The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission reports that it received two applications — from Aaron J. Chapman of Morristown and Mark S. Stapleton of Rogersville — to fill a vacancy in the 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court. Because it did not have three names to forward, under the law, Gov. Bill Lee may appoint any qualified individual to the position. The vacancy was created by the appointment of William E. Phillips II to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The district covers Greene, Hamblen, Hancock and Hawkins counties. Read more from the commission.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law’s National Moot Court Team won first place at the Region VII Competition of the 76th annual National Moot Court Competition last fall at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. The victory marked the team’s fourth regional championship in six years, and allowed it to advance to the national final rounds in New York City in January. Longtime coaches and professors emeriti John L. Sobieski Jr. and Don Leatherman guided the team to its win. “Their hard work, ability and poise under pressure were evident in every round. We couldn’t be prouder of their achievement,” Sobieski said in a press release from the school.

Memphis attorney Jahari Dowdy has announced her candidacy for Shelby County Criminal Court judge in Division 1. Dowdy, a graduate of Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, has two decades of experience in criminal law and is the owner of the Law Office of J.M. Dowdy PLLC. Her practice has included representing clients in both state and federal courts, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious violent felonies. Dowdy said her work has focused on thorough case investigations, careful review of evidence and maintaining clear communication with clients and their families. Her courtroom experience includes jury and bench trials, as well as suppression, bail and preliminary hearings. Read more in a press release or visit her campaign website.

Metro Nashville is moving forward with plans to build a new jail complex on Harding Place to replace two existing facilities, one of which has been unusable for six years, contributing to persistent overcrowding, according to the Nashville Banner. The city issued a request for proposals from potential contractors Monday, setting the project budget at $410 million. The plan calls for demolishing the Metro Detention Facility and the Correctional Development Center for men and constructing a new facility on the same site to provide the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office about 1,000 additional jail beds. Sheriff Daron Hall told the Banner the capacity issues are not due to an unusually high number of inmates, but because of the number of "beds that are functional right now.” He added that city officials aim to complete the project within 36 months.

Memphis attorney and corporate counsel Ralph David Davison, died March 17 at age 93. Davison began his legal career in private practice in Mississippi after earning his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1959. He later moved to Memphis in 1967, where he served as a staff attorney and later vice president of administration for Holiday Inns Inc. He went on to become vice president and general counsel at Parts Inc. Davison was a member of the American, Mississippi and Tennessee bar associations. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. EDT on April 6 at Westminster Canterbury in Richmond. Memorials may be made to the Westminster Canterbury Fellowship Fund, 1600 Westbrook Ave., Richmond, VA 23227; First Presbyterian Church, 4602 Cary Street Rd., Richmond, VA 23226; or Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38104.

Looking for CME hours in addition to your CLE requirements? TBA has you covered. Earn credits before the deadline of March 31 with courses that cover dispute resolution updates, family law consultation, divorce and taxes and more! Find an individual course or get three dual CME/CLE credits and four general credits with TBA's 1-Click CME package. Please note that CME credit must self-submitted through the Administrative Office of the Courts’ ADR portal. If needed, please use the proof of completion email as the supportive documentation in the portal.

The Belmont Law Journal will host its criminal law symposium, “Law, Security and Justice in the Digital Age: Redefining Enforcement and Accountability,” on March 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. The event will feature keynote speakers Sarah Lageson and David Thaw, along with two panels of practitioners discussing issues at the intersection of law and technology. Lageson will speak on "Big Data, Bad Warrants: Rethinking Accountability" while Thaw will address the limits of AI criminality. Attorneys interested in attending can register online and view the full agenda.

The 2026 TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) class met last week in Nashville for its “Issues in Policy & Politics” program. For the first time, the group joined other TBA members on Wednesday for the fourth annual Day on the Hill event — hearing from TBA’s lobbying team and meeting with elected officials. That night, class members attended the Big Shrimp legislative reception. On Thursday, the class heard from San Diego attorney Janice Brown, a favorite TBA speaker. She spoke on “Activators & Leadership.” A second session with TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley of Adams & Reese and Ross Smith of Bass Berry & Sims focused on “Lawyers as Lobbyists.” The day ended with lunch and class caucus, at which class member share reflections on the program. See a photo from Brown’s presentation.

The TBA Litigation Practice Section is continuing its “Perspectives From the Bench” series on May 21 at the new TBA office in Nashville. The program will feature a conversation with Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Bivins and former Supreme Court Justice and current Nashville School of Law Dean Bill Koch. Attorneys Hunter Branstetter with Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Todd Presnell with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings will moderate the discussion, which will focus on each justice's path to the bench, the role of mentors, the importance of the Rule of Law and more. Make plans now to join colleagues for this informative program from 3-4:30 p.m. CDT and a networking reception that will follow at 4:30 p.m. Learn more and register on the TBA website.

Gov. Bill Lee’s administration has unveiled his annual budget amendment, which is usually a sign that the legislature is within less than month of wrapping up its business for the year. According to the Tennessee Journal, the proposal details $40 million in recurring funding and $190 million in one-time expenditures. Finance Commissioner Jim Bryson noted that the totals were less that officials have become accustomed to because of flat revenues. Funding in the amendment includes money for health programs, including TennCare, Rural Health Clinics and Strong Families Pregnancy Center Grants; housing programs; safety and security programs such as the K-12 School Safety Grants and House of Worship Safety Grants; and a number of tourism projects, including design of an expansion of the National Civil Right Museum. See the full list of proposed spending.