A U.S. immigration judge has denied an asylum request from Kilmar Abrego Garcia, WSMV reports. A judge in Baltimore on Wednesday rejected Abrego Garcia’s bid to reopen his 2019 asylum case, giving him 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. He also faces criminal charges in Tennessee stemming from a 2022 traffic stop, while U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking to deport him to a third country, first proposing Uganda and then Eswatini. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have filed motions for a gag order, arguing their client cannot receive a fair trial because of “highly prejudicial, inflammatory and false statements” made about him. A federal judge in Tennessee can restrict prosecutors here from making such statements, but it is unclear whether that authority extends to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Knox County District Attorney’s Office has dropped trespassing charges against 12 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who were arrested at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT) in 2024. The group was charged after weeks of campus protests against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. The charges were dismissed after the demonstrators collectively completed 100 hours of community service, according to Knox News. Two of those arrested, siblings Hasan Husain and Layla Soliz, filed a federal lawsuit in May alleging their First Amendment rights were violated. The suit names the Tennessee Board of Regents, UT trustees and UT System President Randy Boyd as defendants. Their attorney told the news outlet the case is moving forward.

The Tennessee Bar Association offers group health insurance exclusively for members through BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Many firms have found meaningful savings and access to a strong national provider network for their attorneys, employees and covered dependents. Enrollment opens Oct. 6; start planning now! Even if you've already renewed your current coverage, you may still move to the TBA plan. Contact Buck Orrison to schedule a 15-minute consultation to review your current plan and see what options are available. Solo attorney? Explore our separate health plan built just for solo practitioners.

Members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) gathered in Washington, D.C. for the Fall Board Meeting. During the meeting, members planned upcoming events, including pro bono clinics, the Diversity Leadership Institute, the Rural Judicial Fellowship Program, the Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition, and new CLE offerings. The group also discussed the Tennessee Supreme Court’s request for comments on potential regulatory reforms to increase access to quality legal representation. Despite the government shutdown, the group was able to visit museums and historic sites and explore the nation’s capital. Board member Patrick Morrison led the group on a nighttime tour of the monuments.

YLD President Judge Alex McVeagh also recognized several board members for their work over the last quarter, including Mary Frances DeVoe, Chattanooga attorney and YLD East Tennessee delegate to the TBA House of Delegates, for her contributions to numerous pro bono clinics; Donelson attorney Patrick Morrison for his development of CLE programming and his role as health and wellness coordinator; and Nashville attorney Jack Wagster for his contributions as a district representative. Nashville attorney and Diversity Committee Co-Chair Chicoya Smith received the “disco gavel” from YLD Immediate Past President Sean Aiello for her enthusiasm and efforts to bring people together. A special thanks also was given to Cookeville attorney Rachel Moses — a former YLD president (2014-2016) and current TBA YLD fellow and Middle Tennessee governor on the TBA Board of Governors — for joining the trip and supporting the YLD. See photos from the meeting.

Democrats in Congress are pressing three major law firms — Paul Weiss, Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden — for details on potential free legal work for the Commerce Department, which they argue may violate federal law and go beyond previously announced pro bono commitments. Lawmakers Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Adam Schiff of California and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut pointed to reports that the firms assisted with tariff negotiations and Intel’s $8.9 billion deal involving the U.S. government, calling the work coercive and outside the stated focus on veterans, anti-Semitism and justice reforms. Bloomberg Law reports that the lawmakers warned the arrangements may stem from what they characterize as Trump administration “shakedown” deals that traded the rescission of punitive executive orders for promises of nearly $1 billion in free legal services. The firms face an Oct. 6 deadline to respond, but Democrats lack subpoena power to compel disclosure.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has ordered all 93 U.S. attorney’s offices to prosecute adult sponsors of unaccompanied migrant children (UAC) for crimes such as trafficking, fraud and immigration violations, according to a memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Each district must appoint a coordinator, track cases and seek DOJ approval before declining prosecution, signaling a tougher enforcement push under the Trump administration. Bloomberg Law reports that the move follows Republican criticism of Biden-era policies that loosened vetting requirements, which they say increased risks of exploitation, though advocates argue stricter rules deter family members from stepping forward. The directive reflects Trump’s broader effort to overhaul the UAC program, with expanded vetting, renewed data-sharing between agencies and $300 million in new funding.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed the NCAA's eligibility case against Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who is playing this season under a preliminary injunction. According to the Associated Press, the judges agreed with the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction in a quick ruling returned after hearing oral arguments Sept. 16 in Nashville. Judge Amul R. Thapar noted Pavia won the preliminary injunction before the NCAA hurt its appeal by granting a waiver in December to athletes in his position. The Tennessean also reports on the ruling.

Belmont University College of Law hosted its annual Law Review Symposium Sept. 19, highlighting emerging challenges in national security, data privacy, cybersecurity and constitutional law. This year’s theme was “Data, Power and Security: Contemporary Issues in National Security and the Law,” and the event featured sessions on executive orders, AI regulation, non-fungible tokens, vehicle-ramming attacks and cyber insurance. The student-run symposium offered students practical experience in organizing scholarly events while connecting them with practitioners and academics addressing fast-evolving legal and technological issues. “We started planning the symposium in the spring of 2025 ... There was so much valuable information being shared, and it was clear people were fully engaged with the topic and conversation,” said Executive Symposium Editor Kristi Jensen. Symposium presentations and discussions will be published in the second volume of the Belmont Law Review in the spring.

Dueling proposals to end the federal government shutdown failed in the U.S. Senate today. While critical services such as mail delivery and Social Security and Medicare benefits continue, other federal operations have ground to a halt, sending the government into its 22nd shutdown since 1976. Starting today, federal workers nationwide are affected, including more than 32,000 Tennesseans, the Tennessean reports. The state is expected to see closures at national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Manhattan Project sites, as well as local U.S. Department of Agriculture farm service centers. According to The Hill, federal courts may be forced to limit operations as soon as next week after funding lapses, potentially delaying trials and hearings across the country. Unlike past shutdowns, when courts were able to rely on fees and other resources to maintain functionality, ABC News reports that years of tighter budgets and rising costs make sustaining full operations much more difficult today.

U.S. District Judge Sheryl Lipman on Tuesday declined to dismiss key portions of the civil rights lawsuit filed by Tyré Nichols’ family and estate against the city of Memphis. Lipman ruled that the city’s motion to dismiss was denied in part, saying Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, had shown enough evidence to argue that the actions of former Memphis police officers who beat Nichols in January 2023 could have stemmed from lax supervision and a corroded police culture, the Daily Memphian reports. Lipman also declined to dismiss Police Chief C.J. Davis from the suit and rejected the city's arguments of qualified immunity, but did dismiss three EMTs who responded to the scene on Jan. 7, 2023. Wells and her attorneys said they look forward to continuing the fight for accountability.