Nashville law firm Brewer, Krause, Brooks, Chastain & Meisner PLLC recently shared with the TBA that it would dissolve as of Dec. 31, with several of its attorneys joining the newly formed Meisner Santiago PLLC, located at 545 Mainstream Drive, Suite 101, Nashville 37228. “Our focus remains unchanged — delivering experienced, efficient litigation defense and practical counsel our clients can rely on," says Managing Partner Steve Meisner. "The launch of Meisner Santiago PLLC allows us to continue that work with a trusted, experienced team of litigators while building a firm intentionally designed for the future. We are deeply grateful for the longstanding relationships we have developed and for the confidence our clients place in us, and we look forward to continuing to serve them with the same commitment, responsiveness and care in the years ahead.” The firm can be reached at 615-630-7715 or www.meisnersantiago.com.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on books, records and statute of limitations on Dec. 30 at 9 a.m. CST. During the session, department staff will discuss essential record-keeping practices and statute of limitations guidelines for state tax compliance. The webinar is part of a free series the department offers to the public. Registration is available on the department’s website.

Sevier County lawyer James Ralph Hickman was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Dec. 23. The court found that Hickman engaged in the unauthorized practice of law on July 10, 2023, and July 13, 2023, when he appeared in court on behalf of two clients and counseled the clients regarding the entry of guilty pleas while his license to practice law was suspended. His actions were determined to violate Tennessee Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has issued Rule 56 to create the Appointed Counsel Commission, define its purpose and composition, set forth its duties, and establish requirements for appointment of counsel. The adoption of the rule comes after the governor proposed, and the General Assembly appropriated, funds for the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish the commission, the purpose of which is to retain and provide counsel in certain civil and criminal proceedings in which an indigent party has a right to appointed counsel. The new rule took effect immediately. Read more about the commission in past coverage from TBA Today.

Judges across Tennessee are adopting stricter, county-by-county measures to ensure people ordered to relinquish firearms in domestic violence cases are actually giving them up, according to reporting by WPLN News and ProPublica. The move comes after a proposed statewide reform stalled. According to the news sources, the shift was inspired by reforms in Scott County, which require written affidavits identifying who will take custody of surrendered guns and signed confirmation from the recipients — steps which are not required under the state’s standard form. At least nine counties, including Davidson and Shelby, have amended their gun dispossession affidavits as advocates warn that gaps in enforcement leave victims at risk.

Tennessee lawmakers voted unanimously to extend Tennessee State University’s (TSU) Board of Trustees for three years, signaling renewed confidence in the leadership of the state’s only historically Black and land-grant university following years of underfunding and state intervention, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The decision, made by a joint Government Operations Committee, comes after the legislature replaced TSU’s board in 2024 and amid ongoing efforts by new President Dwayne Tucker and trustees to stabilize operations and address decades of underfunding. Lawmakers praised recent progress and the university’s recent memorandum of understanding with the state allowing the use of $96 million in grant funds for operations and prior emergency state funding to support payroll and finances.

Another inmate has died at the Shelby County Jail, The Daily Memphian reports. Marcel Hutton, died Dec. 21 at 201 Poplar. Jail staff and a nurse with the jail’s third-party medical provider, WellPath, began lifesaving measures, but Hutton died less than an hour later, according to an email from the sheriff’s office. The cause of death remains under investigation, and the sheriff’s office did not specify whether the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been contacted. Hutton is at least the 13th person in custody of the sheriff’s office to die in 2025.

Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti's office has shut down multiple illegal online sweepstakes casinos across the state. The action is part of an ongoing effort to protect Tennesseans from predatory and unregulated gambling operations, according to a press release. Skrmetti issued formal cease-and-desist letters to nearly 40 online sweepstakes platforms, all of which have either disabled the unlawful components of their sites or agreed to wind down operations in the coming weeks. The promotional sweepstakes model used by these casinos is considered an illegal lottery under the Tennessee Constitution and violates state gambling and consumer protection laws, according to the AG's office.

A Tennessee lawmaker has filed legislation that would require public schools to administer the Presidential Fitness Test to assess student health and physical fitness. Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, introduced HB1466 last week. It would mandate schools conduct the test, measuring strength, endurance and flexibility. According to News Channel 5, under the bill, the Tennessee Department of Education would provide guidance to local school districts and public charter schools, and students who meet standards could receive a Presidential Fitness Award. Students with individualized education programs would receive accommodations and would not be required to participate if it is unsafe. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 31 reviving the test at the federal level. The second session of the 114th General Assembly is scheduled to convene Jan. 13, 2026.

The TBA Pro Bono Portal provides a centralized source for lawyers and law students to find pro bono opportunities across Tennessee, like the following case through Legal Aid of East Tennessee. In this situation, a client is seeking legal assistance to obtain a delayed birth certificate for her child, who was born at home in McMinn County. Get more information about the requirements associated with this opportunity and browse other pro bono needs.