A Knoxville woman arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on the campus of the University of Tennessee College of Law says her religious freedoms were violated by the Knox County Sheriff's Department, Knox News reports. According to Layla Soliz, officers forced her to remove her hijab for a booking photo and then posted a photo of her without the head covering, despite assurances that it would not be publicly viewable.

University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law third year student Ashlie Gozikowski recently won first place in the National Crime Victim Law Institute's 2024 Law Student Victims' Rights Writing Competition for her paper, "Scrutinizing Feres After Spletstoser: Military Sexual Assault Victims’ Continued Need for a Civil Remedy."

Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Camille R. McMullen gave the commencement address at her alma mater, the University of Tennessee Law School, on May 16, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). McMullen said her goal was to emphasize to graduates that the legal profession is one of the most important and impactful in the world. She told graduates, "You have the power to make a real difference in your client’s lives and — by extension — society. But to do so, you must remain genuinely engaged, passionate and committed to your work. When you feel apathy begin to set in, fight it. Your law degree has given you immense power to change the world, don’t waste it." McMullen says she believes it is important for judges to share their experience and wisdom with the next generation of lawyers. She was appointed to the court in 2008 by then-Gov. Phil Bredesen and elected presiding judge in 2023.

The Shelby County Commission on Monday approved emergency funding for repairs to cell doors at the Shelby County Jail. The Daily Memphian reports that more than 100 cell-door motors on the fourth floor of the jail are broken and 340 other cell doors on the third floor operate only manually. The jail was found to have "deficiencies" in two inspections over the last six years, with the broken locks being just one concern. Estimates indicate that a new facility would cost around $1 billion and take 10 years to complete.

Gov. Bill Lee today signed the Smart Heart Act, legislation that requires automatic external defibrillators (AED) in schools and establishes response protocols for cardiac-related medical emergencies. The bill received unanimous, bipartisan legislative support. The Smart Heart Act requires each public and nonpublic school serving grades nine through 12 to maintain an AED that is accessible during the school day and during all school athletic activities. Additionally, schools must establish, review and annually practice an emergency action plan for responding to students who sustain cardiac arrests or other life-threatening injuries while participating in athletic activities. The legislation also ensures that appropriate personnel on and off the field, including coaches, are trained in CPR and AEDs. Read more from the governor's office.

On May 17, Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) Commissioner Jeff Long and Tennessee Office of Homeland Security Deputy Commissioner Greg Mays presented badges to 26 new Tennessee Office of Homeland Security special agents in a graduation ceremony at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in Nashville. A press release from the department noted that 83 out of 95 counties have a special agent assigned since funding became available on July 1, 2023.

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is developing a new “environmental context” metric pertaining to colleges and universities based on factors such as institutional student spending, graduation rates and the percentage of undergraduates who received federal need-based Pell Grants, Reuters reports. The goal of the new college metric — along with the existing neighborhood and high school ratings — is to help law schools better understand the advantages or barriers their applicants have encountered, and to offer a fuller picture of their potential beyond grades and standardized test scores.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met in Columbia to consider five applicants for a circuit court judge vacancy in the 22nd Judicial District, which includes Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties. The vacancy will be created by the upcoming retirement of Judge David Allen on Aug. 3. After holding a public hearing and conducting public interviews, the commission selected Jessica H. Parrish, Wesley M. Bryant and Lee E. Brooks to forward to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration.

A federal judge on Sunday blocked the Biden administration from fully implementing a new rule that would require gun dealers to obtain licenses and conduct background checks when selling firearms at gun shows and online. Amarillo-based Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk temporarily restrained the so-called “gun show loophole” rule from being enforced in Texas or against members of several gun rights groups, Reuters reports. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined 21 states in a similar suit opposing the new rule. That action was filed in an Arkansas federal court.

The Tennessee Access to Justice Commission’s Justice Bus traveled to McMinnville earlier this month to provide legal advice to local residents. The bus is designed to be a mobile law office that brings technology to rural and underserved communities. Pro Bono Attorney Coordinator Kyle Stack and Justice Bus Coordinator Alyvia Bush, both with the Administrative Office of the Courts, were on hand to oversee the legal clinic, the Southern Standard reports.