The Trump administration has announced that federal employees are allowed to discuss and promote their religious beliefs at work, citing constitutional protections and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Reuters reports that a memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) states that workers can attempt to persuade others of their faith and organize prayer groups outside work hours, as long as their actions are not harassing. Supervisors also may share their religious views with employees, provided the conduct is not coercive. While the memo is not legally binding, it reflects the administration’s broader push to expand religious expression in federal workplaces, following a February presidential action targeting perceived hostility to Christianity in government.

Rheubin Taylor, who retired from the position of Hamilton County attorney July 1 after more than 30 years of service, has opened a new practice in Chattanooga. The new office is at 1502 A & B, McCallie Ave., Chattanooga 37404, and can be reached at 423-595-6898. Taylor was the city's first Black attorney when he began practicing in 1973. He worked for many years at the Crutchfield firm, where the politically active culture influenced his own involvement in politics. He was on the first County Commission in 1978 after serving in the state Constitutional Convention. Read more about his career from Chattanoogan.com.

The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law advocacy teams finished the spring semester with national and regional victories in moot court, mock trial and transactional law. Virginia Pirkle, Taylor Roswall and Alyssa Ward — all 2025 law graduates — won the national championship at the 2025 L. Edward Bryant, Jr. National Health Law Transactional Competition at Loyola University School of Law. Competing against 20 schools from across the country, the team secured first place in what is widely regarded as the nation’s premier transactional health law competition. In addition, law students Jordyn Dickey, Elizabeth Landin, Jhed Manalo and Tyrese Perry earned second place honors in the 2025 Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition and 2025 graduate Kameron Johnson and current student Jaleigh Rogan finished second in the 2025 Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition. Both competitions were hosted by the Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association. Finally Joshua Rojas, a 2025 graduate, was named champion of Baylor Law School’s The Closer, one of the nation’s most rigorous transactional law competitions. Read more and see photos in this press release from the law school.

On June 30, Judge Mike Spitzer retired from the 32nd Judicial District Circuit Court. Spitzer joined the bench in 2018, when the 21st Judicial District — which at the time included Hickman, Lewis, Perry and Williamson counties — created a new judicial position to help with the caseload due to Williamson county's rapid growth. In 2022, for the first time in 45 years, a new district was created, and Hickman, Lewis and Perry counties became the 32nd Judicial District, which Spitzer was elected to serve. Spitzer says what he has enjoyed most about his judicial career is finding ways to help people. “There was a guy who came up and said, ‘Judge Spitzer’ and gave me a hug. He said, ‘I’m here because of you.’ He went through our drug court program. Things like that are very helpful in making you feel good about what you do.” Read more about Spitzer's career in this profile from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Lawyers now have more free resources to share with clients who are incarcerated in Middle Tennessee area prisons. The Family Reconciliation Center (FRC), a nonprofit hospitality house, provides overnight stays for friends and loved ones visiting incarcerated individuals from out of town. FRC also offers an online guide to help navigate the sometimes-complicated visitation system. Supported through the generosity of individuals, faith communities and foundations (including a recent grant from the Tennessee Bar Foundation), FRC ensures that visitors can stay in a comfortable and safe environment. Founded in 1984, FRC is the only organization in Tennessee providing free lodging of this type, and one of just a few similar facilities in the country.

Recorded at TBA's Annual Convention in June, Russell Fowler, with Legal Aid of East Tennessee and "History's Verdict" columnist for the Tennessee Bar Journal, will take participants through an entertaining presentation to countdown the landmark court cases that shaped Tennessee’s legal landscape. Tune in July 31 at noon CDT and earn 0.75 hours of general credit. Register here. Can't make that time? The program also is available on demand.

Retired Knox County Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Brian Bivens took over leadership of the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center this month, launching reforms after longtime superintendent Richard Bean stepped down amid allegations of outdated practices and staff retaliation. According to Knox News, Bivens has begun implementing tighter security, new staff training, a facility management system and mental health screenings, while a temporary oversight board made up of county commissioners monitors operations until the Knox County Sheriff's Office assumes control in January. The facility, operating with a $5 million budget, had been under state scrutiny following investigations that revealed improper use of solitary confinement and inadequate care.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Tennessee and attorney Daniel Horwitz have filed a lawsuit challenging the Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s denial of a permit requested by the Bartlett Muslim Society to build a mosque. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, the suit alleges the city’s decision violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUPIA), Tennessee’s Preservation of Religious Freedom Act and the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause. According to the ACLU, mosque officials have met permit requirements, including conducting a traffic study that showed no adverse impact. The group is asking the court to find that the city’s actions violate RLUIPA and mandate approval of the permit.

Vanderbilt University has hired the Nashville office of Baker Donelson to conduct an independent review of what the university described as “recent incidents” involving recorded comments by employees on the status of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. According to a statement issued by the university, the firm “will be tasked with reviewing the specific circumstances related to the recordings and identifying steps the university can take to ensure all employees fully understand the university’s policies and consistently act in accordance,” The Nashville Post reports. The review comes as Tennessee lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, examine DEI practices at major state universities, alleging that some institutions merely have renamed DEI programs rather than make meaningful changes. According to WZTV, covert recordings of employees at Belmont University and the University of Tennessee also allegedly indicate that DEI practices have not been eliminated as directed in federal guidance.

The City of Memphis is taking its legal battle against the Memphis police union to the Tennessee Supreme Court, asking the justices to pause court-mandated demotions of officers, The Commercial Appeal reports. The request follows rulings by an arbitrator, Shelby County Circuit Court and the Tennessee Court of Appeals that the city violated its memorandum of understanding with the union by establishing the rank of second lieutenant outside the bargaining agreement. The arbitrator directed to the city to demote all those given the rank and remove the rank from further usage. The city argues the demotions would cause "chaos" on the street and damage public safety initiatives. The Memphis Police Association claims continued use of the rank causes harm to officers excluded from union representation.