Agathos Classical School of Columbia was named the 2026 Tennessee State High School Mock Trial champion after two days of preliminary rounds. The school prevailed over the University School of Nashville. Tennessee State Supreme Court Justice Sarah Campbell presided over the round, while members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division's (YLD) Executive Committee, TBA President Heidi Barcus and TBA President-elect Charlotte Knight Griffin served as jurors. Earlier in the day, the top eight teams were announced, an MVP for each of the 16 teams was recognized, individual awards were presented to the best advocates and witnesses, and Unicoi County High School of Erwin was awarded the 2026 Sportsmanship Award. The top three artists in the inaugural Artist in the Courtroom Contest also were recognized. James Overstreet of Houston High School in Germantown was selected as the top artist.

Special thanks to YLD Mock Trial Committee Chair John Jolley, Vice Chair Bridget Pyman, Long Range Planning Coordinator Ashley Tipton and members of the committee for organizing this year's event, which involved 16 teams, more than 200 participants and more than 100 volunteers, including sitting Tennessee judges, lawyers and the YLD's Diversity Leadership Institute's law students. Agathos Classical School will represent Tennessee at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa in May. The team is coached by Columbia attorneys Jason Whatley and Cory Ricci of Whatley & Associates and Luke Worsham. See photos from this event.

Individuals interested in learning more about mock trial are encouraged to view the new TBA YLD Mock Trial 101 video available on the TBA website.

Due to TBA’s Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Reception this week, our legislative team is taking a break from the Legislative Updates Podcast. Watch for a new episode to release next Friday on Facebook and on the TBA website. As always, you also can follow TBA’s coverage of legislative news in the General Assembly section of the Law Blog or sort all news by category by using the filter tool at the top of the Law Blog page.

The Church Street Park in Nashville will celebrate Women’s History Month with two events over the next few weeks highlighting Nashville’s role in the suffrage movement. On March 22, the park will host a historical retelling of the history with Nashville historian David Ewing. On March 29, it will host live music with the Song Suffragettes. Both events begin at 2 p.m. CDT and take place just steps from where Tennessee lawmakers cast the deciding vote to ratify the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Morristown attorney Aaron Chapman has announced his candidacy for the newly-vacant 3rd Judicial District Circuit Court seat resulting from Gov. Bill Lee’s appointment of William Phillips II to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Election Day is Aug. 6. (Due to timing of the vacancy, there will be no Republican primary this year.) Chapman says his focus will be continuing to ensure that the circuit court is future-ready, stating, “We must think ahead, think about each other and take our task seriously. Our court system plays a vital role in protecting our future. The work we do now will be seen well into the next century and beyond.” A graduate of the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law, Chapman is a member of the TBA's Board of Governors and a longtime delegate to TBA's House of Delegates. He is the founder of Lakeway Family Law in Morristown. Read more in a press release.

Senior Judge Mark Ward ruled earlier this week that death row inmate Tony Carruthers is competent to be executed. According to the Nashville Banner, Ward found that Carruthers’s testimony showed him to be someone who understood his conviction and sentence but simply believed it was wrong. Defense attorneys had argued that Carruthers is not competent because he is consumed by psychotic delusions that he is the victim of a vast conspiracy and will be released once that conspiracy is exposed. They said they plan to appeal Ward’s decision. Carruthers is scheduled to be executed on May 21 for the murders and the kidnapping of Marcellos Anderson, his mother Delois, and Anderson’s friend Frederick Tucker.

University of Tennessee (UT) Chancellor Donde Plowman fired Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology Tamar Shirinian in February over a Facebook post celebrating Charlie Kirk's assassination. The action, just being reported now, cites reputational harm to the university and potential safety risks as justification for the termination. Shirinian had been suspended in October 2025 while the university pursued termination. She subsequently filed a lawsuit arguing the action amounted to viewpoint discrimination and political retaliation. In February, Shirinian expanded the suit to include top UT officials and board members in the complaint. She has requested an administrative appeal and is awaiting trial, which is scheduled for early 2027. Knox News has more on the story.

After more than two weeks in detention in Alabama and Louisiana, Nashville Noticias journalist Estefany Rodríguez was freed on bond late Thursday afternoon. “Today we celebrate that Estefany has been released from the ICE detention center in Louisiana and is on her way home to be with her family,” Mike Holley, an attorney with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said in a statement. The group is representing Rodríguez in her habeas case against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). An immigration judge approved Rodríguez's release on a $10,000 bond but federal officials initially reserved the right to appeal. They ultimately did not. The Nashville Banner has more on the developments

Williamson County leaders broke ground last week on a new juvenile justice center. WKRN reports that the new center will include six courtrooms, space to meet staff and filing demands, a secure juvenile detention center and an alternative learning center that will provide resources and programs for all county schools. According to Williamson County Juvenile Court, in 2019, juvenile services had an annual caseload of around 5,100 cases. They are projected to see 28,000 cases by 2044. The county anticipates opening the new center in 2028.

New Orleans-based law firm McGlinchey Stafford has filed for bankruptcy after announcing in January that it would close its Nashville office. According to the Nashville Post, the firm's statement of financial affairs reported $83.4 million in gross revenue in 2025, up slightly from $82.3 million in 2024. Relatedly, the firm had $15.5 million in assets and $13 million in total liabilities, which includes multiple individual wage claims. The 52-year-old firm also is involved in several ongoing legal cases nationwide, including two in which it is a named defendant.

Join members of the TBA Attorney Well Being Committee next week for a live interactive roundtable on how best to manage work-life balance as a legal professional. This 45 minute Zoom event on March 25 at 12:30 p.m. CDT will feature attorneys discussing their day-to-day practice and will provide effective tools for personal well-being. While geared toward law students and young lawyers, this free event is open to all TBA members, but registration is required. Questions and feedback are encouraged. Submit questions in advance to jword@tnbar.org.