Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting President Donald Trump’s application to stay preliminary injunctions issued by multiple district courts in cases addressing birthright citizenship. According to a press release, the brief emphasizes that courts should interpret the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment in line with its original public meaning and should limit their judicial power to specific cases and controversies, consistent with the separation of powers. “Courts are empowered by the Constitution to resolve cases and controversies, not to issue sweeping policy proclamations or manage the executive branch,” Skrmetti said. After Trump signed the executive order, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” three federal judges have issued nationwide preliminary injunctions, freezing the order and ruling it violated the Citizenship Clause. The Trump administration had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in last week. 

TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast is new this week with TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley with Adams and Reese. He is joined by TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright and TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. in a live recording from TBA's third annual "Day on the Hill" event. They discuss key highlights from the event and the impact of attorney advocacy on state legislation. Tune in to the podcast on the TBA website or through this link. See a photo from behind the scenes.

TBA’s 2025 Immigration Law Forum will take place April 18 in Nashville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. This seminar is specifically designed both for experienced immigration lawyers and those who are newer to the practice area. The first half of the seminar is focused on updates, while the second half will focus on activism and support. The schedule is packed with speakers who are leaders in their fields, so make plans to join this informative program! For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan defended the right of people to criticize the court's decisions and whether the justices are doing their jobs while speaking last month at an event for Princeton University, Bloomberg Law reports. Kagan said the public is entitled to express views about whether the court is doing its job properly. "In the end, the results matter, people are absolutely entitled to make judgments about the court based on the results that the court is reaching and the reasons that the court is giving for those results," she said.

The 10th Judicial Drug Task Force, comprised of law enforcement agencies from across the 10th Judicial District, released its 2024 statistics. According to The Chattanoogan, the statistics indicate the deadly amount of drugs pouring into the communities, and the cooperative efforts of law enforcement agencies in the 10th Judicial District working together to get dangerous drugs out of communities. The task force, with 10 agents assigned across the district, reported 324 new cases, 176 felony arrests and 77 misdemeanor arrests. The task force also seized 156 firearms, $221,864 in currency and 15 vehicles, with one methamphetamine lab dismantled.

The Knoxville Bar Association’s (KBA) Spring Memorial Service will be held on May 2 at 3 p.m. EDT in the Tennessee Supreme Court courtroom, located at 505 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Knoxville 37902. The service will honor and celebrate the careers of KBA members who died in the past year. Due to the large number of losses this year, some recently passed members will be honored at a separate ceremony in November 2025. The service provides an opportunity to express gratitude for the contributions of these individuals to the legal community. For more information and to register, visit the KBA website.

The family of a man who died in custody at the Hamilton County Jail after being arrested for allegedly shoplifting has filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff's office and the county. Deward Johnson was arrested in March 2024 in connection with a shoplifting incident at a Chattanooga Walmart and was dead by 9:25 p.m. that same day, according to the Times Free Press. The lawsuit claims Johnson's death was preventable, alleging he was in medical distress but received inadequate medical care. The complaint states that Johnson tested positive for meth, amphetamines and fentanyl after his arrest, and no precautions were taken to monitor him for potential adverse drug reactions, reports Fox Chattanooga. The suit calls for remedial plans to ensure the Hamilton County Jail complies with constitutional standards and seeks damages for Johnson's family. The sheriff's office previously stated that all individuals admitted to the jail undergo a health screening and that medical staff is available 24 hours a day.

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court has proposed a new structure for handling the appointment of attorneys in indigent cases. One question that has been raised is how the current regulatory structure will change if the plan is enacted. In a recent interview with TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr., AOC staff explained that Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 13 will be amended to create the “Office of Indigent Conflicts and Civil Counsel” and the “Indigent Representation Commission,” which will oversee the office, as well as set out the details for their operations. The office is expected to employ one statewide executive director and three attorneys — one in each grand division — to manage the assignment of cases. No changes will be made to statutory language that sets out the qualifications for receiving free counsel, but the plan will put in place safeguards to ensure determinations of indigency meet that criteria. Watch the full interview or learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee.

Future TBA Presidents Attend Bar Leadership Institute TBA’s President-elect Heidi Barcus, who will become president of the association in June, and Vice President Charlotte Knight Griffin, who will become president in June 2026, recently attended the ABA’s Bar Leadership Institute. Former TBA President Sherie Edwards, who is now president-elect of the Nashville Bar Association (NBA), also attended. They were accompanied by TBA Executive Director Sheree Wright and NBA Executive Director Jeanne Heaton. For more than 45 years, the three-day Bar Leadership Institute has brought together bar association leaders from across the country to help them prepare for their year in office. Through keynote addresses, breakout sessions and networking events, attendees have the opportunity to engage with leaders from across the country and hear from speakers on topics designed to enhance their bar leadership. Programming at this year’s institute included sessions on motivational leadership, best practices in governance and effective communications. Learn more about the event or see photos.

Attorneys from across the state gathered in Nashville on Wednesday for the TBA's third annual "Day on the Hill." The day kicked off with remarks from Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga. Participants then met with more than 30 legislators to discuss issues impacting the legal profession and the practice of law, with a special emphasis on supporting the Administrative Office of the Court's plan for improving the state's indigent representation system. The day concluded with the TBA's annual Big Shrimp legislative reception, giving TBA leaders and members a chance to meet with legislators in a casual setting to continue conversations on topics important to the profession. Learn more about the state's current indigent representation system and see photos from the day.