Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Judge Stacy Street to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section. Street currently is serving as a criminal court judge in the 1st Judicial District. He earned his bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University and law degree from the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Street’s appointment fills a vacancy created by Judge Kyle Hixson’s elevation to the Tennessee Supreme Court. The appointment is effective July 7 and is subject to legislative confirmation. Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, an 18-year-old Nashville nonprofit providing free or low-cost immigration legal services, has adopted a co-directorship model — bringing on Melinda Noblitt alongside existing leader Tessa Lemos Del Pino — to handle the surge in demand driven by rapidly changing immigration policy. Caseloads have nearly doubled, jumping from about 1,000 cases in 2024 to nearly 1,900 in 2025, with staff also fielding around 2,000 calls from people seeking help, information or referrals. The nonprofit says immigrants with legal status are being detained because officers often don't understand the complexity of documentation. With the new leadership structure, the organization aims to build more nonprofit partnerships, pursue additional grant funding and expand capacity — while helping immigrants understand their constitutional rights in the current climate. The Nashville Business Journal has the story.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed a rule that would rescind the Biden administration's 2024 independent contractor rule and replace it with a framework modeled on the 2021 rule, re-centering the worker classification analysis on two core factors: the degree of control over work and the worker's opportunity for profit or loss. According to Bloomberg Law, unlike the 2024 rule's six-factor equal-weight analysis, the new proposal treats other considerations as secondary and emphasizes that actual working practices matter more than contractual language. Employers currently face a split landscape, as the DOL has already shifted its enforcement approach away from the 2024 rule, while private plaintiffs can still invoke it in court until it is formally rescinded. The proposal is not yet final — public comments are due by April 28 — and employers using contractor models are advised to review their classification practices, keeping in mind that stricter state laws will continue to apply regardless of the federal outcome.

Gibson County Safe Baby Court (SBC) held its first graduation ceremony on March 13, reuniting a mother with her four children. “If I didn't have Safe Baby Court, I wouldn't have my babies back now,” said Stacey, a SBC graduate. “Thanks to all the support from Safe Baby and Recovery, I have a new life today.” Gibson County Juvenile Court implemented the SBC in 2024, becoming the third county in West Tennessee to do so. “Safe Baby Court is not easy,” said Juvenile Court Judge Mark Johnson. “It is a long road for parents who have the willingness to make life better for their young children, but not always the ability to succeed without help. Stacey’s case is a perfect example of teamwork between two separate judges and courts.” Read more in a profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

A three-year legal battle over the new Memphis Art Museum was dismissed by Shelby County Chancellor Melanie Taylor Jefferson last week, with plaintiffs Friends for our Riverfront and heirs of the city's founders arguing the $180 million museum violated restrictions on how riverfront land should be used. The Daily Memphian reports that the lawsuit, filed in 2023, claimed the museum's construction conflicted with terms set by city founders in 1819 and 1820, which designated the land as a public promenade, and violated easement terms for a public Bluff Walk. The plaintiffs plan to appeal the ruling, while defendants — the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and the City of Memphis — maintain the museum is consistent with the land's public purpose and that the current administration has the right to determine how the riverfront is used.

The Tennessee Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee passed the FAIR Rx Act (SB2040/HB1959) with bipartisan support on March 24. The bill would bar pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning the pharmacies they manage, targeting vertically integrated companies like CVS, which has threatened to close all 134 stores in the state if the bill becomes law. Relatedly, the Tennessee Journal reports that Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti is threatening to sue CVS for using customers' pharmacy data to run a political text campaign against the bill. Cost estimates are disputed, with state officials suggesting the bill could cost taxpayers up to $53 million annually, though legislative analysts argue pharmacies could restructure rather than close. The controversy is fueled by audits showing CVS's PBM arm, Caremark, routinely underpaid independent pharmacies and overcharged a federal employee health benefits program by more than $615 million. The Tennessean has more on the developments.

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sarah K. Campbell will serve as the keynote speaker for the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law's Spring 2026 commencement ceremony on May 14. Campbell joined the court in February 2022. Prior to her appointment, she served in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office as associate solicitor general and special assistant to the attorney general. “We are honored to welcome Justice Campbell back to Rocky Top for this milestone event in our graduating students’ law school journey,” said Dean Lonnie T. Brown Jr. Campbell graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2004 and from Duke University School of Law in 2009. Read more in a press release from the law school.

The TBA YLD and Belmont Law need attorney volunteers for a wills clinic on April 11 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. CDT. This clinic will serve Rebuilding Nashville Together clients. Attorneys will assist with drafting simple wills, durable powers of attorney (POAs) and health care POAs for program participants. Belmont Law students will serve as witnesses. Please email ginny.blake@belmont.edu if you are interested in helping or would like more information.

Juvenile Court Magistrate Judge Mitzi H. Pollard has announced her candidacy for Shelby County Circuit Court Division 3. She received her law degree in 2001 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Pollard was a sole practitioner for more than 12 years, focusing on mediation, juvenile and family law, and advocating for vulnerable children and working families. She was appointed magistrate judge by Judge Dan Michael in 2015 and reappointed in 2022 by Judge Tarik Sugarmon. Pollard says in a statement that throughout her legal career, she has "remained deeply committed to public service, professional excellence and the fair and impartial administration of justice. My candidacy is rooted in a desire to continue that service on the Circuit Court bench — ensuring that every litigant is treated with dignity, that the law is applied faithfully and that our courts remain accessible, efficient and trusted by the community." Learn more at www.pollardforjudge.com.

The inaugural Joint Georgia/Tennessee Construction Law Conference hosted by TBA's Construction Law Section is now available as a 1-Click package. The CLE sessions are for both Georgia and Tennessee construction attorneys, covering topics such as regional differences in construction law, a view from the bench session featuring judges and arbitrators, a case study session and more. The program offers 6.5 total CLE hours, including one dual hour. Access the individual programs or the 1-Click package.