Gov. Bill Lee has proposed that the state cover a funding shortfall for the Tennessee Poison Center following the loss of a federal grant, according to the Tennessee Lookout. The center, based at Vanderbilt University, operates a call service that provides free emergency poison information, reportedly handling more than 50,000 calls annually. Officials estimate the center saved taxpayers $44.6 million in 2024 by reducing unnecessary emergency room visits, particularly among underinsured populations. The center also serves as a surge backup call center for the Tennessee Department of Health during public health emergencies. Lee included funding for the center in his annual budget amendment, which must be approved by state lawmakers before the end of the legislative session.

Fired University of Tennessee (UT) professor, Tamar Shirinian is asking a judge to add specific state and federal legislators to her lawsuit against the university in a new court filing. According to Knox News, the new motion zeroes in on people Shirinian says defamed her and directly intervened with UT leaders to urge that she be fired. Shirinian was fired after her private Facebook comment criticizing Charlie Kirk after his assassination was shared online by another individual. Shirinian added Rep. Chris Todd, R-Jackson, and U.S. Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, along with an anonymous donor who allegedly threatened to pull a $10 million gift to the university's engineering department if she was not fired. The motion also refines Shirinian's claims against university administrators, alleging they “did not rely on, ignored, or purposely failed to seek legal guidance before acting." UT System spokeswoman Melissa Tindell responded to the report saying, “As a matter of practice, the university does not comment on pending or active litigation."

Student attorneys Alexander J. McGrail and John R. Neal Jr., working with the Stanton Foundation First Amendment Clinic, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Hussey v. City of Cambridge, urging the court to strengthen First Amendment protections for public employees, according to a press release from Vanderbilt Law School. The case involves a police officer disciplined over social media comments made in a private capacity on matters of public concern. The brief argues that applying the Pickering balancing test to controversial or unpopular speech should not allow government employers to suppress such expression, warning it could effectively create a “heckler’s veto.” It also contends that employers should be required to provide evidence that employee speech would cause workplace disruption. Joined by several legal scholars and advocacy organizations, the filing asks the full 1st Circuit to reconsider prior rulings in the case, with a decision expected next year.

Cornelius Smith, the second alleged gunman in the November 2021 killing of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, is expected to enter a plea agreement March 30, the Commercial Appeal reports. Smith previously testified in the trials of Justin Johnson and Hernandez Govan, stating he took part in the shooting. Prior to testifying, Smith had not reached a plea agreement, and his court proceedings have been repeatedly delayed.

Jurors in two of the first U.S. trials in a growing wave of lawsuits against social media companies have found Meta and Google liable for harms to young users, potentially setting up appeals that could reshape the scope of legal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Reuters reports. In California, a jury on Wednesday awarded $6 million to a young woman who said she developed depression and suicidal thoughts after becoming addicted to Instagram and YouTube, while a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding it misled users about product safety and enabled the sexual exploitation of children. The cases mark a challenge to the law that generally shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content, as plaintiffs successfully argued the companies’ platform design — rather than third-party content — caused harm. Both companies have said they plan to appeal.

The TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast returned this week, featuring attorney and TBA lobbyist Berkley Schwarz of Pier Strategies LLC, along with attorneys and TBA lobbyists Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin of Adams & Reese, and Adams & Reese intern Aydan Hawk. The group recapped the TBA’s recent Day on the Hill and reviewed several key pieces of legislation, including bills on extrajudicial adoptions HB1263/SB1238; real estate HB569/SB394, HB1970/SB1985 and HB1762/SB1707; adoption SB2165/HB2350; probate SB2184/HB2451 and family law SB2324/HB2429. Tune in on the TBA website or through this link. Attorneys interested in supporting the TBA’s lobbying efforts can contribute to LAWPAC.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Judge Stacy Street to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Section. Street currently is serving as a criminal court judge in the 1st Judicial District. He earned his bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University and law degree from the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Street’s appointment fills a vacancy created by Judge Kyle Hixson’s elevation to the Tennessee Supreme Court. The appointment is effective July 7 and is subject to legislative confirmation. Read more in a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, an 18-year-old Nashville nonprofit providing free or low-cost immigration legal services, has adopted a co-directorship model — bringing on Melinda Noblitt alongside existing leader Tessa Lemos Del Pino — to handle the surge in demand driven by rapidly changing immigration policy. Caseloads have nearly doubled, jumping from about 1,000 cases in 2024 to nearly 1,900 in 2025, with staff also fielding around 2,000 calls from people seeking help, information or referrals. The nonprofit says immigrants with legal status are being detained because officers often don't understand the complexity of documentation. With the new leadership structure, the organization aims to build more nonprofit partnerships, pursue additional grant funding and expand capacity — while helping immigrants understand their constitutional rights in the current climate. The Nashville Business Journal has the story.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed a rule that would rescind the Biden administration's 2024 independent contractor rule and replace it with a framework modeled on the 2021 rule, re-centering the worker classification analysis on two core factors: the degree of control over work and the worker's opportunity for profit or loss. According to Bloomberg Law, unlike the 2024 rule's six-factor equal-weight analysis, the new proposal treats other considerations as secondary and emphasizes that actual working practices matter more than contractual language. Employers currently face a split landscape, as the DOL has already shifted its enforcement approach away from the 2024 rule, while private plaintiffs can still invoke it in court until it is formally rescinded. The proposal is not yet final — public comments are due by April 28 — and employers using contractor models are advised to review their classification practices, keeping in mind that stricter state laws will continue to apply regardless of the federal outcome.

Gibson County Safe Baby Court (SBC) held its first graduation ceremony on March 13, reuniting a mother with her four children. “If I didn't have Safe Baby Court, I wouldn't have my babies back now,” said Stacey, a SBC graduate. “Thanks to all the support from Safe Baby and Recovery, I have a new life today.” Gibson County Juvenile Court implemented the SBC in 2024, becoming the third county in West Tennessee to do so. “Safe Baby Court is not easy,” said Juvenile Court Judge Mark Johnson. “It is a long road for parents who have the willingness to make life better for their young children, but not always the ability to succeed without help. Stacey’s case is a perfect example of teamwork between two separate judges and courts.” Read more in a profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.