Three federal lawsuits challenging Tennessee's redrawn congressional map have been consolidated before Chief U.S. District Judge William Campbell Jr., who has denied one request to temporarily block the map and has yet to rule on two others. The Tennessee Lookout reports on the latest developments. The three suits were brought separately by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of Memphis voters, clergy and nonprofits; the NAACP Tennessee State Conference and League of Women Voters; and Democratic congressional candidates and voters. All three challenge a map enacted by the General Assembly that splits Memphis and Shelby County into three districts. The groups argue the map violates the 14th and 15th Amendments, disenfranchises voters, and set a dangerous precedent for mid-election redistricting. In related news, the Daily Memphian reports that the ACLU has filed a request with the court to allow a team of five national attorneys to argue the case. The state also has retained out-of-state lawyers, signing with the Virginia law firm Consovoy McCarthy. Two other cases will proceed separately: a state court case filed by the Tennessee NAACP and a federal suit filed in the Eastern District of Tennessee by a Chattanooga non-profit.

In this interlocutory appeal, the employee sustained compensable injuries. After a period of authorized medical treatment in Tennessee, the employee moved out of state. She alleged that the employer failed to provide her a valid panel of physicians for selection of an authorized physician in her new state of residence. During the course of a two-day expedited hearing, the employer acknowledged that the employee had not received a valid panel of physicians, and it provided a panel of specialists at the conclusion of day two of the hearing. Thereafter, the trial court issued an order in which it: (1) determined that the employee was entitled to a panel of specialists; and (2) denied the employee’s request to have her physical therapist deemed to be her authorized treating physician. The employee has appealed. Having carefully reviewed the record, we affirm the trial court’s order and remand the case.

This appeal arises from the denial of a petition to dismiss under the Tennessee Public Participation Act (“TPPA”), Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 20-17-101 to -110. The plaintiff- respondents, Jayesh Patel, Devesh Patel, and Vimal Patel (“Plaintiffs”), filed suit in Tennessee asserting claims for defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and abuse of process against the defendants-petitioners, Shailesh Patel, BMGPC, LLC, Parul N. Patel, Dharmesh Patel, Ujval Patel, and Jyoti Patel (collectively, “Defendants”), who had initiated a related action against Plaintiffs in California state court. In response to the Tennessee action, Defendants filed a petition to dismiss pursuant to the TPPA, asserting that Plaintiffs filed their Complaint in response to Defendants’ exercise of their rights to petition and of free speech. Plaintiffs responded to the TPPA Petition and sought to amend their complaint to add claims that predated the filing of the California lawsuit. At a joint hearing on both the TPPA Petition and the Motion to Amend, the trial court granted the Motion to Amend and instructed Defendants that, if they proceeded on the TPPA Petition, the court would apply it to the First Amended Complaint. Defendants decided to press forward with the TPPA Petition. After considering the evidence produced by the parties, the trial court denied the TPPA Petition, concluding that the statute did not apply because Defendants failed to make a prima facie showing that the action was based on, related to, or in response to their exercise of the rights to petition or of free speech. This appeal followed. We respectfully disagree with the trial court’s decision. We conclude that Defendants established a prima facie case that Plaintiffs initiated this action in response to Defendants’ exercise of both their right to petition and their right to free speech. Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s judgment and remand for further proceedings.

On May 19, the Tennessee Supreme Court suspended Williamson County lawyer Jason Scott Mangrum from the practice of law for four years, with five months to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation subject to conditions. Two complaints were filed against Mangrum alleging that he failed to adequately represent clients, abide by client wishes, act diligently, return client property, respond to discovery, respond to dispositive motions and communicate. He also was accused of making frivolous claims and dismissing a party and claim without authorization from the client. He agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.15(d), 1.16, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.4.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 19 transferred the law license of Bedford County lawyer Richard Lamar Dugger to disability inactive status. Dugger may not practice law while on disability inactive status and shall comply with the requirements of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 28, regarding the obligations and responsibilities of attorneys transferred to disability inactive status. He may return to the practice of law after an order from the reinstating his license.

Morgan County District Attorney (DA) General Russell Johnson said the stabbing death of corrections officer Dustin Pedigo at the county correctional complex remains his office’s top priority as the case heads to the grand jury later this month. According to WBIR, prison-generated cases from the facility now outnumber non-prison criminal cases on the county’s docket, with more than 200 cases pending over the past two years. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate Pedigo’s death and what Johnson describes as “various issues” at the prison, including allegations from current and former employees involving intimidation and retaliation tied to safety concerns. Gov. Bill Lee, who visited the facility following Pedigo’s death, called the incident “a tremendous tragedy” and said the state must continue working to improve prison safety. Prosecutors plan to present the case to the grand jury on May 26 and could consider seeking the death penalty if a first-degree murder indictment is returned.

The final list of candidates for the U.S. House race was released for the state’s newly redrawn congressional districts ahead of the August primary election, Action News 5 reports. That list does not include longtime U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, who announced last week that he would not seek reelection. The updated map, passed during a special legislative session, divides Memphis into three congressional districts. District 5, which now stretches from northwest Shelby County up to the Kentucky state line and east to Williamson County, includes incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Spring Hill, activist DeVante Hill and Memphis City Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper Sutton among nine candidates. District 8 features 11 candidates, including incumbent Rep. David Kustoff, R-Germantown, and former Shelby County mayoral candidate Heidi Kuhn. District 9 includes candidates such as current Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Eads; Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis; and Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, competing for the open seat.

On Monday, Metro Nashville filed a public nuisance lawsuit against Publix in federal court, alleging the grocery store’s pharmacy contributed to local and national opioid crises by failing to monitor suspicious orders of oxycodone and other painkillers. According to the Nashville Banner newsletter, the complaint also alleges that Publix failed to “implement adequate policies and provide tools to its pharmacists to conduct due diligence prior to dispensing opioids,” all while allegedly deceiving public officials in Nashville. The complaint mentions that Tennessee has the third-highest amount of opioid prescriptions, and that Nashville “is at the center of a rising opioid epidemic in the United States.” In 2025, Publix settled a similar lawsuit in federal court.

Vanderbilt Law School recognized 20 members of the Class of 2026 with academic, leadership, journal and citizenship awards during commencement ceremonies. Recipients represented students from across the country and internationally. Read the full list of award recipients on the Vanderbilt Law School website.

Gov. Bill Lee will not stop the execution of Memphis death row inmate Tony Carruthers, he said in a brief statement, the Commercial Appeal reports. Carruthers is scheduled to be executed May 21. “After deliberate consideration of Tony Von Carruthers’ request for clemency and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the state of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene,” Lee said in the statement. Carruthers is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, which has repeatedly sought DNA and fingerprint testing.