Country music artist Jelly Roll has donated nearly $300,000 and pledged an additional $300,000 to support the Judge Dinkins Education Center, a Nashville nonprofit school founded by Criminal Court Judge Jim Todd that provides education and trade-skills training to at-risk youth, the Tennessean reports. More than two decades after Todd prosecuted Jelly Roll as a juvenile offender, the two have partnered to help students facing challenges such as housing instability, mental health issues and involvement with the justice system. Since opening in 2023, the school has graduated 19 students, many of whom have gone on to earn trade certifications and secure jobs in construction and other skilled trades.

The same day Democratic plaintiffs dropped their lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new U.S. House map, the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP petitioned a federal judicial panel to block the map while its case proceeds, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The motion seeking an injunction argues that the map violates the 14th and 15th amendments and constitutes intentional racial discrimination designed to dilute the voting power of Black voters in Memphis. The suit has been consolidated with a challenge filed by the League of Women Voters and is one of two cases still pending against the map. A separate state lawsuit filed by the NAACP was dismissed last month. The other remaining challenge, filed by the ACLU, also alleges the map unlawfully discriminates against Black voters.

Knoxville lawyer Mary Beth Maddox took office as vice president of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) last week during the group’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. She will advance to the position of president-elect in June 2027 and to the presidency in June 2028. Maddox, a partner with Frantz McConnell & Seymour LLP,  has practiced law for more than 30 years, focusing on civil litigation, including labor and employment, workers’ compensation and tort matters. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1991 and her law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law in 1994. She has long been active in the TBA, previously serving on its Board of Governors as treasurer, associate general counsel and as an East Tennessee governor. She also served two terms as co-chair of the TBA’s Leadership Law (TBALL) program, where she served several years as a Steering Committee member. Read more about her career in the TBA's press release.

Nashville lawyer John L. Farringer IV took office as president-elect of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) last week during the group’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. He will advance to the presidency in June 2027. A member of the law firm Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison, Farringer has practiced law for over 20 years, focusing on complex business and commercial litigation. He has been active in the TBA for many years, including serving for six years as a member of the Board of Governors and as associate general counsel with a special focus on issues related to indigent representation. He was a member of the 2011 Leadership Law class and received the 2015 President’s Award for his work as chair of the Medical-Legal Partnership Working Group. Farringer has made access to justice a passion of his career, including serving as chair of the TBA’s Access to Justice Committee from 2014-2015. He received the TBA’s Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Award in 2012 for his work on behalf of Juana Villegas, an undocumented woman who was shackled during and after childbirth. Last year, he also received the TBA President’s Award for his efforts in support of a new indigent representation system for the state. Additionally, Farringer served on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission from 2018-2024, and chaired the commission from 2022-2024. Read more about his career in a press release from the TBA.

Eads attorney Charlotte Knight Griffin took office as president of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) last week during the group’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. Knight Griffin began her career in private practice in Memphis after earning her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law). She joined Memphis Light, Gas and Water as a staff attorney in 1978 and retired in April 2023 after 45 years of service. Knight Griffin has been active in the TBA for many years, most recently serving as president-elect, speaker of the House of Delegates and a member of the Board of Governors. She is a past chair of the Local Government Practice and Litigation sections, a charter fellow of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD), a past executive officer of the YLD and past president of the TBA YLD Fellows. Read more about her career in this press release.

TBA’s new executive officers and new Board of Governors members took office last Friday at the Annual Convention in Knoxville. Officers for the upcoming bar year are: President Charlotte Knight Griffin of Eads, President-Elect John Farringer of Nashville, Vice President Mary Beth Maddox of Knoxville, Secretary Terica Smith of Jackson and Treasurer Jennifer Noe of Ashland City. Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus wrapped up her year in office and moved into the immediate past president role.

New Board of Governors members also took office. They are: Treasurer Jennifer Noe, East Tennessee Governor John Jolley, West Tennessee Governors Kent Francis and Geoffrey Lewis, 5th District Governor Jerice Glanton (Position 1), 7th District Governor Joshua Dougan, House of Delegates Speaker Deb House, Young Lawyers Division President Jennifer Sneed-Perry, Young Lawyers Division President-elect Darius Walker Jr., Tennessee Judicial Conference President Chancellor Tony Childress, District Public Defenders Conference President John Nicoll, Tennessee Alliance of Black Lawyers (TABL) Invited Representative David Fletcher, and Associate General Counsel Stacie Caraway.

Finally, new leaders took office in the TBA House of Delegates. They are Speaker Deb House, Deputy Speaker Steve Conley and Secretary Stanley Ross.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) gathered last week at the TBA's 2026 Annual Convention in Knoxville. On Friday, the traditional gavel pass and toast were held in conjunction with the Tennessee Bar Foundation as Memphis attorney Jennifer Sneed-Perry took office as YLD president. Others taking office were President-elect Darius Walker Jr. of Nashville, Vice President Judge Zachary Walden of Jacksboro, Secretary Patrick Morrison of Nashville and Treasurer Ashley Tipton of Nashville. The group also held its Annual Meeting. The 2026-2027 Board met on Saturday for a wellness walk to the Tennessee River, and held committee planning sessions and its first board meeting where Bronte Ward and Renee Austin were elected as district representatives. On Friday evening, both the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 boards met for dinner at the Sunsphere. They were joined by the YLD Fellows for the induction of new fellows, members of the Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) Class of 2026 for their graduation and the Rural Judicial Fellows (RJF) Class of 2026. Outgoing YLD President Judge Alex McVeagh also presented awards to members for extraordinary service over the past year. Read more about those honored and see photos.

Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer, also a former county commissioner, was charged on six federal counts including wire fraud, money laundering, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises. She was arrested and appeared in federal court, the Commercial Appeal reports. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee, Sawyer allegedly embezzled and stole $44,607.35 in public funds for her own use. The office also said she used procurement cards issued to other county employees, a county travel card and obtained travel advances. Sawyer was released on her own recognizance. Read more in a press release from the U.S. attorney or view the indictment.

Tennessee’s private-prison operator is paying the cost of equipping officers with body cams at the Trousdale Turner facility, Tennessee Lookout reports. State Sen. Tom Hatcher, R-Maryville, who chairs the Senate Corrections Subcommittee, confirmed that Core Civic has agreed to pay an estimated $350,000 for the body cameras and related equipment after the legislature called on the company to increase transparency at the facility. But some argue the body cams will not address underlying security issues. Core Civic came under fire last year for a riot at the facility last year. Three inmates suffered minor injuries and a staff member was stabbed in the incident. The facility also has been under a federal civil rights investigation by the Department of Justice for prisoner deaths and other issues.

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, has selected his second and final appointee to the state’s Memphis-Shelby County Schools takeover board, completing the body. The Daily Memphian reports that he named Karen Vogelsang, a former Memphis elementary school teacher and Tennessee Teacher of the Year, to the board. The first meeting of the new board is set for Thursday in Nashville. The city and the previous school board previously said they would sue over the takeover legislation.