Senior Judge Don R. Ash has been assigned to oversee the cases of 11 current and former Knox County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) employees, including former Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones, indicted on charges of conspiring to illegally spend drug funds and misuse department staff time. According to WBIR, Ash was assigned because Knox County judicial personnel have personal connections to several defendants. Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen similarly recused herself, and Steven Crump, executive director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, has been appointed district attorney general pro tem. The indictments — stemming from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe built on a prior federal investigation — came shortly after a county Republican primary in which two of the defendants ran for sheriff. That race ultimately was won by a KCSO employee who was not among those charged. Knox News has more on the case.

The Tennessee Bar Association's Law Student Volunteer Award recognizes the efforts of a student enrolled at or recently graduated from a Tennessee law school who provided dedicated and outstanding pro bono service while working with an organization primarily engaged in providing legal representation to indigent clients.

This year, the TBA honored Sierra Sidoti, a student at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law during the TBA Annual Convention in Knoxville. Since the summer of 2024, Sidoti has served as a pro bono law clerk in the Knoxville office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). Her work there has involved clinic coordination, case placement and follow-up, research support, data tracking and reporting, and direct coordination with volunteer attorneys. Sidoti also is a member of the TBA Young Lawyers Division's Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) class of 2026. DLI is a six-month leadership, professional development and networking program for Tennessee law students.

According to LAET Director of Pro Bono Mary-Frances DeVoe, Sidoti’s most significant contribution occurred during a prolonged staffing gap in 2025, when the pro bono coordinating attorney role remained vacant for approximately six months. During this time, Sidoti stepped up, and despite being a law student, helped maintain continuity of pro bono services by supporting clinics, communicating with volunteer attorneys, assisting with case placement and follow-up, and ensuring that clients did not lose access to services. “Without her involvement, Legal Aid would have struggled to sustain pro bono operations in Knoxville during this critical time,” DeVoe said in nominating Sidoti. “Her reliability, professionalism and willingness to rise to the occasion whenever needed” exceeded what typically is expected of a law clerk. 

DeVoe also noted that when the position finally was filled, Sidoti played a key role in onboarding the new staff member and supporting the transition. Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney Rebecca Spicer-Keller, who was hired to fill the position, says that Sidoti was instrumental in shaping her early days with the organization. “She guided me through our case placement process, shared critical insight about our community partners, and helped introduce me to attorneys who frequently volunteer with Legal Aid. Her institutional knowledge proved essential to ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of services.”

Caitlin Torney, director of career services at the Duncan School of Law, says Sidoti exemplifies academic excellence and is well respected by both faculty and peers. Torney previously worked at LAET and in that role, she observed Sidoti’s work. “At Legal Aid, Sierra consistently took initiative, attending every legal clinic she could and going beyond what was expected. She was exceptional with clients — professional, compassionate, and patient. She was also a natural leader among her fellow summer clerks.”

Writing of her time working as a law clerk with LAET, Sidoti said, “My pro bono clerkship was a formative chapter, blending professional growth with meaningful impact. It reminded me that the law, at its best, serves the general good of the public. As I move forward in my legal journey, I carry the lessons from this period with gratitude, committed to continuing pro bono work whenever possible."

Starting July 1, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission will begin enforcing a 2025 law that effectively will ban THCA and similar popular hemp-derived products. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the ban is expected to heavily impact an industry that had grown significantly since 2018. Experts project severe economic consequences — including a drop in state hemp tax projections from over $55 million to under $10 million — given that THCA alone accounts for roughly 75% of hemp sales. Meanwhile, broader uncertainty looms as federal reclassification of marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 and removal of a state provision that would have triggered a medical marijuana review leave Tennessee's long-term cannabis policy unresolved. The news outlet reports that medical marijuana legislation is anticipated to be introduced when the state legislature reconvenes in January 2027.

The TBA will host its annual Real Estate Essentials program virtually on June 3 from noon to 3:15 p.m. CDT, offering an introductory overview of key topics in real estate law. The program will cover the fundamentals of commercial real estate in its first session, followed by a discussion of FIRPTA, FinCEN and cash reporting requirements. The course will feature presentations from Andy Maloney of Andy Maloney Law in Brentwood and Kirby Yost of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga. The program is designed for attorneys seeking a foundational understanding of real estate practice.

This is a Rule 10B interlocutory appeal of the denial of a second recusal motion. We find, as the trial court did, that the second motion is repetitive of the first and should be denied. We further grant attorney’s fees for a frivolous appeal.

This action involves the trial court’s denial of a petition for termination of a biological father’s parental rights to his minor child. We now affirm.

May 25, 2026 - May 29, 2026.

Tennessee voters are expected to consider a proposed constitutional amendment in November that would expand judges' authority to deny bail before trial in certain serious criminal cases, according to KnoxTNToday. Under current law, most defendants have a constitutional right to bail except in capital cases when the evidence is especially strong. The proposed amendment would allow judges to deny bail in cases involving offenses such as terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape and other serious crimes requiring a convicted defendant to serve at least 85% of a sentence. The measure would not automatically deny bail but would give judges broader discretion to do so after reviewing the facts of a case. The amendment would also require judges and magistrates to publicly explain the reasons for granting or denying bail in qualifying cases. This past spring, the General Assembly approved placing the amendment on the gubernatorial ballot.

Each year the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor these award recipients at the 2026 Public Service Breakfast set for June 11 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. One of the awards, the CASA Volunteer of the Year Award, will be presented to Tracy Farmer who has worked with Williamson County CASA for the past 14 years. The award is given each year by the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD). This year, it will be presented by TBA YLD Middle Tennessee Governor Alix Rogers, who is the assistant dean for career and professional development at Belmont University College of Law. Read more about Farmer in TBA's press release.

A survivor of the shooting at Antioch High School has filed a lawsuit against the companies behind the school's artificial intelligence gun detection system, alleging the technology failed to identify the weapon used in the attack, NewsChannel 5 reports. Antonyous Henin, who was injured during the shooting that killed student Josselin "Dayana" Corea Escalante, filed suit against Omnilert, the maker of the detection technology, and Systems Integrations Inc., which allegedly installed the system. The lawsuit claims the companies misrepresented the capabilities of the technology and asserts claims including defective design, negligence, failure to warn and violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Henin is seeking compensatory damages, with the amount to be determined at trial, as well as additional damages, attorneys' fees and court costs.