Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche will face the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday at 9 a.m. EDT for what’s expected to be a two-day hearing on his confirmation as U.S. attorney general. Bloomberg Law looks at the issues at stake and how the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina will affect the balance of power on the committee.

Sheriff's departments in Tennessee have formed at least 23 new partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) since enactment of a new state law requiring county sheriffs to cooperate with ICE or forfeit state funding, the Tennessean reports. Another six city police departments reportedly have signed agreements as well. Collaborating with federal law enforcement through an ICE 287(g) partnership allows ICE to delegate some limited immigration enforcement to local law enforcement agencies. Historically, participation has been optional. Currently, 94 local law enforcement agencies in Tennessee have 287(g) agreements with ICE, most of which were created in the last 12 months. In May, Davidson County Sheriff issued a statement saying the new law pertains only to certain sheriffs and does not apply to Davidson County.

A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) investigation is underway after a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent fatally shot Alfonso Ivy on July 8 while members of the Memphis Safe Task Force attempted to serve an arrest warrant at an extended-stay hotel in the 6500 block of Poplar Avenue in East Memphis, the Commercial Appeal reports. According to the U.S. Marshals Service and TBI, Ivy was wanted on felony drug charges in Shelby County and allegedly pointed a handgun at officers, prompting a DEA agent to open fire. Officers rendered first aid until emergency medical personnel arrived, but Ivy died at the scene. No officers were injured. According to News Channel 3, court records show Ivy has had more than 50 encounters with the criminal justice system dating back to 1997, including convictions for drug, weapons and assault offenses. He was released from state prison in 2025 after serving seven years. He has served 12 years in prison over multiple sentences.

Metro Nashville Council member Mike Cortese is running the most well-funded congressional challenge to U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais in more than a decade in Tennessee's newly redrawn 4th Congressional District, according to the Tennessean. Lawmakers redrew the district earlier this year. Republican DesJarlais, who has represented the district since 2011, is seeking another term. Democrat Cortese, who shifted his campaign from the 5th District after redistricting, has focused on affordability and representation. DesJarlais has been touting his congressional record and committee work. As of March 31, Cortese had outraised the incumbent, bringing in more than $534,000 compared with DesJarlais' nearly $381,000. Analysts continue to view the race as favoring the Republican incumbent though according to the paper.

The TBA will host its 2026 Elder Law Forum on July 17 at the Nashville School of Law, offering attorneys a full day of continuing legal education focused on issues affecting older adults and vulnerable populations. The program will feature sessions on conservatorships, fraud prevention, guardians ad litem, special needs trusts, ethics and related topics, with presentations from practitioners and professionals across the state. For more information, visit the TBA website.

Due to the early retirement of James B. “Jimmy” Dunn, district attorney general for the 4th Judicial District, the governor’s office is accepting applications to fill the position until the next biennial election in August 2028. Under the Tennessee Constitution, a district attorney general must have been a resident of the state for five years and of the judicial district for one year. The 4th Judicial District includes Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties. Attorneys interested in being considered for the appointment should submit a resume and cover letter to Alexa Witcher, chief counsel to the governor. Materials should be emailed to her assistant Katelin.Brown@tn.gov no later than 5 p.m. CDT on July 24. View the notice of vacancy for more information. Dunn spent 20 years in office after being elected district attorney general in 2006 and was reelected in 2022, the Knoxville Daily Sun reports. He recently announced he will retire on Aug. 31.

A retirement ceremony honoring U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara D. Holmes will be held July 23 at 3:30 p.m. CDT in Courtroom 6B of the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse, 719 Church St., Nashville. A reception in the courthouse rotunda will follow the ceremony. View the invitation. Holmes is retiring on July 31 after 11 years of service on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Before joining the federal court, Holmes practiced as a partner with Harwell Howard Hyne Gabbert & Manner, where she headed the firm’s commercial bankruptcy and reorganization practice group. Prior to that she worked with the U.S. Trustee’s office. She is a master in the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court and a fellow of the Nashville and Tennessee bar foundations. She also served as president of the Nashville Bar Association in 2002. She earned her law degree from Vanderbilt Law in 1986. The law school has more on her career.

Former Hamilton County Circuit Court Clerk Judith Pitts Medearis has died. A lifelong county resident, Medearis graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan College and began her career in 1961 as a deputy clerk in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. She was promoted to acting chief deputy in 1969, and later became chief deputy before being elected circuit court clerk in 1978. She served 14 years in the position. Medearis retired in 2002 after 38 years of service to the county. During her tenure, she introduced the state's first call-in system for jurors to determine whether they needed to report for service, a model later adopted by other counties. She also implemented a new filing system to improve case retrieval and oversaw the office's transition to a fully automated system to accommodate growing caseloads. Visitation will be held July 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. EDT at Williamson & Sons Funeral Home in Soddy Daisy. A private graveside service for immediate family will be held July 18 at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.

TBA will offer three ethics webcasts July 16 featuring legal educator Stuart Teicher, known as "The CLE Performer," as part of its Christmas in July CLE lineup. The programs include "Why Lawyers Should Be Harsh: An Ethical Defense of Zealous Advocacy," examining the role of zealous advocacy and the ethical boundaries of aggressive representation; "The Coaching Conundrum: The Ethics of Witness Preparation," exploring the ethical limits of preparing witnesses for testimony; and "Yes, Chef! Culinary Excellence Meets Legal Ethics," which uses lessons from the kitchen to illustrate professional responsibilities involving competence, conflicts of interest and client communication. Get more information and register at the links above. Looking for something else? Visit the TBA website for all July offerings.

Justice Kyle Hixson last week was sworn in as the newest justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court. The ceremony, presided over by Gov. Bill Lee, was held at the Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville. Chief Justice Jeff Bivins spoke, saying, “Justice Hixson, Kyle, we know you will be a great justice on this court. Your combination of intellect, experience, integrity and personality will serve you well. But more importantly, they will allow you to continue your public service as a servant to the people of Tennessee. We welcome you to the Tennessee Supreme Court and congratulations to you, my friend.” Hixson was confirmed by the state legislature in March and began his term on July 1. Lee appointed Hixson to the state Court of Criminal Appeals in 2022 following two years as a criminal court judge. Hixson graduated from the University of Tennessee and the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Holly Kirby. See photos of the ceremony from Knox News and read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.