A Knox County grand jury has indicted University of Tennessee (UT) protesters who took part in on-campus demonstrations more than a year ago against Israeli actions in Gaza, according to records from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Seven of the 12 protesters indicted are scheduled for arraignment July 16 and July 22 in Knox County Criminal Court on charges of criminal trespassing, a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $50 fine, Tennessee Lookout reports. The others are still awaiting court dates. Attorney Dillon Zinser, who represents one of the defendants, said they plan to fight the charges. The protesters, including university students and community members, were arrested May 2024, during a pro-Palestinian rally at the school. Two of those arrested also filed a federal lawsuit against UT in May 2025, claiming the school violated their First Amendment rights during the demonstration.

Crime continued to decline in the first half of the year, according to data the Memphis Police Department released Tuesday. The department’s data shows overall crime is down 20% through the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, The Daily Memphian reports. Murders are down 15% and aggravated assaults are down 14%. Shooting incidents are down 28% through June 30, and the number of shooting victims has dropped 31%. The department also shared historical data showing overall crime is down 34% compared to the midpoint of 2023 and down 3% compared to 2020. “While the data tells one part of the story, what matters is that people in our neighborhoods are starting to feel the difference in their homes, at work and as they raise their families here in our city,” police chief C.J. Davis said.

The TBA will be closed Friday, July 4, for Independence Day. The office will reopen Monday at 8 a.m. CDT. As always, our TBA.org website has plenty of continuing legal education options and other information available to you 24/7. Reach out to staff directly using contact information posted on our online staff directory.

President Donald Trump has nominated four people to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors. They are Knoxville lawyer and Knoxville Sports Authority Board member Jeff Hagood; Memphian Mitch Graves, the CEO of West Cancer Center and a current member of Memphis Light Gas and Water’s (MLGW) Board of Commissioners; Nashville businessman Lee Beaman; and Randall Jones of Alabama. Three of the vacancies were the result of Trump's firing members earlier this year. The Commercial Appeal and Knox News have more on the nominees, which now must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” after intense negotiations and a 27-hour amendment marathon, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Key to the bill’s passage was securing the support of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, whose concerns about deep Medicaid and SNAP cuts were addressed through last-minute changes and a $50 billion rural hospital relief fund. The legislation extends Trump-era tax cuts, boosts military and border security funding, phases out renewable energy credits, and raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. In a near unanimous vote, senators removed the bill's provision limiting states' ability to enact laws regulating artificial intelligence according to the Associated Press. A group of Tennessee state lawmakers had urged the Senate to remove the provision, which could have impacted the state's ELVIS Act, The Tennesse Journal reports. Despite the Senate win, the bill faces serious hurdles as it goes back to the House, The Hill reports.

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee will appoint a new full-time magistrate judge upon the resignation of Magistrate Judge Alistair Newbern, effective Jan. 2, 2026. Application forms and more information on the position may be obtained from Chief Deputy Clerk Vicki Kinkade, 719 Church St., Ste. 1300, Nashville, TN 37203. The application form is also available as a download from the court’s website. Applications must be submitted by applicants personally and must be received by Aug. 15. More information and the requirements for candidates are laid out in the public notice of appointment.

The Tennessee Judicial Conference Foundation (TJCF) has passed a resolution to honor the late Judge James Curwood Witt Jr. with a legacy scholarship. The foundation will match funds up to $12,500, which will yield a $1,500 annual scholarship to the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. Knoxville attorneys Ann Short and Eric Butler will serve as chairs of the effort. According to the TJCF, Judge Witt was a valued member of the court and Tennessee legal community. He served as a former presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, and at 27 years of service, was the longest-serving member in the court’s history. Donations may be made online or by check, payable to the TJCF, with a notation to fund the Judge Curwood Witt Scholarship. Checks should be mailed to Tennessee Judicial Conference Foundation, c/o Suzanne Keith, 629 Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37206. Questions may be directed to Ann Short, 865-637-2142 or Eric Butler, 865-546-4646.

Tennessee Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for the 7th Congressional District seat, which encompasses parts of Davidson, Montgomery and Williamson counties. The seat currently is held by U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who announced last month that he would take a job in the private sector. The Tennessee Lookout reports that Reedy has said he has been bothered by the federal government’s slow reaction to flood damage in Waverly in August 2021, and that he supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Other Republican candidates for the post are former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps, Springfield resident Jon Thorpe and Jason Knight of Clarksville. No Democrats have entered the race yet according to the paper.

President Donald Trump has nominated former U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant to be the chief federal prosecutor for the Western District of Tennessee, a position he held during Trump's first term. The Daily Memphian reports that during his tenure, Dunavant oversaw a shift in the federal office, from a focus on reviewing police conduct and policies to a focus on backing law enforcement. Prior to his first stint as U.S. attorney, Dunavant served as district attorney general for Tennessee's 25th Judicial District, which covers Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale and McNairy counties. He replaces career prosecutor Joe Murphy, who has been the interim U.S. attorney since Trump fired interim U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren, who was appointed when U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz stepped down.

TBA CLE Summer Camp is in session! Beat the heat this summer and take your CLE on demand from the comfort of your home, office or cabin in the woods. TBA CLE will be replaying popular titles throughout the month of July, whether you need one hour of credit or 15. Watch for a weekly update of upcoming courses in this publication and on social media. This week features Friends ... An Ethical Sitcom?; From Bonnie and Clyde to Bernie Madoff — What the Biggest Thieves in History Teach About Attorney Ethics; and Ethics Update: Current Developments from the Board of Professional Responsibility. Interested in something else? View all Summer Camp offerings, which include sessions on law tech, practice management, effective communication, ethics and more!