Tennessee lawmakers are calling for a special legislative session to address a lack of federal funding as the federal shutdown enters its 23rd day. With around 690,000 Tennesseans poised to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other benefits if the shutdown continues into November, lawmakers are asking Gov. Bill Lee to intervene, according to the Nashville Banner newsletter. “Standing idly by while children go hungry is simply not an option. The time to act is now,” Caucus Chair Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said in a release Thursday. In the statement, the caucus noted that the governor has called numerous special sessions in his two terms, including earlier this year to approve storm relief for approximately 10,000 people impacted by Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health and Human Services warned earlier this week that funding for programs like SNAP will not be available next month if the shutdown continues into November. 

Former State Rep. Brandon Ogles announced his campaign for Williamson County mayor, pledging to stand up for local residents against unchecked growth, overdevelopment and state funding, the Williamson Herald reports. Ogles, a Franklin native and former state lawmaker, highlighted his work on school safety legislation during his time in the General Assembly, including efforts to fund school resource officers and threat-assessment teams statewide. A former reserve deputy with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogles said he hopes to bring his experience in public safety and fiscal policy to county government.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division and Belmont Law are looking for attorney volunteers for their wills clinic at the Belmont Ministry Center on Nov. 8 from 10 a.m 12:30 pm. CDT. Attorneys will assist with the drafting of simple wills, durable POA and healthcare POA using the Gavel platform. Please email ginny.blake@belmont.edu if you are interested or would like more information.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, joined by attorneys general from 24 other states, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on today urging the court to clarify that the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause does not guarantee automatic citizenship to everyone born in the United States. The states argue that lower courts have misinterpreted the clause to require automatic citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ residency or immigration status. “The idea that citizenship is guaranteed to everyone born in the United States doesn’t square with the plain language of the 14th Amendment or the way many government officials and legal analysts understood the law when it was adopted after the Civil War,” Skrmetti said in a press release.

Former state Rep. Robin Smith on Friday morning was sentenced to serve eight months in federal prison and a $7,500 fine for her leading part in what was termed "a lengthy conspiracy to cheat the state," The Chattanoogan reports. Smith, a former Republican lawmaker from Hixson, pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in connection with a kickback scheme involving former House Speaker Glen Casada and his top aide, Cade Cothren. Prosecutors said the group used a fake company, Phoenix Solutions, to profit from state-funded mailer contracts. Smith, who testified against her co-defendants, will be on probation for a year after the sentence is served and is scheduled to report to prison Jan. 5.

The TBA will host its 2025 Environmental Law Forum on Dec. 5 in Nashville. The annual program, a staple for Tennessee lawyers and environmental professionals, will run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CST and include lunch. Attendees can expect timely updates on issues affecting the practice area, with discounted registration available for section members. Stay tuned for more information on the TBA website.

Davidson County lawyer James Broderick Johnson was reinstated to the practice of law on Oct. 22. He had been suspended by the Tennessee Supreme Court on Sept. 19 for three months with 30 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The court conditioned reinstatement on completion of an additional six hours of continuing legal education on subjects related to client relations, the management of a law practice and/or Rules of Professional Conduct regarding the board’s disciplinary actions. Johnson filed a petition for reinstatement on Oct. 9. The Board of Professional Responsibility found it to be satisfactory.

TBA member benefit partner Clio has released its 2025 Legal Trends Report. Building on a decade of research, Clio has developed the industry’s most comprehensive dataset on legal practice and emerging trends, providing key insights into how law firms can succeed and grow in an evolving profession. This year’s report also features a first-of-its-kind cognitive study that looks at how technology affects the way lawyers think and work. The report also found that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) drives firm growth while technology adoption continues to predict long-term success. Learn more in a press release from the company or read the full report. Learn more about AI tools for lawyers and the benefits available to TBA members.

Amazon.com has agreed to settle a nationwide consumer lawsuit accusing the ecommerce giant of unfair and deceptive practices for failing to issue refunds or for recharging customers who returned purchases on time. Reuters reports that no details of the settlement have been released yet. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, focused on the company’s “advance refund” policy, by which a customer could receive a refund before the returned product was processed. The plaintiffs said Amazon caused “substantial unjustified monetary losses” for consumers who in some instances properly returned an item but still got charged for it. Amazon denies any wrongdoing, asserting that customers accepted the terms of the return policies, including the possibility they would be recharged for failing to send the product back within the specified window.

The Trump administration has agreed to a student loan forgiveness deal that will allow millions of borrowers to see relief, The Hill reports. The administration reached a deal with the American Federation of Teachers last week that resumes student debt relief, mostly for those who have been paying on their loans for the past 20 to 25 years. Under the deal, the U.S. Education Department will continue to process relief for borrowers in the Income-Contingent Repayment plan and Pay as You Earn plan, until those programs are eliminated in 2028. The deal also reportedly will benefit those on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.