The Shelby County Division of Corrections and the mayor's office will take over operations of the Youth Justice and Education Center, where children charged with crimes are detained, by October. In a press release last week, the mayor's office confirmed the change and announced the appointment of Reese Walker to oversee the center on an interim basis. The Commercial Appeal reports that Walker has worked in corrections for 28 years, previously serving as administrator of program services at the Shelby County Division of Corrections. The move comes more than six months after the plan to transfer oversight from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office was announced. Months after the facility opened, the sheriff's office said it could no longer operate the center.

The Metro Nashville Police Department released findings on Friday from a cold case investigation into three unsolved civil rights bombings that occurred in Nashville between 1957 and 1960. Launched at the request of Mayor Freddie O’Connell after reading Betsy Phillips’ 2024 book Dynamite Nashville, the investigation focused on bombings at Hattie Cotton Elementary School, the Jewish Community Center and the home of civil rights attorney J. Alexander Looby. According to WSMV 4, detectives found no living individuals directly connected to the crimes but uncovered a decades-old fire marshal report linking stolen dynamite from a Clarksville business to the Looby bombing. Detectives cited limited records, lack of physical evidence and the age or death of possible witnesses as major obstacles in piecing together what happened in the cases. While the cases remain open, they will be considered inactive unless new, actionable information emerges.

Those who cannot afford law school tuition could end up paying more for their degrees — or be shut out altogether — under a proposed congressional cap on student loan borrowing, Reuters reports. The budget reconciliation bill, passed by the U.S. House in May and now under consideration in the Senate, includes proposed annual loan caps ranging from $50,000 to $77,000, with aggregate limits between $150,000 and $200,000 for professional degrees. The Senate proposal differs slightly. Under the current federal loan system, students may borrow the full cost of tuition and living expenses at fixed interest rates. Under the proposed changes, students who reach the cap would need to seek private loans to cover additional costs. The cap would apply to all professional degree programs, with students in high-cost fields such as law and medicine expected to be most affected. Law students on average borrowed $146,800 in 2020, according to the most recent data from AccessLex Institute. It was the second highest amount borrowed. Only those pursuing medical degree programs borrowed more.

Knoxville attorney Douglas Jackson Yaggi died June 17 at age 71. Yaggi earned a degree in political science from the University of Tennessee before receiving his law degree from Duke University School of Law in 1978. He began his legal career as a law clerk for Knoxville attorney J.D. Lee and later held various positions in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado. He eventually returned to Knoxville, where he worked at Sam’s Club and the University of Tennessee. A private graveside service will be held at Anderson Memorial Gardens at a date to be determined. Donations in his memory may be made here to one or more of three charities: Breast Cancer Research Foundation, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Wounded Warrior Project.

A federal magistrate judge has ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be released ahead of his federal trial in Nashville. On Sunday, Judge Barbara Holmes made the ruling public, stating, “Overall, the Court cannot find from the evidence presented that Abrego’s release clearly and convincingly poses an irremediable danger to other persons or to the community.” According to The Tennessean, prosecutors quickly filed a motion to stay the release order, saying that Garcia could face immediate deportation and might not be present for trial if the order stands. Garcia is currently subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold, meaning he could be detained by ICE upon release. Holmes noted that the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security must determine whether the government’s priority is to pursue criminal charges or proceed with deportation. No trial date has been set, but a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Nashville to review the conditions of Garcia’s release and address any outstanding issues. Garcia appeared at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee June 13 and pleaded not guilty to human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee.

Attorney and legal ethics speaker Stuart Teicher will present “Shakira, Secrets and Scandals: Attorney Ethics and the World of Offshore Deals” on July 17. The one-hour webcast will explore the ethical pitfalls surrounding high-profile offshore financial schemes. Drawing on revelations from the Panama, Pandora and Paradise Papers, the session will examine legal and professional conduct issues tied to tax avoidance, asset protection and the role of attorneys in questionable financial structures. Topics will include lawyer supervision, responsibility for nonlawyer staff, confidentiality, advising on unlawful conduct and duties of candor and truthfulness. For more information and to register visit the TBA website.

Former state Sen. Frank Niceley died Thursday at the age of 78. Niceley, a Republican, served in the Tennessee General Assembly for decades, holding seats in both the House and Senate between 1988 and 2025. He represented the 8th District, which includes Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson and Union counties. Visitation will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. EDT on June 28 at Bridges Funeral Home in Knoxville followed by a memorial service at 5 p.m. In a statement to 10News, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally remembered Niceley’s wit, saying, “He had a great sense of humor. He served in both the Senate and the House. He said serving in the House was like being in junior high school and serving in the Senate was like being in a nursing home.”

On June 16, Investigative Services Detectives responded to the Hamilton County Courthouse for a report of harassing phone calls. Detectives were provided numerous voicemails that were threatening in nature from an individual identified as Darrell Brackett. The threats were made against multiple judges. Through the course of the investigation, detectives developed probable cause and applied for warrants to arrest Brackett, charging him with four counts each of harassment, aggravated stalking and terrorism, as well as one count of retaliation for past actions against a judge, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO). Brackett was arrested without incident the next day at his Cleveland residence during a joint operation involving HCSO detectives, SWAT personnel and the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. Brackett was transported to the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center. No further details were released.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue will host a free webinar on June 24 to discuss how to properly close a registered business. Failure to properly close a business with the department could result in an assessment for delinquent taxes, penalties and interest after the business has ceased operations. The session will discuss requirements and best practices regarding business ownership changes and closure. Register for the webinar or see all upcoming educational events from the department.

Mississippi lawyer Justin Wade Sweat was reinstated to the practice of law in Tennessee on June 11. He had been on inactive status since May 14, 2018. The Board of Professional Responsibility reported that his petition for reinstatement was satisfactory. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued the order on June 13.