The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) on Monday announced the appointment of veteran attorney Rebekah Parkhurst as its general counsel. “With nearly two decades of experience in public sector law, litigation management, and regulatory compliance, Rebekah has demonstrated a track record of leadership that I know will benefit our department and, in turn, all Tennesseans,” said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. Prior to joining TDCI, Parkhurst served in various roles with Tennessee state government beginning in 2005, including serving as law clerk at the Tennessee Supreme Court, as an assistant attorney general, and as a deputy general counsel with the Department of Human Services. She earned her law degree from Appalachian School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Marshall University. Read more in a press release from the department.

Metro Nashville Council Member Joy Kimbrough has filed a $40 million defamation lawsuit against Ryan Moses and his liquor distribution company, Best Brands Inc., over a dismissed ethics complaint that accused her of demanding $500,000 in exchange for support of a rezoning proposal. The Nashville Post reports that the Metro ethics board dismissed the complaint after Moses failed to provide evidence. Kimbrough alleges the false claims severely damaged her reputation and caused emotional distress.

In addition to serving on the bench, District 29 Chancellor Tony Childress is a volunteer firefighter, and on Dec. 26, 2025, he assisted with a surprise delivery. Childress was hunting with friends when he received a text from the Bogata Volunteer Fire Department about a woman giving birth in her car. He was the first firefighter on the scene and was able to assist the mother and baby until an ambulance arrived. Of his work with the fire department, Childress says, “I was a volunteer firefighter before I was a judge. I just said that’s not one of the things I’m going to give up. I believe in serving the community in whatever capacity you can. Judges ought to serve their communities in more roles than just being a judge. If you’re a leader, and judges are leaders, at some point you need to lead if you can do something. That’s why I keep doing it.” Read more in this profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts. District 29 serves Dyer and Lake counties.

The 2026 Estate Planning & Probate Forum will take place at the Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin on March 6. This event provides seven hours of CLE, including one hour of dual credit, and offers sessions on litigation and estate planning, public receivership, a probate panel, and a legislative update. Speakers include Section Chair Robert Malin, Rebecca Blair, Chancellor William Cole, Arthur Cook, Jennifer Exum, General Sessions Court Judge Toby Gilley, Zachary Glaser, Rob Hazard, Lisa Helton, Robin Miller, David Parsons, Al Secor, Andrea Sinclair, Jared Smith and Ashley Stearns. Section members receive discounted registration. Get more information and register on the TBA's website.

Jason Scott Mangrum, a lawyer in Williamson County, received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7. Following the residential foreclosure of and service of a detainer warrant upon an individual, Mangrum represented the person in an action for wrongful foreclosure and breach of contract. The court found that Mangrum improperly included in the complaint a claim that the opposing party’s actions constituted deceptive business practices permitting treble damages under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which under Tennessee law does not apply in foreclosure proceedings. The court determined that the claim had no merit and misrepresented to the client what recovery they might receive. In negotiations, Mangrum suggested a settlement offer to his client that he issued to opposing counsel but later asserted that the offer was grossly excessive in light of the facts and applicable law. His actions were determined to violate Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 3.1 and 8.4(d).

Shelby County lawyer Curtis Douglas Johnson received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7. In representing a client in a bankruptcy matter, the court found that Johnson failed to communicate with his client and failed to respond to multiple requests for information, violating Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Jan. 7 suspended Davidson County lawyer Mickie Smith Daugherty from the practice of law for six years, retroactive to Aug. 20, 2024. The suspension is conditioned on Daugherty’s cooperation with the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) and compliance with terms and conditions imposed by the Maury County Circuit Court. On Sept. 3, 2024, Daugherty pled guilty to one count of theft of property and one count of forgery, both Class C felonies, and was ordered to pay restitution of $35,000 to Culleoka Athletic Booster Club. She received judicial diversion and was placed on probation for a period of four years and six months. Daugherty paid full restitution before she was sentenced. She agreed to a conditional guilty plea acknowledging her conduct violated Tennessee Rules of Professional 8.4(c).

Shelby County lawyer Brian Wade Lynn received a censure on Jan. 6 from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Lynn’s law license was administratively suspended on March 5, 2025, for non-payment of his professional privilege tax, and he has not sought reinstatement of his license. The court found that at the time of the administrative suspension, Lynn was counsel of record in 14 bankruptcy cases, and that after receiving the suspension, he filed two notices in one of his bankruptcy cases. The court found that he also significantly delayed providing notice to his clients of the administrative suspension, withdrawing as counsel of record, and complying with other obligations. The court determined that Lynn violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.15, 1.16(d), 3.4(c) and 8.4(d).

Hardin County Lawyer Nicholas Lee Surratt was censured Jan. 6 by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Surratt agreed to represent a client in transmitting a demand letter in connection with a contract dispute. The client paid a $350 fee for drafting and transmittal of the demand letter. The court found that Surratt never drafted the demand letter, took no other action for the client, failed to respond to the client’s inquiries about the status of the representation and never refunded the $350 fee. The court determined that these actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.15 and 1.16(d). It also directed Surratt to pay restitution of $350 to his client within 60 days.

A new report from Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower finds that most students using Education Savings Account (ESA) vouchers are leaving average or high-performing public schools rather than the lowest-performing ones, and overall are underperforming public school peers in both achievement and growth. The review also found that the state education department lacks clear standards for evaluating and removing low-performing private schools from the program, and did not adequately market ESAs to low-income families as required by law. In addition, despite high parent satisfaction and some score improvements over time, the program has been underused. Lawmakers are expected to consider proposals to expand the program when the legislature reconvenes. Chalkbeat has more on the comptroller's report.