the renewal of their status under the Trump administration, according to The Hill. DACA, which provides certain immigrants who were brought to the United States as children with temporary protection from deportation and work authorization, requires recipients to renew their status every two years. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of multiple plaintiffs who submitted renewal applications at least 120 days before their status expired, as recommended, but whose renewals were not processed before existing protections lapsed. One organization involved in the lawsuit said it filed renewal applications for 500 clients this year, with 319 still pending after more than six months.

Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, has filed 14 federal civil rights complaints against the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, alleging widespread violations involving the treatment of children with disabilities and foster care practices across multiple Tennessee counties. WSMV reports that the complaints allege disability discrimination, retaliation against parents and foster parents who reported misconduct, falsified case records, improper removals of children, sexual assault in DCS-certified placements and national origin discrimination. Behn is requesting a federal investigation, a halt to active termination of parental rights proceedings, a compliance plan for children with disabilities, anti-retaliation protections and ongoing federal oversight. DCS did not commented on the filings according to the news station.

The Shelby County Health Department ordered the Walter L. Bailey Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar Ave. in Memphis to close Monday because of internal plumbing issues. The plumbing problems caused flooding in the building and interrupted water service, according to a department spokesperson. A Shelby County Health Department news release said the issues were caused by a water main break, the Daily Memphian reports. Separately, the General Sessions Criminal Court and Clerk's Office announced that operations at 201 Poplar would be closed because of unforeseen building issues. All cases scheduled for Monday were canceled. The Health Department said the Shelby County Jail was not affected by the water main break, and other General Sessions Court Clerk's Office locations remain open.