Gov. Bill Lee will not stop the execution of Memphis death row inmate Tony Carruthers, he said in a brief statement, the Commercial Appeal reports. Carruthers is scheduled to be executed May 21. “After deliberate consideration of Tony Von Carruthers’ request for clemency and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the state of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene,” Lee said in the statement. Carruthers is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, which has repeatedly sought DNA and fingerprint testing.

The Knox County Commission on Monday approved the appointment of seven people to the East Tennessee Regional Juvenile Service Center Advisory Board, WBIR reports. The new board includes two private citizens, a health department representative, an expert in juvenile mental health, a juvenile social services expert, a juvenile legal system expert and County Commissioner Shane Jackson. The board was created about 10 months ago in response to a whistleblower investigation alleging medication mismanagement and poor leadership at the juvenile detention center. The new board is expected to meet in July. The commission voted in favor of all candidates, with one member abstaining and another not in attendance.

The TBA will host the “Using AI to Accelerate Your Writing” webcast on June 24 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT, focusing on how attorneys can use artificial intelligence to improve efficiency in legal writing without sacrificing accuracy or professional judgment. Presenter Ryan Standil of Write To Excite will discuss effective prompting techniques and demonstrate how AI can help lawyers identify weaknesses in drafts, including faulty logic, ambiguity, inconsistency and tone issues. The program will also address the limitations of AI in legal communication, including verbosity, overreach and lack of human nuance, while offering strategies for using AI tools more effectively in practice. More information and registration are available on the TBA website.

Brentwood attorney Cynthia Elaine Kinser died May 13. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, and worked for the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. Her work focused on consumer protection, including arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, along with numerous other appearances on behalf of Tennessee consumers in various courts. Services will include a private burial for family and close friends at Watkins Cemetery in Loudon, followed by a celebration of life at her home May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT. Donations may be made in her memory to Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently announced the appointment of Madeline Clark as solicitor general for the state of Tennessee, effective June 8. Clark succeeds Matt Rice, who will leave the office in June to join Kirkland & Ellis. Clark joined the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in 2025 as principal deputy solicitor general. Prior to joining the office, she worked as an associate at Jones Day. Her credentials include judicial clerkships for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett. As solicitor general, Clark will oversee the office’s appellate litigation. “I look forward to building on the outstanding legacy of the Tennessee Solicitor General’s Office,” Clark said in a press release.

There is still time for register for TBA’s 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13, at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Knoxville. The convention will feature compelling CLE programs and leadership meetings, multiple social and networking events, and will provide opportunities to connect with colleagues. The convention gets underway Wednesday and will kick off with a welcome reception that evening. Thursday will begin with the Public Service Breakfast and University of Tennessee Winston College of Law Breakfast, continue with interactive Lunch & Learn sessions, and wrap up with a reception at the Knoxville Smokies minor league baseball stadium. Friday brings the annual Lawyers Luncheon, which will include a look back at TBA President Heidi Barcus’ year in office and the swearing in of new president Charlotte Knight Griffin. See the full schedule. All events are included with full convention registration.

Tyler Whetstone, an investigative reporter with the Knoxville News Sentinel, will receive the TBA’s 2026 Fourth Estate Award for his reporting bringing greater transparency to Knoxville’s judicial system. Knox News Executive Editor Joel Christopher nominated Whetstone, saying his reporting exposed “how extremist and racist speech by a Knox County prosecutor raised constitutional questions about public employees and free speech, and forced scrutiny of the criminal justice system’s safeguards.” Christopher also explains that the reporting went beyond breaking news to explain how a district attorney’s office oversees those entrusted with enforcing the law.

In announcing the award, TBA President Heidi Barcus said, “Reporting by Tyler Whetstone helped bring to light the district attorney’s decision to fire the lawyer as she balanced the constitutional issues of free speech and the fair administration of justice. The Tennessee Bar Association is pleased to recognize Whetstone for his work educating the public about this case and promoting improvements in our system of justice.” The award will be presented at the annual Lawyers Luncheon, set for June 12 as part of the association’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. Read more about Whetstone’s work.

The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on May 18 to amend Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34(2)(C). The change adds a new category of information that will be treated as confidential and will not be open for inspection by the public. This includes information regarding threats to the personal safety of a judge, judicial staff or court system employee and his or her family; court security audits and enhancements; and any written or electronic records, notes, memoranda, reports or other documents created or received by a judge, judicial staff or court system employee, the Administrative Office of the Courts or any office staff or member of a board or commission created by the court unless intentionally disclosed as required by law. The amendment took effect immediately on filing of the order.

State legislators sent Gov. Bill Lee two prison reform measures aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in Tennessee correctional facilities, the Nashville Scene reports. HB2531/SB2111, which is awaiting the governor's signature, would create a statewide family advisory board made up of relatives of currently and formerly incarcerated individuals to improve communication with the Tennessee Department of Correction, support family reunification and provide feedback to lawmakers on prison conditions and operations. A second measure, HB1718/SB1820, was signed into law by the governor. It establishes a one-year body camera pilot program at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a CoreCivic-operated private prison that has faced reports of violence and is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Supporters of the bills say they are intended to improve safety, transparency and accountability within Tennessee prisons.

Last week, the NAACP and the League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that the redistricting map passed by the state legislature discriminates against Black voters, the Nashville Banner newsletter reports. Two weeks ago, on the same day the legislature passed the map, the NAACP filed a similar lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court. The new complaint addresses the fact that the new map splits Memphis, the state’s biggest hub of Black voters, into three congressional districts. Like the other lawsuits filed against the state since the end of the special legislative session, the complaint seeks an injunction against implementation of the new map. In related news, the Daily Memphian reports that the state has tapped Consovoy McCarthy, the Virginia law firm central to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning affirmative action in college admissions in 2023, to help defend the new congressional map in court.