Following a public hearing, the Trial Court Vacancy Commission announced the selection of three candidates to send to Gov. Bill Lee to replace Judge Cheryl Blackburn, who retired at the end of May. The three candidates are James Harwell Todd, Dominic J. Leonardo and Ronald Dowdy. Todd is currently the Division VI Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge. Dowdy has been working as an assistant district attorney in District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office, where he is the team leader of the Crimes Against Children Division, since 2017. Leonardo was selected by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a Davidson County General Sessions Court special judge in 2018 and serves as a legal analyst for NewsChannel 5. The Nashville Banner newsletter reports on the three candidates.

Tennessee's Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Georgia's Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock are introducing a new bill aimed at providing tax relief to entertainers, the Tennessean reports. The Creative Relief and Expensing for Audio and Television Enterprises Act, or CREATE Act, would allow singers, songwriters and other creatives to write off production expenses. Earlier this year, Blackburn advocated for including music production expenses in the Internal Revenue Code as part of what President Trump called his "One Big Beautiful Bill," which was signed into law on July 4. The Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act currently allows artists to write off up to $150,000 in production expenses in the year they are incurred, but the provision is set to expire at the end of 2025. If passed, the CREATE Act would extend the deduction through 2030 and introduce annual cost-of-living adjustments beginning in 2027 to address rising production costs and make filming in the U.S. more financially viable.

State supreme courts should “encourage innovation and reform” in the bar admissions process and encourage real-world practice readiness for new attorneys, according to report from a national group of judges and court administrators. The recommendations come from the Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform, an 18-month collaboration between the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators. The group says that state supreme courts should take a more active role in legal education and attorney admissions, including establishing new ways to license attorneys and encouraging innovation by law schools. According to Reuters, the group says the bar exam “has not covered many practical realities of the profession” and new lawyers do not always have the necessary skills to talk to clients or conduct negotiations. They recommend encouraging hands-on learning opportunities, reforming the bar admissions process, streamlining character and fitness reviews, supporting public service attorneys and encouraging attorneys to practice in rural areas.

Ray Whitley, the state’s longest-serving district attorney, will retire on Sept. 1 after 45 years as Sumner County’s top prosecutor, the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference has announced. Whitley began his legal career in 1971 as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville. He later moved to Sumner County and joined the district attorney’s office. He was appointed to lead the office in 1980, and has been re-elected five times. He also has served two terms as president of the conference and has been instrumental in guiding statewide policies, training and legislative engagement on public safety. Read about his reflections on his career in a news release from the conference. Gov. Bill Lee’s office is accepting applications through Aug. 4 to fill the position.

Kentucky-based Stites & Harbison has opened its first office in Alabama. The Huntsville location will be led by Nashville attorney Josh Chesser, according to a press release from the firm. Chesser, who joined the firm in 2024, will split his time between the Nashville and Huntsville offices. Joseph V. Ronderos Jr. also will work in both locations. Alabama patent attorney Kimberly Vines will work in the Huntsville office. “We’re excited to expand our full-service legal practice in Alabama and enhance the support we provide to clients across the state and beyond,” said firm chair Marjorie Farris. Stites & Harbison also operates in Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia. Offices in Tennessee are located in Franklin, Memphis and Nashville.

Belmont University and the University of Tennessee (UT) have launched investigations into the status of their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs after reports that employees have said DEI practices remain unchanged, WZTV reports. Last week, Vanderbilt University announced it had hired a law firm to investigate similar claims. Belmont reports it has hired an outside consultant to "initiate an independent compliance review." In an email to staff, UT said it has initiated a systemwide independent review of all access and engagement activities and mandated compliance training for employees. The inquiries come on the heels of new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education about the legality of DEI programs. Inside Higher Ed reports on the latest direction from the department.

The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that a defibrillator implanted in Byron Black’s chest does not have to be deactivated before the state executes him next week. The Nashville Banner reports that the decision reverses an opinion from Davidson County Chancellor Russell Perkins that directed the state to disable the device. Perkins issued that order after hearing from medical professionals that the device could put Black at risk of a prolonged and torturous death. The state appealed that ruling to the high court, arguing it could not deactivate Black’s defibrillator on the day of the execution, and asking whether it could be done the day before. The justices said that because Black would not agree to that timeframe, the lower court order was operating “effectively and practically” as a stay of its execution order, which a trial court does not have the authority to “stay, modify or condition.” The court did note at the end of the opinion though that nothing in its decision prevents the parties from reaching an agreement on deactivation of the device. The decision comes after news that Nashville General Hospital had not agreed to perform the procedure, according to The Tennessean. Black’s lawyers continue to pursue other remedies, calling on Gov. Bill Lee to halt the execution and asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved 728 applications for a total of nearly $5.2 million in disaster assistance for Tennesseans affected by severe storms and flooding in April. This includes $2.8 million in housing assistance and $2.3 million in assistance for other needs, according to Tennessee Lookout. Individuals have until Aug. 19 to apply. The agency also recently announced that is preparing to close three of its Disaster Recovery Centers, which help disaster victims with aid applications and provide connections to other resources. Centers in Dyer, McNairy and Montgomery counties will close at 6 p.m. on Aug. 1. Centers in Hardeman and Obion counties will remain open. More information about available resources can be found on FEMA’s website.

Washington County lawyer Stephen Thomas Russell Martin was reinstated to the practice of law on July 23. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that Martin was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on Dec. 20, 2013, and has satisfied all outstanding requirements for reinstatement.

Texas lawyer Chasity Halford Balfour was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on July 30. The Tennessee Supreme Court reports that she was placed on inactive status more than five years ago, on April 1, 2011, but now has satisfied all outstanding requirements for reinstatement.