The Legal Aid Society of the Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will host an evening celebration and fundraiser on Sept. 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. CDT. According to organizers, the evening will celebrate "justice, dignity and the power of coming together." Guests will enjoy delicious local fare, curated cocktails and inspiring stories that highlight the life-changing work made possible through donor support. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit Legal Aid Society’s mission to provide free civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable Tennesseans across 48 counties. The event will take place at Clementine Hall, 4710 Charlotte Ave., Nashville, 37209. View the invitation and register online.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at an immigration appointment in Baltimore, Bloomberg Law reports. The arrest came less than 72 hours after a Tennessee federal judge overseeing his criminal case released him so he could return to his family in Maryland while awaiting trial. According to reports, Garcia’s legal team was not told where he is being sent, though the Trump administration has indicated it intends to deport him to Uganda. Today, a federal judge issued an order stating the administration is “absolutely forbidden” from removing him from the United States, The Hill reports. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis blocked deportation until she can hold a hearing to determine whether the administration will allow Abrego Garcia contest his removal to a third country. According to Bloomberg, Abrego Garcia's attorney Sean Hecker said his client is willing to be removed to Costa Rica, which has agreed to accept him as a refugee.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has closed disaster assistance applications for residents affected by severe storms and flooding in April, the Tennessee Lookout reports. Between June 19 and Aug. 19, FEMA approved about $7.2 million in aid to 975 individuals, including $4.3 million for housing assistance and $2.9 million for other needs. Residents of Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties were eligible to apply for help covering uninsured losses. While the initial application period has ended, FEMA will accept late applications for up to 60 days with an explanation for the delay. Individuals can apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through FEMA’s mobile app or by calling 800-621-3362.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is being sued by Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner over the FY2026 budget. According to court records obtained by The Commercial Appeal, Bonner is seeking to restore $67 million to his office's budget, which he says was not included in the mayor's budget request or approved by the Shelby County Commission. Harris, in his response to the suit, denied that he did not include Bonner's $67 million in budgetary requests, stating the allegations are "inconsistent with the plain language" within the adopted budget.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday seeking to limit cashless bail and threatened to revoke federal funding for jurisdictions that use it, Reuters reports. He also signed a separate order directing police in the District of Columbia to charge suspects with federal crimes and hold them in federal custody to avoid cashless bail. Cashless bail allows defendants to be released from jail while awaiting trial based on their promise to appear in court rather than paying a set cash amount. Opposers of the policy argue cashless bail reduces the incentive for defendants to appear in court and puts public safety at risk, while supporters say the system prevents low-income people from being jailed simply because they cannot afford bond. The District of Columbia was one of the first U.S. cities to largely eliminate cash bail in the 1990s, with judges deciding pretrial release based on a defendant’s risk of not showing up for trial. Among states, Illinois has eliminated cash bail, while New York, California and New Jersey have scaled it back.

Lawrenceburg attorney Randy Hillhouse died Aug. 23 at age 71. Hillhouse earned his law degree from the University of Knoxville in 1977. He was the owner of Randy Hillhouse, Attorney at Law and a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. Funeral services will be conducted at Neal Funeral Home, 231 N. Military Ave., Lawrenceburg 38464, at 3 p.m. CDT tomorrow. Interment will follow at Fall River Cemetery in Leoma. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bo's Blessings.

TBA's Adoption Law Section will present its annual forum next month on Sept. 19 in Nashville. The schedule is jam-packed with useful and practical sessions, including legislative updates and review with previous section chair Meredith Brasfield, as well as case law updates from the Department of Children's Services, and a judicial panel discussing best practices in contested hearings with judges from across the state. Make plans now to join us!

Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell in a speech on Friday signaled interest rate cuts could be coming soon. Powell said while labor markets and the economy remain in good shape, tariff policies risk a spike in inflation that could make a cut counterproductive. This comes amid pressure from President Donald Trump, who has criticized Powell and demanded aggressive cuts from the Fed. The chair alluded to the dispute saying the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will make decisions based solely on an assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook. Experts anticipate the FOMC to make an announcement at its Sept. 16-17 meeting. CNBC has more.

The Topgolf Estate Planning Tee-off will feature a session on the fundamentals of taxation for trusts and estates. Rob Malin of Pinnacle Financial Partners and Branch Howard of Brown Brothers Harriman will lead a discussion on income taxes and related issues encountered when administering these assets. Other topics at the tee-off include drafting tips for trusts, benefits available to individuals with disabilities and more. The package includes breakfast and lunch, plus two hours of Topgolf after the presentations. Learn more and register here.

There are many ways to get involved with the TBA Young Lawyers Division. Here are a few:

• The criminal case for the 45th Tennessee State High School Mock Trial Competition is being drafted right now and will be released in November. Volunteers will be needed at district competitions across the state in February and at the state competition March 20-21 in Nashville.
• Volunteer at TBA YLD clinics across the state.
• Contribute to the TBA YLD newsletter by submitting a piece for Voices of the YLD to Publications Chair Brian Mounce. 
• Have a topic idea for a CLE? Would you like to participate in a CLE? Contact Membership Chair Patrick Morrison.