Sheriff Austin Garrett last week announced the launch of a new Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program at the Hamilton County Jail & Detention Center. "This joint initiative follows more than two years of collaborative planning between the Sheriff’s Office and key partners, including Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, Quality Correctional Health Care, the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office, Hamilton County’s Economic & Community Development Office and the McNabb Center," officials told Chattanoogan.com. "The program is funded through a $1.2 million Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It provides FDA-approved medications combined with counseling and behavioral therapies, offering a holistic approach to treating inmates with substance use disorders."

Tennessee lawmakers from both parties are urging marijuana law reform after President Donald Trump ordered cannabis reclassified federally from Schedule I to Schedule III, signaling recognized medical value. Tennessee is one of 10 states that restricts medicinal and recreational marijuana while 22 other states have legalized some form of recreational use. According to the Tennessee Lookout, Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, said the change should prompt Tennessee to consider medical marijuana, decriminalization or legalization, arguing current laws are overly punitive and out of step with other states. Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, who had previously advocated for passing medical marijuana laws, said, “I truly hope that this fosters medical research that either debunks what many sick Americans have testified to or provides the evidence and foundation showing that cannabis is safer than opioids and other man-altered substances.” Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, pushed back, saying he has no interest in changing Tennessee’s marijuana laws and maintains cannabis remains a dangerous drug despite the federal shift.

Grab your coffee and watch this webcast replay on Dec. 26 at 9 a.m. CST. This session features the latest gadgets and tech for lawyers and non-lawyers. Of course, there will AI-based tech, but, as usual, Bill Ramsey will focus on the fun, inane and interesting technology discovered at CES 2025. Earn one dual credit hour of CLE. Register on the TBA website.

An 18-month investigation has largely cleared the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) of misconduct allegations raised by former Lt. Garet Davidson, finding most claims unsupported by evidence or permissible under MNPD policy. The Nashville Banner reports that investigators found no evidence that MNPD leaders lobbied for the 2023 state law eliminating civilian oversight boards, the most significant allegation in Davidson’s complaint, and concluded many other actions he cited were allowed under department rules. The report made limited recommendations, including improved recordkeeping for disciplinary settlements and clearer guidance on when body-camera audit findings should trigger discipline. Davidson now faces pending charges over allegedly stealing and leaking MNPD documents, according to the paper.

Six Tennessee duck hunters were cited under a Sweetwater ordinance banning firearm discharge inside city limits, a ruling now headed to the East Tennessee Court of Appeals that could have statewide implications for hunting. The hunters argue the decision conflicts with state law and a 2013 Tennessee attorney general opinion that says cities cannot prohibit lawful, safe hunting authorized under Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regulations. Although the violation carried only a small fine, their attorney warns the ruling could allow cities to effectively ban hunting locally, undermining uniform statewide wildlife regulation. The case centers on whether municipal firearm ordinances can override state hunting authority, even when hunters comply with safety rules. Fox 17 has more on the developments.

Tyree B. Harris IV died on Nov. 19 at age 80 according to his law firm. He graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1967 and from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1970. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, where he served in the JAG Corp from 1970 until 1973. Harris returned to Nashville to join the firm of Hooker, Keeble, Dodson & Harris (later Dodson, Harris, Robinson & Aden). In 2011, he formed his own firm of Harris, Brown & Associates, where he practiced until his death. He moved to Lexington, Virginia in 2020, and was very active with the Moot Court Program at Washington & Lee University while continuing to practice law in Nashville.

Legal aid organizations are outpacing the broader legal profession in adopting artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new survey by Everlaw in partnership with the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Paladin and LawSites. Based on responses from 112 legal aid professionals, the survey informed the report, “The AI Advantage: How Technology Can Help Bridge the Justice Gap.” The report found that 74% of legal aid organizations are already using AI — about double the adoption rate across the broader legal profession — highlighting how mission-driven work and limited resources are accelerating innovation. Learn more about the survey in this episode of Talk Justice as Cat Moon — with Vanderbilt’s AI Law Lab — explores the trend with experts at the forefront of legal technology.

The U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Braden Boucek as the new U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee late last week by a vote of 53-43. The nomination was included as part of a package of 97 executive nominees, according to a press release from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Boucek previously worked with the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF). In a statement released by that group, Boucek said, “I am thrilled to be starting this new chapter as U.S. Attorney and I cannot thank President Trump enough for the nomination.” He also thanked the SLF team, saying, “I truly believe that I wouldn’t be in this position if not for my time there.” Boucek joined SLF in 2021 as senior vice president of litigation, where he handled constitutional cases and helped shape policy initiatives designed to advance individual liberty and limited government. He was nominated to the federal post in July. 

The Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated workers’ compensation benefits in Edwards v. Peoplease LLC et al. The plaintiff in the case, Jo Carol Edwards, drove a truck for Peoplease. In 2020, one of the tires on the truck blew out, and the vehicle went down an embankment and crashed into a bridge. Edwards was injured and applied for workers’ compensation benefits. After multiple appeals, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board denied benefits, saying that Edwards failed to counter her physician's determination that the accident did not qualify for compensation under Tennessee law. According to a news release, the Tennessee Supreme Court disagreed, saying Edwards was entitled to benefits because her work accident aggravated a preexisting condition and that aggravation necessitated knee replacement surgery. It also clarified the circumstances under that “aggravation” injuries are compensable under workers’ compensation law. Read the opinion.

Metro Nashville joined a national lawsuit earlier this month challenging federal funding cuts to homelessness programs. According to the Nashville Post, the city joined four other local governments and numerous nonprofits in an 85-page complaint alleging the Trump administration changed funding under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care program without congressional approval, public comment or an official transition plan. The complaint notes that the funding is critical to Nashville’s homelessness initiatives and thus cuts will significantly scale back local efforts. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a news release that the new rules will “undo proven, lifesaving programs Nashville has used for years to move people from homelessness to successfully housed.” On Friday, a federal court in Rhode Island temporarily blocked the cuts, which O'Connell praised.