The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee will appoint a new full-time magistrate judge upon the resignation of Magistrate Judge Alistair Newbern, effective Jan. 2, 2026. Application forms and more information on the position may be obtained from Chief Deputy Clerk Vicki Kinkade, 719 Church St., Ste. 1300, Nashville, TN 37203. The application form is also available as a download from the court’s website. Applications must be submitted by applicants personally and must be received by Aug. 15. More information and the requirements for candidates are laid out in the public notice of appointment.

The Tennessee Judicial Conference Foundation (TJCF) has passed a resolution to honor the late Judge James Curwood Witt Jr. with a legacy scholarship. The foundation will match funds up to $12,500, which will yield a $1,500 annual scholarship to the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Knoxville attorneys Ann Short and Eric Butler will serve as chairs of the effort. According to the TJCF, Judge Witt was a valued member of the court and Tennessee legal community. He served as a former presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, and at 27 years of service, was the longest-serving member in the court’s history. Donations may be made online or by check, payable to the TJCF, with a notation to fund the Judge Curwood Witt Scholarship. Checks should be mailed to Tennessee Judicial Conference Foundation, c/o Suzanne Keith, 629 Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37206. Questions may be directed to Ann Short, 865-637-2142 or Eric Butler, 865-546-4646.

Tennessee Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for the 7th Congressional District seat, which encompasses parts of Davidson, Montgomery and Williamson counties. The seat currently is held by U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who announced last month that he would take a job in the private sector. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Reedy has said he has been bothered by the federal government’s slow reaction to flood damage in Waverly in August 2021, and that he supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Other Republican candidates for the post are former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps, Springfield resident Jon Thorpe and Jason Knight of Clarksville. No Democrats have entered the race yet according to the paper.

President Donald Trump has nominated former U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant to be the chief federal prosecutor for the Western District of Tennessee, a position he held during Trump's first term. The Daily Memphian reports that during his tenure, Dunavant oversaw a shift in the federal office, from a focus on reviewing police conduct and policies to a focus on backing law enforcement. Prior to his first stint as U.S. attorney, Dunavant served as district attorney general for Tennessee's 25th Judicial District, which covers Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale and McNairy counties. He replaces career prosecutor Joe Murphy, who has been the interim U.S. attorney since Trump fired interim U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren, who was appointed when U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz stepped down.

TBA CLE Summer Camp is in session! Beat the heat this summer and take your CLE on demand from the comfort of your home, office or cabin in the woods. TBA CLE will be replaying popular titles throughout the month of July, whether you need one hour of credit or 15. Watch for a weekly update of upcoming courses in this publication and on social media. This week features Friends ... An Ethical Sitcom?; From Bonnie and Clyde to Bernie Madoff — What the Biggest Thieves in History Teach About Attorney Ethics; and Ethics Update: Current Developments from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Interested in something else? View all Summer Camp offerings, which include sessions on law tech, practice management, effective communication, ethics and more!

This on-demand webcast from the TBA covers changes to Tennessee’s foreclosure law, including a reduction in the number of required newspaper notices for foreclosure sales and a new requirement to post all sales and continuances online. Hosted by David Anthony of Exo Legal PLLC and Amy Heaslet of the Tennessee Bankers Association, the webcast includes a discussion on how to comply with the new regulations taking effect July 1. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website. 

Kilmar Abrego Garcia will stay in jail for now over concerns from his lawyers that he could be deported if he is released to await trial on human smuggling charges, the Associated Press reports. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys had asked Nashville-based U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes on Friday to delay his release because of what they described as “contradictory statements” by the administration over what would happen to him if released. The U.S. Justice Department said Thursday it intends to try Abrego Garcia on the smuggling charges before moving to deport him. Earlier that day though a DOJ lawyer told a federal judge in Maryland that the U.S. government planned to deport him to a “third country.” Holmes, who ruled on June 22 that Abrego Garcia has a right to be released while awaiting trial on smuggling charges, approved the defense team’s request to delay that order.

Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. announced criminal charges today against three defendants in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Fund (FECA). The charges, filed in federal court, are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The case involves a West Tennessee pharmacy that allegedly billed FECA for medications that were not based on valid prescriptions and were not dispensed to injured claimants. The charges are part of a nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, according to a news release. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted with the care of the elderly and disabled. In connection with the takedown, the government seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sara Porter of the Gulf Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raney Irwin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.

Metro Nashville Arts will host an official dedication ceremony for a new mural, “They Fought With Words: Leaders, Lawyers and Educators," at the Looby Community Center on July 16. The artwork, created by Creative Girls Rock with lead artist Elisheba Israel Mrozik, celebrates the life and legacy of Nashville lawyer and civil rights icon Z. Alexander Looby. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. CDT. The program will begin at 1 p.m. in the Looby Theater. Those interested in attending can register here.

Registration is now open for the TBA's Journey to Morocco CLE program scheduled for February 2026. Join the TBA delegation to learn more about Morocco's diverse food, music, customs and architecture, as well as its social fabric and political systems. Morocco's location at the crossroads of Europe and Africa has endowed the country with a richness of culture and heritage preserved and perpetuated to this day. Today, Morocco is a thriving society embracing modernity. The core program, scheduled for Feb. 9-15, 2026, is a six-night experience that includes one night in Casablanca, two nights in the political capital Rabat, and three nights in the country's cultural capital Fes. Trip extensions also are available: explore Marrakech Feb. 6-9 before the core program starts and/or participate in the post-trip Saharan adventure to the Merzouga Desert Feb. 15-18. View a brochure for the trip or learn more online. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today! The early bird registration rate expires Aug. 1.