The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) launched its fall visits to Tennessee law schools this week with a session at Vanderbilt University Law School. Thanks to YLD members Lorne Hiller, John Murphy, Jennifer Safstrom, Darius Walker Jr. and Kristen Walker for their contributions to this kickoff event. See photos from the day. During this year's visits, YLD leaders will speak with students about their entry into the profession and share information about TBA member benefits. Membership, which is free to law students, provides access to continuing legal education that can increase students' professional knowledge, opportunities to network, and savings on school supplies and insurance. Students also will be encouraged to apply for the 2026 Rural Judicial Fellowship program and the Class of 2026 DLI program.

Registration is open for this year's Disability Law Forum! Join your colleagues Oct. 23 on Zoom for three virtual sessions that will cover a variety of topics applicable to disability law practitioners, including a session with Jennifer Cronenberg from NOSSCR, a course dedicated to preparing for an ALJ hearing, and a DDS/OHO update with Kim Joseph and James Stanfield. Reserve your spot today!

The TBA Immigration Law Section will host the “Immigration Law Basics: Overview” webcast on Sept. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will offer a high-level overview of various areas of immigration law, including employment-based, humanitarian and family-based immigration. More details will be announced soon on the TBA website. Discounted registration is available for Immigration Law Section members. Not a member? Join today!

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) presented its annual Access to Justice Awards to five legal community leaders from across the state at the Equal Justice University in Murfreesboro. Chay Sengkhounmany, lead immigration attorney at Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands (LAS), received the B. Riney Green Access to Justice Award for her commitment to promoting successful inter-program cooperation across the state. Scott County Family Justice Center Executive Director Christy Harness was recognized with the Janice M. Holder Access to Justice Award for her contributions to advancing the quality of justice statewide by ensuring the legal system is open and available to all. Finally, TALS recognized three attorneys as New Advocates of the Year. They are: Michael Davis, managing attorney of the Knoxville Eviction Prevention Program at Legal Aid of East Tennessee; Jake Old, who serves as West Tennessee Legal Services' Consumer Unit manager; and Patricia Sellers, a staff attorney with LAS. The new advocate award recognizes those who use their legal skills in active and creative ways that produce outstanding benefits for individual clients and the communities in which they live. Read more about the annual awards on the TALS' website. 

The Defendant, Louis Wayne Frazier, pled guilty to the attempted sexual battery of his granddaughter. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed a sentence of six years and ordered that the sentence be served in custody. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion in imposing the maximum sentence and denying his request for an alternative sentence. Upon our review, we affirm the trial court’s decision to impose a six-year sentence. However, we respectfully remand the case to the trial court for a new hearing regarding the denial of an alternative sentence.

Mother appeals the trial court’s ruling that (1) the grounds of abandonment by failure to support, mental incompetence, and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody of the child supported the termination of her parental rights and (2) termination was in the child’s best interest. Although we reverse as to the ground of abandonment by failure to support, we affirm the remainder of the trial court’s ruling, including the termination of Mother’s rights.

The mother and father of Justice W., a minor, appeal the termination of their parental rights. The trial court found that multiple grounds for termination had been proven against each parent and that termination of both parents’ parental rights was in the child’s best interest. Finding no error, we affirm.

September 1, 2025 - September 5, 2025.

Nashville’s jail system has been over capacity for more than a year, raising concerns about violence, unsafe conditions and strained resources, the Nashville Banner reports. Data show the men’s Correctional Development Center has exceeded its 768-bed capacity since May 2024, with two other facilities overcrowded for at least five months. Sheriff Daron Hall said the problem stems from a combination of pandemic-era policy changes, longer jail stays and the closure of the former CoreCivic-run Metro Detention Facility, which has sat empty since 2020. On Aug. 18, the city’s jails held 2,644 people — nearly 300 over capacity. Metro Public Defender Martesha Johnson said the overcrowding has already contributed to violence, citing the June assault of one of her clients who later died, as well as a fatal overdose at the Harding Place jail. Both Hall and Johnson agreed that the overcrowding creates unsafe conditions for incarcerated people and staff and must be addressed soon.

Immigration policies promoted by Tennessee lawmakers this year have faced setbacks since the legislature recessed in April, the Nashville Banner reports. In the latest news, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced last week that his office will not defend a provision threatening local elected officials with felony charges if they vote in favor of sanctuary city policies. Skrmetti called it legally indefensible. The ACLU of Tennessee sued the state over the law. News reports from a few weeks ago indicated that the state might be open to a settlement with the group. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, who sponsored the bill that included the provision, said he trusts Skrmetti’s judgment but noted that the rest of the law will remain intact, even if the provision is ruled unconstitutional, due to a severability clause in the law.