Above the Law has released its annual Top 50 Law School Rankings. Vanderbilt Law School has dropped two places to seventh on the list, while the University of Tennessee College of Law has moved up five places to 43. See the full list of rankings here.

In an 8-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled that states cannot challenge the Biden administration’s guidelines for when to deport migrants from the country. The Hill reports that the suit from Texas and Louisiana challenged the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement policies, which includes guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to prioritize certain immigrants for detention and deportation. The policy urges agents to focus on the most serious and violent criminals for deportation.

Former Memphis Police officers Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean have filed motions to have their cases tried separately from the other three officers who are charged in the beating and death of Tyre Nichols. The Commercial Appeal reports that both motions point to every officer being charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping — which were assessed for each of the scenes at which officers interacted with Nichols — and some of the officers were not at both scenes. 

Undocumented Tennesseans are no longer able to access basic reproductive services like family planning and birth control at health clinics that formerly relied on federal Title X funding. According to the Commercial Appeal, Tennessee lost millions in federal money due to noncompliance with a key Title X requirement that providers had to offer information on all options for pregnant patients, including information about abortion access. Tennessee's post-Dobbs policy stated patients "must be provided information and counseling regarding all options that are legal in the State of Tennessee." While the state has budgeted funds to replace the lost federal dollars, its policies do not allow the money to be used to provide services for undocumented families and individuals.

Nashville’s Metro Council has approved $6.5 million to improve radio communications between Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and police and install shatter-resistant protection on glass across the district. WPLN reports that at a meeting last week, MNPS officials highlighted several ways the council could support the district’s safety goals. An updated radio system will help ensure seamless communication between schools and police in case of an emergency. The glass protection will make it more resistant to breaking if an intruder attempts to force their way in.

Mark your calendar for Dec. 1 and plan to attend the Annual Environmental Forum! More details will be available soon on the CLE website.

Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who became infamous for leaking the Pentagon Papers to news outlets in 1971, has died, according to his family. He was 92 years old. As a military analyst working on a Pentagon project in 1971, Ellsberg chose to release to the public an extensive, documentary record of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Known as the "Pentagon Papers," Ellsberg's mammoth disclosure helped end the longest U.S. war of the 20th century. Read the obituary from NPR.

State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office has engaged external attorneys to help defend at least one federal lawsuit. The Tennessean reports that Cameron Norris with Virginia law firm Consovoy McCarthy PLLC, and Adam Mortara with Nashville-based Lawfair LLC are now representing Tennessee in an ongoing lawsuit against the state's new law banning gender transition treatments for minors. The attorneys, and any other attorneys at their firm, have been engaged at a $400 hourly rate, with a $100 hourly rate allotted for any non-attorney staff who may bill hours, according to documents obtained by The Tennessean.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators held the first of four town halls on Thursday in Hamilton County. The Chattanoogan reports that the lawmakers answered questions about new third-grade testing requirements, juvenile justice and marijuana. Next, caucus members will travel to Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, was joined Thursday by caucus members and Memphis Democrats Sen. Raumesh Akbari, Rep. Joe Towns, Rep. Antonio Parkinson and Rep. Jesse Chism, as well as caucus Chair Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville. The Black Caucus is a nonpartisan group, though there have been no Republican members join yet, Akbari said Thursday.

Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, have both won their special primary elections after being ousted from the state House of Representatives in April for their roles in gun violence protests. WKRN caught up with Jones after he voted. “Quite frankly, it’s a waste of taxpayer money," Jones said. "But it is part of the process to undo what happened on April 6th.” The general election will be held in August.