The window will soon close for Tennesseans to apply for FEMA aid in the wake of the January ice storm. According to WPLN, the federal agency has distributed nearly $24 million among more than 10,000 applicants so far. The money reimburses people for disaster-related expenses, including temporary lodging and home repairs. It can also go toward medical bills and transportation related to storm injuries. This level of assistance was approved by the president in April and is open to people in 29 counties. The deadline is June 10. Learn more by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov.

Tennessee lawyers attending the TBA’s 2026 Convention in June will have the opportunity to earn dual CLE credit through “Better Right Now: Wellness & Tech Session,” a two-part program focused on attorney well-being in today’s technology-driven legal environment. The sessions, “How and Why the Current State of Legal Practice Intersects with Evolution and Brain Chemistry to Promote Stress” and “Real-Life Strategies for Well-Being in the Current Legal Environment,” will explore the impact of modern legal practice on mental health while offering practical strategies for focus, resilience and client engagement. Presenters include Lindsey O’Connell of Lindsey O’Connell Counseling and Consulting, Melanie Reid of Lincoln Memorial University, and Dr. Jeff Vomund and Fr. Ragan Schriver of the University of Tennessee. Check out the full CLE programming.

To honor National Treatment Court Month, the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will host “Drug Court 101: What Every Non Drug Court Lawyer Needs to Know About Tennessee’s Recovery Courts” as a webcast CLE on June 3 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will provide an overview of Tennessee’s recovery courts, including best practices, the state’s Drug Court Treatment Act, addiction and brain science, and strategies for effectively representing clients with substance use disorders. Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge and TBA YLD President Alex McVeagh, who formerly presided over the misdemeanor track of Hamilton County Recovery Court, will moderate the program alongside Shannon Morgan, director of Hamilton County Accountability Courts and a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience in substance use treatment and recovery courts. More information is available on the TBA website.

The office of 4th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Adrienne Waters Ogle has relocated to the new Sevier County Justice Center, Rex Henry Ogle Courts Building, 127 Commerce St., Ste. 2208, Sevierville, TN 37862. Judge Ogle's office phone and fax number remain the same. Additionally, the Hamblen County Circuit and General Sessions and Juvenile Courts have a new address. They now are located at 440 N. Jackson St., Morristown, TN 37814.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will hold a retirement reception honoring Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Holly M. Kirby on June 4 from 5-7 p.m. CDT. The event will take place in the law school’s Gordon Ball Reading Room. It is being cosponsored by the Memphis Bar Association and the law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson. Members of the legal community are invited to attend and celebrate Kirby’s many years of service. RSVP here or contact Maria Fuhrmann at maria.fuhrmann@memphis.edu with questions. Kirby, who earned her law degree from the school in 1982, is retiring from the court at the end of June. Download a flyer for the event.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee has been named to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Dunavant joins 17 other federal prosecutors on the committee, which advises the attorney general on matters of policy, procedure and management impacting U.S. attorneys’ offices. The AGAC also may establish subcommittees and working groups in program and subject matter areas that reflect priorities set by the president. Dunavant served on the AGAC during his prior service as U.S. attorney from 2017-2021. Responding to news of his reappointment, Dunavant said he is honored and excited to serve on the committee to advance the department’s efforts to “achieve justice for victims, consequences for criminals, support for law enforcement, respect for the rule of law, protection of the U.S. Treasury, and better public safety outcomes for all citizens.” Read more in a press release.

The TBA encountered an email glitch on April 29 that prevented some members from receiving TBA Today. Those with Gmail, iCloud and Outlook email accounts may have been affected. The problem has been corrected, and all impacted members once again should be receiving TBA Today. To read any issues of TBA Today you may have missed, visit the TBA's archive page. Be sure to be logged into your TBA account to access the page. For help with any future delivery issues please email tbatoday@tnbar.org.

Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti has announced that interest groups have dropped their appeal of a federal court decision blocking Biden administration regulations that would have required schools to allow biological males into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, impacted Title IX, and directed teachers and school officials to use students' preferred pronouns. The decision from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to block the rules came in a case filed by Tennessee and a coalition of states. That court blocked the rules in June 2024 and ultimately ruled in early 2025 that the rules were unconstitutional, striking them down nationwide. With the recent decision to drop the appeal, the district court’s ruling will stand according to Skrmetti. After all parties agreed to end the appeal, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal. Read more in a press release from the AG's office.

Nashville Legal Director Wally Dietz says he will retire July 16 after a little more than five years as Metro Nashville’s legal director. As he prepares to step down, Dietz spoke with the Nashville Banner about his career, legal battles with the state and how a stroke last year changed his view of the job. The paper also reports that Mayor Freddie O’Connell has tapped Nashville lawyer Tyler Yarbro as Dietz’s successor. Yarbro, 48, is currently managing partner of Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella where she focuses on employment, probate, business and appellate matters. Prior to entering private practice, Yarbro served as Nashville’s public defender for more than six years. According to a news release from the city, the nomination will go before the Metro Council in June. Yarbro is married to Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville.

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board granted the district’s attorney Justin Bailey an early contract extension during a special-called meeting on May 12. The move comes as the board is preparing a legal challenge of the state’s takeover of the school district. Bailey’s contract was set to expire in December 2026. The extension ensures his involvement through February 2029, with an option to extend for one year after that. “I’m grateful to the board and superintendent for their continued trust and confidence in me and my team, and I look forward to continuing to serve the district in partnership with them,” Bailey said in a statement to The Daily Memphian.