The TBA is now accepting applications for its award-winning Public Service Academy, a nonpartisan, statewide effort to encourage attorneys to run for office and take on public service leadership roles in their communities. Those selected for the academy will take part in the program Nov. 14-15 in Nashville. The program will feature top political and campaign experts who will provide attorneys with the tools they need to run for local public offices such as school board, city council and county commission. Applications are due by Oct. 6. Access the application form here.

More than 150 patients have been admitted in Middle Tennessee under Jillian’s Law since it took effect in July 2024, prompting the state to expand hospital capacity, FOX 17 reports. The 2024 legislation — named after Jillian Ludwig, a Belmont University student who was killed after she was hit by a stray bullet while walking near campus in Nashville — requires defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial to be committed for treatment rather than released. To accommodate the additional patients, the Harold Jordan Center increased its staffed beds from six to 12, and the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute added 25 beds, funded through more than $6 million in new state allocations. Officials said there is currently no waiting list, and about 125 of the admitted patients would likely have been hospitalized even without Jillian’s Law. Lawmakers and mental health advocates say the expansion improves public safety and ensures the law is implemented effectively.

Cade Cothren, who resigned as chief of staff to former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada in 2019, on Tuesday was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme using the state’s constituent mailer program. The Tennessee Lookout reports he was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and will also be required to remain on probation for one year after serving his time in federal prison. Cothren was convicted alongside Casada of secretly running Phoenix Solutions, a company that funneled taxpayer-funded mailer business for profit. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson handed down the sentence after rejecting defense objections, finding Cothren used “intricate” money laundering to conceal the scheme. Attorneys for Cothren said they plan to appeal. Casada’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Sept. 9 denied a petition from Knox County lawyer Mark Steven Graham to dissolve a temporary suspension imposed on him by the court on May 20, 2022. The court found that Graham has not complied with a Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) monitoring agreement or the recommendations of TLAP-approved evaluations he previously has undergone. It determined that Graham failed to establish good cause for a hearing on the matter and denied the petition.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Tennessee on Tuesday announced the appointment of Miriam R. Nemeth as its new executive director. Nemeth, a civil rights attorney and nonprofit leader, began the role Monday, succeeding Phyllida Burlingame, who has served as interim executive director since November 2024. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Nemeth most recently was deputy litigation director and chief counsel at Rights Behind Bars, a legal advocacy group focused on eliminating inhumane conditions of confinement for incarcerated people. “I am honored to lead the ACLU of Tennessee as we navigate the critical civil rights challenges facing our state and country,” Nemeth said in a press release. “I look forward to partnering with the dedicated staff, board, supporters and community members to champion the rights and dignity of all in Tennessee.”

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Sept. 4 denied a petition from Hamilton County lawyer Arthur C. Grisham to transfer his law license to disability inactive status. The court said that Grisham failed to establish that any age-related or physical infirmity or illness makes it impossible for him to respond to or defend against an ethics complaint against him. Grisham is currently suspended from the practice of law for five years effective May 13.

The city of Memphis, in a countersuit from a legal fight with the Memphis Fire Fighters Association, claimed city employees do not have "the right or authority to collectively bargain with the city" and requested a chancellor invalidate all of the city's agreements with its unions, the Commercial Appeal reports. The countersuit was filed Aug. 20, expanding the named respondents from just the firefighters union to the Memphis Police Association. In its filing, the city argues that past agreements were only valid under Mayor Paul Young, who signed them during his time in office and contends no state or federal law grants the authority to enter binding collective bargaining agreements. The police union has asked the court to strike the city’s filing, while its attorney, Deborah Godwin, described the move as a “scorched earth approach” and a potential act of retaliation. The case is currently being appealed before the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

The Trump administration has requested $58 million from Congress to bolster security for the executive and judicial branches following the assassination of political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk, NBC News reports. The request said the funds would go to the U.S. Marshals Service to provide additional protective services for Supreme Court justices. While the administration supported using money for members of Congress, it deferred to lawmakers on how to manage that spending. Kirk’s death has raised concerns in both major parties, as a growing number of political figures have been targeted, attacked and killed in recent years. In response, several politicians have postponed rallies and canceled outdoor events.

Early voting begins today in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special primary, a crowded race to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Green, Axios Nashville reports. The district stretches from downtown Nashville through western Davidson County to Clarksville and several rural counties. Eleven Republicans and four Democrats are on the ballot, including state lawmakers Jody Barrett, Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves on the Republican ticket and Aftyn Behn, Vincent Dixie and Bo Mitchell on the Democratic. Early voting runs through Oct. 2, and the primary election is set for Oct. 7.

Mississippi lawyer Brian Henry Neely was reinstated to the practice of law on Sept. 11. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that Neely had been on inactive status since April 19, 2012. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that Neely’s petition for reinstatement was satisfactory, and he had met all requirements for reinstatement.