Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will not intervene in an ongoing lawsuit over the state’s ban on religious charter schools, leaving the Knox County Board of Education to defend the policy against claims of religious discrimination, Chalkbeat reports. The Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville sued the school district late last year in federal court. The school is challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s charter school law. According to Chalkbeat, under federal regulations, state attorneys general must be notified and given the option to intervene in lawsuits involving constitutional challenges. Skrmetti did not weigh in on the suit but his office pointed to his November legal opinion questioning the constitutionality of the law. In the opinion, Skrmetti argued there was “no compelling interest” in excluding religious charter schools from participating in a “public benefit.” Last week, a federal judge denied Wilberforce’s request for a ruling that would immediately block the school board from enforcing the ban. A trial on the issue is scheduled for January 2027.

Former NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore has notified the Tennessee secretary of state his intention to run for governor, WBIR reports. He has until March 10 at noon to officially file. Wilmore would join the Republican race alongside U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Rep. John Rose of Cookeville and state Rep. Monty Fritts of Kingston. A Tennessee native, Wilmore is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Space Institute. He was a test pilot before becoming an astronaut in 2000, and spent 25 years with NASA before retiring in August.

Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis outlined a significant and continued drop in crime Tuesday, the Daily Memphian reports. The department saw a 48% decrease in Part 1 crimes — homicide, rape, murder, burglary, robbery, larceny and car theft — in January 2026 compared with January 2025, falling from 3,709 incidents to 1,908. February 2026 saw a 38% drop from the same month the year before, according to data the department provided to the city council. Further data show motor vehicle thefts are down 68% year to date compared with the same period in 2025. The city recorded 344 motor vehicle thefts through Feb. 24, compared with 1,097 in the same period the year before.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that a Nashville plumber arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Feb. 17 did not present a driver’s license during a traffic stop, resisted officers and was found to have two prior arrests for driving without a license, though both cases were dismissed. The family of Mexican national Juan Martin Espindola Ramirez disputes that story saying he has no criminal background, holds a driver’s license and work permit, was previously granted a U visa after assisting law enforcement, and has applied for a green card. The arrest has sparked concerns about the situation and has led some to donate to a GoFundMe page for legal expenses and to support his partner and their two sons.  ICE says Ramirez remains in custody in Louisiana pending immigration proceedings. The Tennessean has more.

Former Metro Nashville Council member and mayoral aide Bob Mendes has joined the Nashville office of Epstein Becker Green. According to the Nashville Post, Mendes’ practice will focus on corporate reorganization and complex governance matters. Mendes served as chief development officer for Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell during the mayor’s first two years in office, stepping down in September. Prior to his appointment as a mayoral aide, he served two terms as an at-large member of the Metro Council. Epstein Becker Green says it is expanding in health care markets, including Nashville, with a focus on adding attorneys focused on financial restructuring and corporate governance. Read more from the firm.

On this month’s episode of BarBuzz, TBA Communications Coordinator Azya Thornton sits down with Knoxville attorney E. Michael Brezina III to examine the rapidly evolving world of college sports law, from name, image and likeness deals to high-profile eligibility litigation involving University of Tennessee athletes. Brezina discusses his NIL representation of athletes, the legal implications of recent cases challenging NCAA eligibility rules, including those involving SEC quarterbacks, and how antitrust arguments are reshaping the conversation around athlete compensation. The episode also explores Tennessee’s aggressive NIL landscape, institutional involvement and revenue-sharing risks as well as broader sports law issues, offering practical insight for litigators, business lawyers and attorneys interested in the future of college athletics. Listeners can catch past episodes of the podcast anytime in the BarBuzz archive.

Join the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law for the 26th Annual Julian Blackshear Jr. Scholarship Gala, a tradition honoring one of Winston Law’s first Black graduates and celebrating the school's commitment to expanding access to legal education. This event supports the Julian Blackshear Scholarship Endowment, which helps recruit exceptional future students. Iké Adeyemi, senior vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Eastman Chemical is this year’s keynote speaker. Attendees should register by March 13.

Make plans now to join colleagues on April 10 in Nashville for the inaugural Business College, sponsored by the TBA's Young Lawyers Division (YLD). The program is designed as a practical refresher and foundation course for new and young attorneys, or for any lawyer who wants to brush up on the basics of transactional law. Geared toward real-world practice, the program focuses on core concepts, ethical considerations and emerging issues in business law, with hands-on guidance and takeaways attendees can use right away to more confidently and efficiently handle a wide range of business legal matters for their clients. Visit the TBA's website for more information and to register.

The Knoxville Bar Association and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET), will hold a Debt Relief Clinic on March 28 to provide pro bono legal services to income-eligible consumer debtors. The clinic will begin at 9 a.m. EDT at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Judge Suzanne Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and then volunteer lawyers will conduct initial meetings with the clients to discuss their situations and options. Those interested in helping should register online. Clients seeking advice should call 865-637-0484.

Make plans now to join colleagues from across the state at the TBA’s 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13, in downtown Knoxville. Annual favorites such as the Lawyers Luncheon, compelling CLE and the swearing in of TBA’s new president will return, as will the Wednesday night welcome reception and a Thursday evening reception at Knoxville’s minor league ballpark, home of the Tennessee Smokies. This year’s convention also will include TBA’s first-ever Tech Show, tech focused CLE programs and several lunch and learn opportunities with tech vendors. The four-day event will take place at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville. Stay tuned for more information coming soon to the event website!