President Donald Trump has signed an executive order delaying a ban on TikTok for a fourth time. The Hill reports that this extension pushes back the deadline to enforce a law — which requires TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from the app or face a ban on U.S. networks and app stores — until Dec. 16. An earlier extension was set to expire Wednesday. On Monday, the administration announced it had reached a "framework" deal during trade talks with Chinese officials.

The Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga will honor Judge Curtis Collier, among others, at the Second Annual Bessie Smith Legacy Gala on Nov. 8. The gala "celebrates those whose contributions have not only uplifted the community but have also fostered a spirit of resilience and unity," according to the center's website. Appointed in 1995, Collier made history as the first African American U.S. district judge in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Center officials told Chattanoogan.com that "proceeds from the gala will directly benefit the Bessie Smith Cultural Center Education Program, which provides dynamic learning opportunities for students, educators and the community through exhibitions, field trips, lectures and outreach initiatives." Read more about this year's honorees under the "Events" tab and get ticket information.

Adams & Reese recently announced the addition of Holt Whitt to its Government Relations team in the firm's Nashville office. Whitt will serve as an advisor within the Intersection of Business & Government (IBG) practice group. Whitt has over 15 years of experience in state government, including most recently as the assistant commissioner for legislative affairs for the Tennessee Department of Health. “Holt is a home run hire for our Government Relations Team in Tennessee,” said Brad Lampley, IBG practice group leader and partner in Nashville. “[He] has built a career as a long-trusted advisor, leader and go-to resource in both the executive and legislative branches, and he will be an outstanding partner to our clients.” Adams & Reese also has offices in Memphis and Chattanooga, as well as nine other states and Washington, D.C. Read more in a press release from the firm.

Memphis police officer Valandria McKinnie, who testified for federal prosecutors during last year’s Tyré Nichols trial, has recanted parts of her testimony in a new affidavit. The Commercial Appeal reports that McKinnie now says former officers Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith were not present at the initial stop, did not provide information for her report, and were neither misleading nor dishonest. McKinnie also now is claiming that prosecutors’ questioning was misleading and pressured her to implicate Bean and Smith in witness tampering. Defense attorneys argue these revelations undermine the government’s case and that the tampering charge should be dropped, especially since a new trial has already been granted for Bean, Smith and Demetrius Haley.

Robert Edward Millsaps of Chattanooga was sentenced to seven years in prison after identifying himself as a "terrorist" and threatening to bomb the courtroom of Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes as well as the federal building in Chattanooga. Chattanoogan.com reports that Millsaps, who earlier was termed a violent criminal and member of the Aryan Nation gang, had been charged with retaliation against a judge, juror or office, commission of an act of terrorism, and three counts of filing false reports. Speaking about the case, Starnes said, "Threats and attacks against state and federal judges have significantly increased over the past four years. The states and federal governments are taking these threats very seriously. The Tennessee Supreme Court is also taking it very seriously. I believe that this represents the largest sentence to date in the state of Tennessee concerning the making of such threats."

Tomorrow, Sept. 17, is recognized as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day to commemorate the 1787 signing of our nation’s founding document and to celebrate those who have become U.S. citizens. Speaking about the importance of the day, TBA President Heidi Barcus said, "As attorneys in Tennessee, we have all taken an oath to 'support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee,' tangible foundations of our profession and the justice system." Constitution Day honors the vision of the founders and serves as a reminder that lawyers are uniquely positioned to uphold the ideals embedded in the Constitution — including through zealous advocacy, service to clients and pro bono work that expands access to justice. The TBA website includes a page of resources designed to assist in the presentation of Constitution Day concepts. Celebrate the Constitution tomorrow and Thursday at events in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. Additionally, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee hosted the annual reading of the Constitution in Chattanooga last Friday, and continues to host events all week, including a naturalization ceremony for 100 new U.S. citizens at Tusculum University in Greeneville.

Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. “For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure. He acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation. Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi wanted ‘to do something big.’ Instead, the FBI disrupted his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. Philippi is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2026. The Tennessean also reports on the developments.

David Stein has been appointed assistant professor of law at Vanderbilt University Law School, where he will teach courses related to law and technology. He comes to Vanderbilt from Northeastern University, where he was an assistant professor of law and assistant professor of computer sciences. Stein studies the interplay between legal institutions and technical infrastructures. His research spans multiple disciplines. In addition to his law review articles, he has published peer-reviewed work in robotics, rocket science and computational linguistics and is the named inventor on seven patented digital identity and database management technologies. Read more in a press release from the law school.

The U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision on Monday lifted a lower court order that had restricted federal immigration agents from conducting broad roving patrols in Los Angeles. According to the Associated Press, the ruling allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to continue operations that have been criticized as racial profiling. The decision has drawn strong dissent from the court's liberal justices and from many California officials. While a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the raids will continue in federal court, the decision allows the administration to proceed with planned enforcement efforts, which already have resulted in more than 5,000 arrests since June.

Not long after taking the bench in Gibson County, General Sessions Court Judge Bradley Owens observed that many of the defendants before him did not understand the legal consequences of their choices. “I see all of these adults, even with violation of probation, even after they would get arrested and get an opportunity, they would violate their probation over and over,” he said. He created a class called Choices & Consequences open to students in grades 8 through 12 with the goal of educating them about the legal consequence of making poor choices. During the class, students observe a live General Sessions Court session. Once court concludes, Owens meets with the students to discuss the cases. He explores the choices made by the defendants and the real-world consequences. Read more in this profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.