The annual Robert Ballow Excellence in Writing Awards were presented to Nashville School of Law (NSL) 4L students on March 25. Eight students were recognized for their performance in the Rigorous Writing Exercise (RWE) program. The RWE is a project all NSL students embark on as a requirement of graduation. Working with a volunteer mentor from the legal community, students research and write a 15-20 page paper on the topic of their choice. See the list of winners and read their work. The school also named NSL alumna Kate Nyquist as the 2025 Mentor of the Year. The honor is conferred in recognition of a mentor’s exceptional service to the program.

Knox County lawyer Robert Brian DeBusk received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 28. While working as an assistant district attorney, DeBusk discovered an email sent from a jailed defendant to his attorney. This intercepted email then became part of the basis for a motion to disqualify the district attorney’s office. DeBusk was subpoenaed to testify at a hearing on the motion. While in the hallway prior to testifying, DeBusk discussed the facts with an attorney not related to this matter, who then was called to testify. When asked about the facts, DeBusk stated “I don’t recall,” which was contrary to what he had discussed in the hallway. When further pressed on his recollection, DeBusk refused to answer by pleading the “Fifth.” Finally, DeBusk testified substantively about the facts of the matter. The court found that these actions violated Rules of Professional 8.4(c) and 8.4(d).

Madison County has received $10 million through the General Assembly's approved budget as an initial investment toward building a West Tennessee Regional Juvenile Justice Center that would serve all West Tennessee counties outside of Shelby County. The planned pre-adjudication facility aims to house and support justice-involved youth in a structured environment emphasizing dignity, early intervention and wraparound rehabilitation services. Local and state leaders celebrated the milestone while acknowledging that the $10 million is just a starting point. Full development will require additional state and regional funding to be secured. WBBJ has the story.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals is seeking comments on the reappointment of Jimmy Croom, bankruptcy judge for the Western District of Tennessee, to a 14-year term that would begin on March 20, 2027. Members of the bar and the public are invited to submit comments to be considered during the reappointment process. All comments will be kept confidential and should be mailed to Circuit Executive Marc Theriault, 503 Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse, 100 East Fifth St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 or be submitted via email. All comments must be received no later than June 11. Contact the Office of the Circuit Executive at 513-564-7200 for more information. Read the full announcement from the court.

Following federal reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug, Tennessee state Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, urged Gov. Bill Lee to call a special legislative session to consider legalizing medical cannabis, arguing that years of study and broad public support — surveys show that 81% of Tennesseans favor the move — make further delay unjustifiable. Powell framed the issue as one of compassionate care for veterans, cancer patients and other suffering Tennesseans, noting that 40 states already have established medical marijuana programs. Republican lawmakers recently voted to block an automatic state review that federal reclassification would have triggered, expressing concern about moving too quickly on cannabis policy. Marijuana possession remains a crime in Tennessee. According to the Tennessean, some Republicans have signaled openness to change as federal rescheduling shifts oversight toward doctors.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on April 27 permanently disbarred Hamilton County lawyer Arthur C. Grisham Jr. from the practice of law. The court found that Grisham violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 and 1.4 when he knowingly and repeatedly failed to respond to court orders, pleadings and discovery requests; failed to communicate with his client about the impact of these actions; and failed to inform his client of the resulting dismissal of his action. Further, Grisham knowingly filed an appeal without informing his client and obtaining authorization, and knowingly ignored court orders to correct deficient pleadings, which resulted in the dismissal of the appeal. The court modified the recommendation of the Board of Professional Responsibility's hearing panel to impose a 10 year suspension. It said that a comparative analysis of similar cases and a review of American Bar Association (ABA) standards justified permanent disbarment.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed lawyer Mark Stapleton of Rogersville to the 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court, the Administrative Office of the Courts announced today. Stapleton fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge William Phillips to the Court of Appeals, effective immediately. Stapleton currently serves as founding attorney at Stapleton Law Office. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee and his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law. The 3rd Judicial District covers Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins and Greene counties.

Richard Bean, the 85-year-old former superintendent of a Knox County juvenile detention center named for him, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $5 million from Knox County, County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin. Bean alleges his constitutional rights were violated through forced resignation, age discrimination and reputational damage from public statements made by county officials, Knox News reports. The lawsuit claims Irwin and Jacobs conspired against Bean after he fired two employees — a nurse and an IT specialist — who had exposed medical malfeasance at the facility, and that the officials pressured him to rehire those workers before he resigned three days later. Bean says the ordeal cost him lost wages and earning capacity and caused emotional pain and suffering.

A three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled that Gov. Bill Lee's October 2025 deployment of the National Guard to Memphis is legal, reversing a judgement from Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal. The Commercial Appeal reports that three questions were brought by the state to the appeal: whether plaintiffs invoked an available waiver of the government's immunity (known as sovereign immunity) from being sued, if they have standing and if Lee violated state law in deploying the National Guard to Memphis. According to the Daily Memphian, the panel weighed whether or not the plaintiffs had standing to sue — holding that they did not — and did not address whether Lee's deployment order was legal. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a press release that the ruling "recognizes that an elected official who disagrees with this effort does not have the right to veto the Governor by filing a lawsuit. When elected officials disagree about policy, we resolve that at the ballot box, not the courts." Read the appellate opinion.

Tennessee state Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, who died April 24 at the age of 71, will lie in state at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 30. Colleagues and the public are invited to visit the capitol to pay their respects. According to the Commercial Appeal, a celebration of life service also will be held at a date to be determined. That event will take place in Memphis at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, 70 N Bellevue Blvd. Memphis 38104. Hardaway had served in the Tennessee House since 2007.