Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, supporting military veterans and their families in receiving full GI Bill education benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The case, Yoon v. Collins, centers on Lt. Col. Paul Yoon, a decorated Virginia Army veteran who served 24 years, including deployments. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Rudisill v. McDonough, the VA continues to deny Yoon full GI Bill education benefits and has blocked him from transferring those benefits to his daughter. “Tennessee is the proud home to so many who have served, and it’s my honor to join Virginia’s Jason Miyares and 50 other AGs to support the men and women who put their lives on the line protecting our freedoms,” Skrmetti said in a press release.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee today announced the appointment of Jeff Holmes as interim commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services. Holmes succeeds Matt Van Epps, who stepped down June 10 to pursue a new venture after serving in multiple roles in the Lee administration. Holmes currently serves as director of planning and programming at the Tennessee Board of Regents and previously held the position of Tennessee’s 76th adjutant general, overseeing the state’s Military Department. “Jeff Holmes has a significant track record of serving Tennesseans for more than 40 years in the Tennessee National Guard, and in my administration as adjutant general,” Lee said in a press release. “I’m proud to welcome him back to serve as a member of my Cabinet and appreciate his willingness to lead the Department of General Services.”

At the 2025 Lawyers Luncheon, outgoing TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. presented a number of awards. Nashville lawyer Laura Kidwell received the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award for Outstanding Legal Writing for her article "It Is So Ordered: A Primer on Tennessee’s Final Judgment Rule." Federal Public Defender Dumaka Shabazz received the Claudia Jack Award for his work mentoring other lawyers. The Fourth Estate Award was presented to the Nashville Banner for a series of stories last year designed to bring transparency and accountability to the Davidson County Criminal Court. The William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award from the TBA Young Lawyers Division Fellows went to 21st Judicial District Circuit Court Judge and Chancellor David Veile. Lanquist also presented his President’s Awards. Representatives from the executive and judicial branch, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Holly Kirby, were recognized for their work securing funding for a new indigent representation system. TBA's legislative team also received awards for their efforts. In her remarks, Kirby thanked the TBA for its strong support on the issue and presented it the "Chief Justice Partnership for Justice Award." Finally, Lanquist honored the members of the TBA Building Committee, which worked to secure a new permanent home for the association. See photos from the event.

Plans are underway for a new 32- to 40-bed regional juvenile detention facility to serve West Tennessee, as rising violent youth crime strains Madison County’s outdated and overcrowded center, Juvenile Court Services Director T.J. King said during a June 4 speech to the Jackson Rotary Club. According to the Jackson Sun, six of the county’s eight juvenile beds are currently occupied by youth charged with murder or attempted murder. Nearly 30 threats of mass violence were made by students during the 2024–25 school year. When the facility is full, deputies often transport juveniles to East Tennessee. King emphasized the importance of community support, responsible gun ownership and after-school initiatives such as the Evening Reporting Center, as well as a truancy court partnership that has achieved a 97% success rate in reducing school absences and behavior issues.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a bipartisan coalition in urging Congress to pass the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025, legislation aimed at protecting consumers from the invasive practice of mortgage credit robocalls known as “trigger leads.” Skrmetti, along with attorneys general from South Carolina, South Dakota, North Carolina and Nevada, is leading the effort on behalf of consumers overwhelmed by unsolicited calls and texts after applying for a mortgage, according to a release. Under current federal law, credit reporting agencies can legally sell trigger leads — real-time notifications that include personal consumer information — when someone applies for a mortgage. The proposed legislation would restrict the use of trigger leads to businesses that have an existing relationship with the consumer or have obtained their explicit consent.

Knoxville lawyer Heidi Barcus was recently sworn in as the 145th president of the Tennessee Bar Association. A shareholder in the Knoxville office of Lewis Thomason, Barcus has dedicated her legal career to advocating for professionals and institutions in the complex arena of health care liability. She has been active in the TBA and other legal and community organizations for many years, serving most recently as TBA president-elect, Second District representative on the TBA Board of Governors and as a member of the TBA’s Law Office Technology & Management Section and its Tort and Insurance Practice Section. She is a past chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Practice Division and currently serves on the ABA’s TECHSHOW Board. The oath of office was administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight Tarwater during the TBA’s Annual Lawyers Lunch. During remarks following the swearing in, Barcus announced several initiatives, including a focus on helping first generation lawyers, those who fail the bar the first time they take it and lawyers in the twilight of their careers. She also announced a CLE Abroad trip to Morocco in February 2026 and a technology focus for the 2026 TBA Convention in Knoxville. Watch her remarks, as well as the full footage of the Lawyers Lunch, on the TBA's YouTube page. See photos from the lunch or read the TBA's full press release.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia of Maryland appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee today and pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, the Associated Press reports. In their request to keep Abrego Garcia in jail pending trial, prosecutors also accused him of trafficking drugs and firearms and abusing the women he transported, though he has not been charged with those crimes. His defense challenged the credibility of government witnesses, citing their criminal records and possible motivations, and denied all criminal allegations. They also argued the charges are a political maneuver to justify his recent removal to El Salvador, which they say violated a court order protecting him from deportation due to fears of gang violence.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission has received applications for two vacancies in the 30th Judicial District. The applicants for the criminal court judge vacancy are Jahari M. Dowdy, Lora D. Fowler, Raymond J. Lepone and Kenya N. Smith. The applicants for the circuit court vacancy are William Christopher Frulla, C. Scott Jones and Mitzi H. Pollard. A public hearing for these candidates will be held July 16 and 17 at 9 a.m. CDT in the Historic Courtroom (Room 325) at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687 with questions. The commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward nominations for each position to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. To view the applications, visit the AOC's website.

A new study by the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service finds the Shelby County Jail is facing severe overcrowding, understaffing and facility disrepair, and may need nearly 1,000 additional beds over the next 20 years. The 177-page report, presented to the Shelby County Commission on June 11, details extensive deferred maintenance issues, including broken escalators that delay emergency medical response, and inadequate medical and intake facilities. The study, requested by Sheriff Floyd Bonner, also outlines three options for expanding or replacing the jail, including building a new facility near Shelby Farms or at the former Firestone factory site. According to the Commercial Appeal, recommendations emphasize consolidating services for men, women and juveniles, and improving booking and release operations to meet Tennessee standards and better accommodate a projected 4.3% regional population increase by 2045.

Gov. Bill Lee yesterday announced the appointment of Jeff Holmes as interim commissioner for the Tennessee Department of General Services (DGS), effective today. Holmes will succeed Matt Van Epps, who stepped down on June 10 to pursue a new venture after serving in multiple roles in the Lee administration. Van Epps was appointed commissioner of DGS in September 2024. He previously held multiple roles within the Lee administration, including deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office, assistant director of procurement and contracts with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and assistant commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services. Holmes most recently was the director of planning and programming at Tennessee Board of Regents, and previously served as Tennessee’s 76th adjutant general, supervising Tennessee’s Military Department which includes the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Tennessee State Guard. Read a press release from the governor's office.