Four Middle Tennessee family law attorneys — David Garrett, Jacob T. Thorington, Jason A. Talley and Kayla Redmon — have launched a new firm, Garrett Talley & Thorington, with offices in Franklin. The firm’s family law services represent clients in divorces, including uncontested divorces and complex divorces with high assets or intellectual property assets, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, child custody and child support, alimony and spousal support. David Garrett and Jacob T. Thorington also provide Rule 31 listed family law mediations, the Williamson Herald reports. The lawyers bring a combined 70 years of family law experience to the new firm. “We’re excited to announce this new association. We bring tremendous experience in guiding clients through what can be some of the most difficult times in their lives and providing legal solutions that are specifically designed to meet their unique goals. We share not only experience, but the desire to provide the best guidance possible to our clients,” Garrett said.

An official investiture ceremony was held for Hamilton County Circuit Court’s newest judge, Jennifer Peck, the Chattanoogan reports. Peck, a native of Chattanooga who grew up on Signal Mountain and attended Baylor School, founded Peck Legal Group after graduating from Auburn University and earning her law degree at Regent University. She later served as deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce before being appointed to the bench by Gov. Bill Lee in May and began hearing cases that month. She fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Michael Dumitru, who recently took office as a new federal magistrate judge in East Tennessee.

A total of 101 people born in foreign countries became U.S. citizens Wednesday at a naturalization ceremony at Tusculum University in Greeneville. According to the Greeneville Sun, a large crowd watched as the U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker administered the Oath of Allegiance to the people from 44 countries in the theater at the Annie-Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center on campus. Corker reflected on American history, from the signing of the Constitution in 1787 to the struggles for civil rights, while encouraging the group to exercise freedoms such as speech, religion and voting. Several new citizens shared their personal journeys as well. Following the proceedings, many of the new citizens waited patiently in line to have their photographs taken with Corker and took the opportunity to register to vote in the lobby of the theater.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Sept. 19 affirmed the suspension of Davidson County attorney James B. Johnson for disclosure of confidential client communications. The violations stemmed from Johnson's representation of a client in a divorce proceeding in Shelby County beginning in February 2021. At some point, Johnson and his client began to have disagreements regarding his performance and decisions. Johnson filed a motion to withdraw from representation in March 2021. In support of that motion, Johnson attached emails between him and his client that discussed the scope of his representation, legal opinions and advice, his client’s position on matters at issue in the case, and personal insults between the two. The client then filed a complaint with the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR), which filed a formal disciplinary petition. The BPR alleged that Johnson disclosed the confidential communications without his client's permission and recommended that he be suspended from the practice of law for three months, with 30 days to be served on active suspension and the remainder on probation. The BPR also recommended that he complete six additional continuing legal education hours. Johnson appealed to discipline first to the Davidson County Circuit Court and then to the state Supreme Court, both which upheld the suspension. Read the court's decision or a press release from the BPR.

After news last week about two university employees facing termination proceedings for comments made after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, WSMV reports that a state employee with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance also has been fired. In addition, the Nashville Banner reports that a Metro Nashville employee was placed on leave, Austin Peay State University fired a longtime theatre professor, Cumberland University fired a professor and another staffer, and East Tennessee State University suspended two tenured professors.

The Birmingham-based law firm Bradley, with offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville, was honored this week with the Exceptional Service Award from the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Death Penalty Representation Project. The award was presented at the project’s annual Volunteer Recognition & Awards Event and recognized the firm’s exceptional commitment to excellence in capital defense. Over the years, the firm has represented 39 individuals across five states. In 2024, 31 firm attorneys dedicated more than 1,000 pro bono hours to prisoners on death row. Over the last year years, six of Bradley’s clients either have been exonerated or removed from death row. Read more in a press release from the firm. Since 1986, the Death Penalty Representation Project has worked to ensure that those facing a death sentence have qualified counsel by locating and supporting law firms that take on pro bono cases. See a photo from the event.

The TBA’s 2025 Creditors Practice Annual Forum will take place Oct. 1 at the Tennessee Bankers Association’s Bradley L. Barrett Training Center in Nashville. The program offers three general and one dual CLE credit with sessions covering case law and rule updates, e-filing, artificial intelligence and the sovereign citizen movement. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with programming scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. CDT, followed by a networking reception. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, Democrat of Memphis, questioned FBI Director Kash Patel about the upcoming deployment of the National Guard to the city during a hearing yesterday on Capitol Hill. According to the Daily Memphian, Cohen asked about the task force President Donald Trump established Monday and whether Patel thinks the National Guard is necessary to do the work that the FBI is doing. Patel said it is necessary: “… we’ve only secured a piece of where the criminal conduct is occurring in Memphis, and we can’t work inside perimeters that aren’t established and safe. And we don’t have the manpower to give us the space to go into the areas where the criminal activity remains.” Cohen and Patel also talked about the results of “Operation Viper” — a summer initiative that resulted in 500 arrests and about 110 indictments in the city.

Gov. Bill Lee announced recently that Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter will assume the role of deputy governor effective Oct. 15. He will replace Butch Eley, who plans to step down after nearly seven years in Lee's cabinet. McWhorter will continue in his current role. "I’m deeply grateful for Stuart’s leadership and appreciate his willingness to take on an expanded role as deputy governor," Lee said in a release. He also thanked Eley for his service saying he “has been one of my most trusted advisors and a steady hand in guiding Tennessee through seasons of opportunity, as well as uncertainty.”

The Tennessee Supreme Court imposed a public censure on Cheatham County lawyer Terrance Earl McNabb on Sept. 18. The court reports that after McNabb was hired to file a child custody modification with the Robertson County Juvenile Court, he failed to assert multiple constitutional claims that may have resulted in a temporary order being thrown out. McNabb also failed to raise a claim for failure to prosecute and for the father’s lack of parentage being established, which could have resulted in an immediate return of custody to his client. These actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a) and 8.4(d).