Tennessee state Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson is pushing legislation to expand the state’s death penalty law for child rapists, aiming to streamline the process and add clear “aggravating factors” that prosecutors can use when seeking capital punishment. Under current law, rapists of children under 12 may face the death penalty, but no one has yet been sentenced under that statute, in part because of vague definitions of aggravating circumstances, according to Fox 17. Martin’s bill would clarify factors such as abuse of a child under 4, positions of trust, prior convictions, incest, use of drugs or deadly weapons, filming the crime or other especially cruel actions. Advocates support harsher penalties, saying such crimes destroy a child’s spirit, while others, including some survivors and sexual assault experts, say that capital punishment is not always the preferred path, emphasizing lifetime incarceration and the complexities of abuse within families.

Former police officer Larry Bushart has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Perry County and its sheriff, alleging his constitutional rights were violated in retaliation for protected speech. Bushart spent 37 days in jail after sharing a meme following the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk. According to WBBJ-TV, Bushart was arrested in September and held on a $2 million bond after Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems claimed the meme amounted to a threat of mass violence, an allegation Bushart and his attorneys, with the assistance of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, dispute. Other lawsuits have also been filed involving state and university employees who say they were terminated for comments related to Kirk.

Baker Donelson announced its expansion across the Carolinas with the opening of a Winston-Salem, North Carolina, office and the addition of 14 attorneys, marking the firm’s fourth new location in the region in four years. Baker Donelson Chair and CEO Timothy M. Lupinacci said that the new attorneys "bring leading practices in securities and corporate law, commercial real estate, construction and commercial litigation, and tax law — establishing a strong foundation for our future growth in this market and the broader region." The firm has offices in Chattanooga, Johnson City, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville and across the Southeast. Read more in a press release.

Nashville’s Gordon Jewish Community Center (GJCC) is suing the Goyim Defense League (GDL) and several of its leaders, citing civil rights violations. According to the Nashville Post, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), along with Nashville attorney Benjamin K. Raybin, filed the complaint on GJCC’s behalf last week. The suit stems from a January incident in which a GDL member dressed in disguise allegedly illegally entered the center’s secured campus with the intent to intimidate the Jewish community. The complaint further claims the group violated a federal civil rights law.

A federal building in the heart of downtown Nashville leads the 2025 edition of the “Nashville Nine” list, the annual roundup of endangered historic properties assembled by the preservation nonprofit Historic Nashville Inc. According to the Tennessean, the Estes Kefauver Federal Building, a former federal courthouse approved this year for divestment, leads the list released Monday which also includes a former Music Row recording studio, two historic elementary schools slated for demolition, the home and studio of artist Alicia Henry, one of the region’s oldest log houses, historic stone walls and posts across the city, and a house believed to be a Trail of Tears witness structure. Historic Nashville President Ellen Dement Hurd said the list serves as the organization’s strongest advocacy tool, helping educate the public and decision-makers about preserving places significant to Nashville’s architectural, cultural and historical identity.

In this episode of BarBuzz, TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright sits down with TBA President Heidi Barcus, the association’s 145th president, for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, service and the legal profession. A Knoxville attorney and shareholder at Lewis Thomason, Barcus reflects on being sworn in at the TBA Annual Convention in Franklin in June, her path from in-house counsel to private practice and how years of involvement with the TBA have shaped her approach to leading the organization. The discussion also highlights her presidential priorities, including boosting member engagement, supporting first-generation lawyers and those who did not pass the bar exam on their first attempt, and promoting professionalism and civility in the practice of law. Listeners can catch past episodes anytime in the BarBuzz archive.

The TBA Attorney Well Being Committee will host a “Seasonal Support for Lawyers: Helping with the Holiday Blues” webcast on Dec. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon CST. The free session will offer an empathetic discussion about the increased pressures many legal professionals face during the holiday season and provide guidance on navigating stress for a healthier experience. Panelists will address real challenges confronting lawyers today and highlight resources available to support attorney well-being. Contact TBA staff member Jarod Ward at jword@tnbar.org with any questions.

Davidson County residents wanted on state warrants for nonviolent offenses will have an opportunity to address those cases during Nashville Safe Surrender 2025, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, 2021 Herman St., Nashville 37208. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST on Dec. 12, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 13, offering participants the chance to surrender, consult with an attorney and appear before a judge at the same location, with the possibility of returning home the same day. According to News Channel 5, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the program allows individuals to take responsibility for outstanding warrants ahead of the holidays and reduce the stress those warrants place on families.

The TBA’s Sunrise Series continues next Tuesday with “Deal or No Deal: Ethics on Trial,” a fast-paced program that puts legal ethics to the test through real-world scenarios. Led by Joel Oster, the “Comedian of Law,” the session presents attorneys with the facts of actual cases and asks them to decide whether to accept a deal or take their chances at trial, exploring ethical pitfalls such as improper juror contact, courtroom misconduct, dishonest advocacy, inappropriate client relationships and substance abuse. The webcast replay will be available Dec. 23 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. CST and is accessible online on the TBA website.

The TBA has announced the selection of 34 attorneys from across the state for its 2026 Leadership Law (TBALL) program. Now in its 23rd year, TBALL is designed to equip Tennessee lawyers with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders in their profession and local communities. The class will meet for its first session in January and spend the next six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policymaking in state government and the importance of community service. See the full list of class members.