A teen resident of Youth Villages, who died last year after an altercation with staff, likely died of complications of a restraint used against her with a contributing factor of bronchial asthma, an autopsy report indicates. But the review could not say with certainty what happened to 17-year old Alegend Jones due to unclear video footage of the incident. The center says the autopsy clears staff of wrongdoing, the Daily Memphian reports. The report also states that if further information is made available, the report could be updated.

The Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award recognizes a legal organization that best demonstrates outstanding leadership to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in furtherance of the KBA Strategic Inclusion Plan. Nominations must be submitted online through the KBA website by 5 p.m. on July 31. Learn more here.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuit seeking to break up entertainment industry giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster unit could go to trial in early 2026. At the first hearing in the antitrust lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian called the timeline "appropriate" given the scope of the case, but did not set a firm date. Live Nation said it would push to transfer the case to Washington, D.C., where a judge weighed and approved a consent decree in 2010 letting the merger take effect, Reuters reports. The state of Tennessee joined the suit in May.

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference is reserving an official opinion about the Republican-led push to oust Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy, the Daily Memphian reports. The group says it will wait until state Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, who has spearheaded the move, files an official resolution. “At this point, it is impossible to know what specific issues or allegations may be alleged in Sen. Taylor’s proposed resolution until it is made known. Until such a resolution is filed and the conference has an opportunity to read, review and analyze the same, we reserve comment,” Conference President Bryant Dunaway told the paper. One individual district attorney, Frederick Agee in the 28th Judicial District, has spoken out against the effort, criticizing those who would distract Mulroy from his official duties.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is threatening to sue the state of Tennessee over letters sent to 14,000 registered voters this month questioning their citizenship. In a letter sent to state officials, the group alleges violations of federal voter registration laws, including sending the letters too close to the Aug. 1 election, singling out likely new citizens, and likely engaging in voter intimidation. Several local and federal organizations that support voting rights and immigration, including the League of Women Voters, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and the Equity Alliance, joined the ACLU in sending the letter, which demands the state stop any effort to remove registered voters ahead of the August election, the Nashville Banner reports. Read more in a press release from the groups.

Hamilton County lawyer Kent Thomas Jones has been reinstated to the active practice of law. He had been suspended for 90 days on Feb. 26. Jones filed a petition for reinstatement on June 5. The Board of Professional Responsibility found that the petition was satisfactory but directed Jones to pay half of the costs of the disciplinary hearing within 30 days and the remaining amount within 60 days.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has suspended Knox County lawyer Jonathan William Doolan from the practice of law for nine months, with one month to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation with conditions. According to the court’s order, Doolan must contract with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program and comply with any of its recommendations. The action was taken based on two complaints that Doolan failed to reasonably communicate with his clients, act in a diligent manner, expedite litigation, respond to discovery requests in a timely manner, properly withdraw from representation, work within the scope of his representation, take reasonable steps to protect the client’s interest after terminating representation, and comply with requests for information from disciplinary counsel. Doolan agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging his conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, 3.2, 3.4 and 8.1.

The U.S. Supreme Court today formally issued a decision allowing emergency abortions in Idaho while that case makes its way through the courts, The Hill reports. The court issued an unsigned order dismissing an appeal over Idaho’s strict abortion ban, blocking enforcement of the state’s law where it conflicts with federal law. The ruling prevents the state from denying an emergency abortion to a pregnant person whose health is in danger, at least while the case makes its way through the courts. The order did not indicate why the justices had dismissed the case, but a series of concurring and dissenting opinions provided more insight into the justices’ thinking. The Hill has more on the individual opinions. On Wednesday, a draft opinion in the case was "inadvertently and briefly" uploaded to the court's website. SCOTUSblog has more on today's rulings, including overturning a Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan that contained billions of dollars to help address the nation’s opioid crisis in exchange for protecting the family that owns the company from future lawsuits. The court also blocked an Environmental Protection Agency air-quality initiative while appeals continue.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has sent a letter to three of the nation’s leading credit card financial institutions warning them of the need to comply with the “Tennessee Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act,” by July 1. The letter, sent to American Express, Mastercard and Visa, asks them to outline how they will comply with the law, which prohibits the use of merchant category codes to target firearms dealers. In other action this week, Skrmetti and Secretary of State Tre Hargett urged Tennesseans to remain vigilant against the rising threat of celebrity scams, whereby the name or likeness of a celebrity is used to scam consumers.

The U.S. Supreme Court indicated it will take the unusual step of extending its term into July as it finishes work on about a dozen cases. The court updated its website with June 28 and July 1 listed as possible days for opinion announcements. The court has yet to hand down decisions in some key argued cases, including former President Trump’s immunity claims, the legality of banning homeless encampments, the power of federal agencies and two cases related to social media, according to The Hill.