A federal court has struck down the Biden administration's attempt to impose gender-identity requirements on health care providers and state Medicaid programs through regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act. According to Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti, the rules would have forced doctors to perform gender-transition procedures and Tennessee taxpayers to fund them. The court’s judgment, according to Skrmetti, not only eliminates the provisions, but makes it more difficult for future administrations to revive them. The ruling came from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. Tennessee and Mississippi were part of a coalition of 15 states to bring suit against the rules. Read more in a press release from the AG’s office.

While the federal judiciary has run out of funding, operations at Nashville’s federal court are not being immediately impacted, The Tennessean reports. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee will continue as scheduled and will accept new cases, though certain proceedings, like immigration ceremonies, will be limited. By contrast, the staffers, clerks and government lawyers, including federal public defenders and prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will not be getting paid for the foreseeable future. The last paycheck for public defenders and court staff came Oct. 17, according to Dumaka Shabazz, federal public defender for the Middle District of Tennessee. Shabazz said that working without pay will have a “devastating” impact on his office’s morale.

Amid an argument over jettisoning Memphis school board members, state Rep. Torrey Harris, D-Memphis, is sponsoring a measure that would allow voters to recall local elected leaders, based largely on discontent with an official. Harris filed HB1448 this week to create a process for the removal of officials such as mayors, county commissioners, school board members and other county officials based on voter discontent with an official. The bill has had mixed reaction. State Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, said she would not support the bill, saying, “We already have a system for holding elected officials accountable. It’s called an election.” Tennessee Lookout has more on the proposal.

A three-judge panel has ruled against the state’s effort to end a longstanding lawsuit challenging the vagueness and inadequacy of exceptions to the state’s the near-total abortion ban, Tennessee Lookout reports. Attorneys for the state had asked for a ruling in their favor, without a trial, in a lawsuit brought in 2023 by a group of doctors and women who had suffered serious medical problems during their pregnancies. The American Medical Association subsequently joined the lawsuit. The state had argued that a 2025 amendment adding “medical necessity exceptions” to the ban made the lawsuit moot. The judges concluded that the lawsuit contained sufficiently serious and credible allegations to move forward. In a separate decision last week, the panel also allowed the plaintiffs to access documents from the governor’s office, General Assembly and Department of Health that reveal the “state’s interest in enforcing the amended abortion ban and medical exceptions.” Attorneys for the state since have filed an emergency motion seeking permission to appeal the ruling regarding access to documents.

Four nominees for the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) appeared before a U.S. Senate committee last week to answer questions ahead of their possible confirmation, WBIR reports. Arthur Graham, Mitch Graves, Jeff Hagood and Randall Jones went before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Tennessee’s U.S. senators, Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, introduced both Graves and Hagood. The nominees were asked about the challenges they might face in providing both reliable and affordable energy, as well as the impacts of data centers popping up around the state. President Donald Trump previously announced the nomination of Nashville car dealer Lee Beaman, but he was not part of the hearing.

The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) recently installed Nashville-area attorney John A. Day as its 76th president. “It is an extraordinary privilege to serve as president of the American College of Trial Lawyers,” said Day. “The College stands at the forefront of supporting an independent judiciary, ensuring access to justice and advancing the rule of law — principles that are essential to our democracy. I look forward to building on the College’s proud legacy of leadership and service to the profession.” In addition to his role as president of ACTL, Day has served as president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and president of the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is a regular contributor to the Tennessee Bar Journal with the Day on Torts column. Read a press release from the ACTL and see photos from the event.

TBA's "Raising the Bar" program will be held Nov. 19 at Baker Donelson in Nashville. Breakfast will begin at 9:15 a.m. with programming from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This CLE will address the age-old concept of "the grass is greener on the other side," challenging attendees to think instead that "the grass is greener where you water it." The program will encourage participants to live their best life as a lawyer by re-focusing their energy. Adriana Linares — founder of LawTech Partners, nationally recognized legal tech consultant and host of the New Solo podcast — will lead a session on “Tech Tips to Optimize Efficiency and Reduce Stress for Lawyers.” Other speakers will include Meera Ballal, Heidi Barcus, Julie Bennett, Rebecca Blair, Dixie Cooper, Jackie Dixon, Sherie Edwards, Psonya Hackett, Rachel Lawson, Sarah Beth Myers and Laquita Stokes. A networking reception will follow from 4:30 to 6 p.m. All times CST. Click here to register for this annual favorite produced by the Women in the Profession Committee.

The City of Memphis was not asked to join a pending lawsuit against Gov. Bill Lee seeking to end the National Guard deployment to the city, The Daily Memphian reports. When asked why the city was not asked to join the lawsuit, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said, “That’s not a live issue. That’s not an issue that was discussed.” Activist Tikeila Rucker said the decision to exclude the city reflected Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s strategy of cooperating with state and federal law enforcement agencies participating in the Memphis Safe Task Force. Young has voiced opposition to the Guard’s deployment, and said the decision ultimately rests with the governor. Harris emphasized that the lawsuit focuses solely on the Guard’s presence, and not on the other law enforcement agencies. Harris, City Council member JB Smiley Jr. and several other activists and elected officials filed the suit in Davidson County Chancery Court last week. Chancellor Patricia Moskal denied an immediate restraining order. A hearing on a temporary injunction is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Clarksville attorney Erin Poland Nolder has announced her intention to run for Montgomery County General Sessions judge, Clarksville Now reports. Nolder currently serves as senior attorney and firm partner at Poland & Poland Attorneys at Law, where she is lead counsel for criminal and civil litigation. She earned her law degree from the Nashville School of Law. “I believe our next judge should have a deep and concentrated understanding of the unique challenges and needs of our community," Nolder said. The primary election is set for May 5, 2026, with the general election on Aug. 6, 2026.

Tennessee school districts are urging lawmakers to include special education pre-kindergarten in the state’s school funding formula, arguing that current gaps force them to pull hundreds of thousands of dollars from K–12 budgets to meet federal requirements. According to Chalkbeat Tennessee, districts such as Germantown and Lakeland say they receive little to no recurring state funding for special education preschool programs, which serve children as young as three years old with disabilities requiring specialized instruction and therapies. Lawmakers, including Rep. Mark White, D-Memphis, have pushed to amend the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act to cover these programs, but legislation has stalled over cost concerns. The Commercial Appeal has a reprint of the article.