The city of Johnson City agreed last week to pay $28 million to settle a lawsuit filed by multiple anonymous women who accused the city police department of failing to investigate a man who allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted dozens of women between 2018 and 2021. The department has denied allegations of corruption or bribery in the handling of the cases, according to WPLN News. The accused assailant, Sean Williams, is currently in jail on charges of producing child sexual abuse images and escaping police custody, though he has not yet been charged in connection with the women's allegations. The lawsuit is one of three accusing the police department of mishandling evidence that Williams was drugging and assaulting women for years. The city said it has since improved department practices, including adopting a new sexual assault investigation protocol and creating a "comfortable space" for victim interviews.

Those interested in an appointed position on the TBA Young Lawyers Division's 2025-2026 Board should review available positions and complete the online application by Feb. 28. Get details on positions and a link to the application on the YLD's webpage.

About 30 religious organizations sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in federal court Tuesday, challenging its recent decision to conduct immigration raids in places of worship. According to Bloomberg Law, the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia claims the revocation of a previous DHS policy that restricted immigration enforcement in or near places of worship violates the First Amendment's freedom of religion protections and other federal laws. The new lawsuit echoes and expands on arguments made in a similar lawsuit filed Jan. 27 by five Quaker congregations, which is currently pending in U.S. District Court in Maryland. A memorandum filed last week by the Department of Justice, opposing the thrust of the Quaker lawsuit, outlined further arguments that may also apply to the new lawsuit, AP News reports. The memo suggests that the plaintiffs' request to block the new enforcement policy is based on speculation of hypothetical future harm, making it insufficient grounds for issuing an injunction.

The 2025 Business Law Forum will take place on April 24 in Nashville, offering a full day of education and networking for Tennessee's business law community. The event will feature two sessions: "TN Business Law 101" in the morning, aimed at early career professionals and seasoned practitioners looking for a refresher, and "Advanced Topics" in the afternoon for those dealing with more complex legal issues. The morning session will cover topics like Tennessee-specific laws in debt financing and M&A transactions, entity formation and drafting lessons through a multi-firm panel. The afternoon will feature Vice Chancellor Travis Laster from the Delaware Chancery Court, followed by discussions on tax provisions in LLC and partnership agreements, and the ethics challenges of entity formation. Attendees can register for the full day or choose to attend just the morning or afternoon sessions based on their interests. For more information and to register for this event, visit TBA’s website. 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and key Republican senators are deflecting calls to impeach judges who have temporarily sided with challenges to halt White House initiatives. “That will not happen now,” Bondi said at a Justice Department news conference on Wednesday. “We’re going to follow the law right now. We’re going to follow the process. These are federal judges with lifetime appointments.” Bloomberg Law also reports that key Senate Republicans defended the power of the courts to rule against the president. “We’ve got a system of checks and balances, and that’s what I see working. I learned in 8th grade civics about checks and balances and I expect the process to work its way out,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley told reporters. The response comes as some legislators and members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have called on Congress to impeach judges who rule against the president.

TBA’s Legislative Updates podcast features attorneys and lobbyists Berkley Schwarz of Pier Strategies LLC and Brad Lampley of Adams and Reese. In the most recent episode, they discuss key topics including Gov. Bill Lee's State of the State address, SB1052 and HB1355 on token financial support by a biological father, SB541/HB906 on claims of creditors filed against an estate, and SB540 and HB492 on custody determinations related to the failure to pay child support. Listeners can tune in on the TBA website at or directly through this link.

The TBA's continuing efforts to provide education and resources related to the state's system of appointed counsel includes the Indigent Representation Primer series, which shares background and updates about indigent representation in Tennessee. There are more than a dozen articles covering topics including the basics of the indigent representation system in Tennessee and models from other jurisdictions, as well as the kinds of cases that qualify and the processes used to appoint counsel. The primer also looks specifically at the role of guardian ad litem and the skills and training required to serve in that crucial role. Throughout the year, TBA will continue to update the primer and related resources, and we welcome member questions and observations on the topic. Additional information also is available on the TBA's Indigent Representation Resource page.

The YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee will hold its first in-person Lunch & Learn since the pandemic on Feb. 27 with a focus on the intersection of faith, spirituality and social justice. From the Civil Rights Movement to present-day activism, faith and spirituality have long been pillars of resilience, resistance and radical change in the Black community. Panelists will discuss how these traditions evolved and the role they play in the fight for justice. The event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. CST at 1608 Woodmont Blvd., Nashville TN 37215. Register to attend the event in-person or virtually.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to strike down a Memphis suburb's ordinance dictating when and how residents can display holiday decorations, the organization reports. FIRE also defended Alexis Luttrell in municipal court after the Germantown resident was cited for celebrating Christmas with decorative skeletons and violating a local ordinance on the length of time holiday decorations can be displayed. With FIRE's support, Luttrell is challenging the ordinance as unconstitutional. “City governments can impose reasonable restrictions on yard displays that address concerns like safety, noise or light pollution, but Alexis’s decorations aren’t harming anyone,” said FIRE attorney Colin McDonell.

The Metro Nashville Public Schools board unanimously approved the installation of Evolv, a concealed weapon detection system, in all district high schools, the Tennessean reports. A pilot of the system was installed at Antioch High School as students returned to campus six days after a student fatally shot another on Jan. 22. Evolv uses artificial intelligence to detect concealed weapons as people enter the school and is more specialized than traditional metal detectors. The board's approval expands the district's existing contract with System Integrations, with the initial cost estimated at around $1.25 million annually. Depending on the rollout at high schools, MNPS may seek additional funding to install Evolv in middle and elementary schools. Evolv Technologies has had setbacks: the company settled a case with the the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in November after the FTC said the company made "misleading claims" that its AI screening system was more effective than traditional metal detectors.