A U.S. District Court judge has ruled in favor of dozens of local governments and agencies, including Nashville, that sued several Trump administration officials and federal agencies in May, alleging they were imposing political conditions on grant funds already appropriated by Congress. On Tuesday, Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein issued a preliminary injunction in the case, halting nearly a dozen agencies from withholding billions in federal grants if those cities did not implement the Trump administration’s policy agenda, such as prohibiting the use of funds to promote gender ideology, illegal immigration, or diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, according to The Tennessean. Nashville joined the case in May, with roughly $23 million in U.S. Department of Transportation funding and nearly $290,000 in housing grants under threat. This is the third lawsuit Nashville has joined against the Trump administration this year over grant funding.

A joint operation between the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in South Nashville is facing new scrutiny over concerns by some lawmakers that Hispanic drivers were disproportionately targeted during traffic stops conducted in May. According to WSMV, partial dispatch records obtained by the news station identified the ethnicity of 34 drivers, 29 of whom were Hispanic, two were Asian, two were Black and one was white. The state has not released full data on the 369 stops conducted. Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville said the lack of transparency raises legal and constitutional concerns, while U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has denied any racial profiling, saying all enforcement operations are based on investigative work. The Department of Public Safety says it will work on producing “responsive records.”

A man is paralyzed after being stabbed multiple times at the Shelby County Jail earlier this month. An inmate was assaulted by another on Aug. 6 inside the jail, The Daily Memphian reports. The family identified the victim as Christopher Ross and said he was stabbed 17 times, resulting in paralysis from spinal cord injuries. Kokou Sanoumegah has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of contraband and other offenses. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that jail staff immediately intervened and provided medical aid. Ross was taken to Regional Medical Center at Memphis. At least six inmates from the jail have died this year.

Vanderbilt University Law School recently announced that Cristina Gapasin Tortal will be the next dean of admissions, succeeding Todd Morton, who is retiring this summer. Gapasin Tortal has more than 20 years of experience in law school admissions and most recently served six years as dean of admissions at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. She previously spent six years as director of admissions at Northwestern Law. “Cristina is a leading figure in the law school admissions world and well known to our staff. I am thrilled that she has agreed to join us,” Dean Chris Guthrie said in a press release.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) is now accepting applications for its Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) Class of 2026. DLI is a six-month leadership, professional development and networking program for all Tennessee law students in their second, third or fourth years of study. There are no costs to particpate in the DLI program. Class size is limited to 8-10 students selected from across the state. Learn more about the program. The application deadline is 5 p.m. CDT on Nov. 2. There will be a mandatory zoom meeting on Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. CST for all applicants. All are encouraged to apply. This year's DLI coordinators are TBA YLD Board Members Morgan Hanna and John Murphy.

Tennessee is one of just nine states meeting the Anti-Defamation League's standards for combating antisemitism, according to a new report from the group. Axios reports that in addition to Tennessee, the group designated only California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas and Virginia as "leading states." The designation means that these states are responding to rising antisemitism through laws, policies and public commitments. According to the group, hate crimes in the United States last year hit their second-largest total since the FBI started keeping data. Tennessee state Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, tells the paper that Tennessee "will not tolerate hate or intimidation against our Jewish communities, whether it's on our streets, in our schools or on college campuses."

Flash flood warnings were in effect across Tennessee yesterday after deadly floodwaters trapped cars near Chattanooga. During the storms that began on Tuesday, a mother, father and child in Chattanooga were killed when a tree fell on the car they were in during the rain and flooding. According to the Oak Ridger, historic floods have swept through the eastern part of the state. The Associated Press also has reporting on the flood's impacts.

The Tennessee Supreme Court is seeking public comments on a petition filed by the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA), which would amend Rule 9, section 10.1 to allow bar associations geographically located in the state to receive certain information from the Board of Professional Responsibility. The deadline for submitting written comments is Oct. 13. Comments should reference docket number ADM2025-01205 and be emailed to appellatecourtclerk@tncourts.gov or mailed to Clerk of the Supreme Court James Hivner, RE: Proposed Amendment to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 9, § 10.1, 100 Supreme Court Building, 401 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37219-1407. Read the court’s full order.

Nashville lawyer Rose Palermo has announced that her son Andrew Cheatham has joined her boutique law firm. With the retirement of her attorney husband Denty Cheatham, the firm has been renamed from Cheatham Palermo & Garrett to Cheatham & Palermo. Andrew Cheatham will focus his legal work on international and family law issues. He is based in Washington, D.C. and primarily assists clients there and New York. He also will continue his solo practice in the nation’s capital. Palermo will continue to work in Nashville. She and her husband launched the firm in 1973. Read more about the firm’s transition in the Nashville Post.

The Tennessee Ethics Commission voted Tuesday to dismiss a set of complaints against Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor of Memphis over public comments he made about “No Kings” protesters. The Tennessee Journal reports that the commission found that the grievances were outside the panel’s jurisdiction and warned against the “weaponization” of the body for political disputes.