The TBA will host its annual Real Estate Essentials program virtually on June 3 from noon to 3:15 p.m. CDT, offering an introductory overview of key topics in real estate law. The program will cover the fundamentals of commercial real estate in its first session, followed by a discussion of FIRPTA, FinCEN and cash reporting requirements. The course will feature presentations from Andy Maloney of Andy Maloney Law in Brentwood and Kirby Yost of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel in Chattanooga. The program is designed for attorneys seeking a foundational understanding of real estate practice.

Tennessee voters are expected to consider a proposed constitutional amendment in November that would expand judges' authority to deny bail before trial in certain serious criminal cases, according to KnoxTNToday. Under current law, most defendants have a constitutional right to bail except in capital cases when the evidence is especially strong. The proposed amendment would allow judges to deny bail in cases involving offenses such as terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape and other serious crimes requiring a convicted defendant to serve at least 85% of a sentence. The measure would not automatically deny bail but would give judges broader discretion to do so after reviewing the facts of a case. The amendment would also require judges and magistrates to publicly explain the reasons for granting or denying bail in qualifying cases. This past spring, the General Assembly approved placing the amendment on the gubernatorial ballot.

Each year the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor these award recipients at the 2026 Public Service Breakfast set for June 11 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. One of the awards, the CASA Volunteer of the Year Award, will be presented to Tracy Farmer who has worked with Williamson County CASA for the past 14 years. The award is given each year by the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD). This year, it will be presented by TBA YLD Middle Tennessee Governor Alix Rogers, who is the assistant dean for career and professional development at Belmont University College of Law. Read more about Farmer in TBA's press release.

A survivor of the shooting at Antioch High School has filed a lawsuit against the companies behind the school's artificial intelligence gun detection system, alleging the technology failed to identify the weapon used in the attack, NewsChannel 5 reports. Antonyous Henin, who was injured during the shooting that killed student Josselin "Dayana" Corea Escalante, filed suit against Omnilert, the maker of the detection technology, and Systems Integrations Inc., which allegedly installed the system. The lawsuit claims the companies misrepresented the capabilities of the technology and asserts claims including defective design, negligence, failure to warn and violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Henin is seeking compensatory damages, with the amount to be determined at trial, as well as additional damages, attorneys' fees and court costs.

Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert has filed a petition in Shelby County Chancery Court challenging the results of May's primary election, alleging that uncounted absentee ballots could have affected the outcome of the race, Local Memphis reports. Halbert, who lost her primary contest by 126 votes, claims in the petition that approximately 1,700 absentee ballots were cast but not counted. According to the filing, the number of allegedly uncounted ballots exceeds the certified margin of victory and could call the election results into question. Halbert also alleges she has been denied access to election records and materials needed to determine whether all legally cast ballots were included in the certified results. The petition asks the court to order the preservation of all materials related to the May 5 primary election, review the Shelby County Election Commission's reconciliation procedures and require reconciliation of certified vote totals with election records and tally materials.

Each year the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor these award recipients at the 2026 Public Service Breakfast set for June 11 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. The Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award will be presented to Jennifer Egelston, an attorney in the Knoxville office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). Egelston was selected for her work on several complicated family law cases and for using her experience handling cases involving Abrial’s Law to educate other attorneys on utilizing the protections it offers to parents and children. The Law Student Volunteer Award recognizes the efforts of a student enrolled at or recently graduated from a Tennessee law school who provided dedicated and outstanding pro bono service while working with an organization primarily engaged in providing legal representation to indigent clients. This year, TBA is honoring Sierra Sidoti, a student at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. Since the summer of 2024, Sidoti has served as a pro bono law clerk in the Knoxville office of LAET. Read more about both of these award winners in the TBA's press release. Learn more about the awards and see past recipients on the TBA website.

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Duncan School of Law welcomed Knox County Chancellor Christopher D. Heagerty as its commencement speaker during the law school’s graduation ceremony on May 7 in Knoxville. According to KnoxTNToday, the graduating class included 105 graduates, marking it the largest graduating class in the school's history. Outgoing Student Bar Association President AbbyGrace Rowe of Medina, Ohio, was chosen by classmates to serve as the student speaker. Twelve graduates also earned master's degrees through one of LMU's dual-degree programs.

Each year the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor these award recipients at the 2026 Public Service Breakfast set for June 11 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville. One of those awards, the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award, will be presented to Nashville lawyer Garrah Carter-Mason with Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. Carter-Mason will be recognized for her work on behalf of Darrell Davis, who was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder in April 2022 and sentenced to life without parole. Read more in TBA's press release.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has obligated more than $36 million in disaster assistance to Tennesseans affected by January’s severe winter storm, according to the Tennessee Lookout. Since President Donald Trump approved individual assistance on April 11, FEMA has approved more than 16,000 applications, including $7.9 million in housing assistance and $28.6 million in other aid for disaster-related expenses. The storm caused widespread damage across the state, leaving more than 300,000 utility customers without power and damaging thousands of trees. Assistance remains available to eligible residents in 29 Tennessee counties through FEMA’s individual assistance program.

Each year the TBA recognizes outstanding service by attorneys, law students and legal advocates who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to increasing access to justice for underserved individuals and communities in Tennessee. This year, TBA will honor public service award recipients at the 2026 Public Service Breakfast set for June 11 as part of the TBA’s Annual Convention in Knoxville.

The TBA’s 2026 Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award will be presented to Nashville lawyer Garrah Carter-Mason with Bass, Berry & Sims for her work on behalf of a man wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder in 2022. Over three years, she worked more than a thousand pro bono hours on the case. Her efforts led to a new trial, during which a jury found her client not guilty on all charges, leading to his release from prison. The 2026 Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award will be presented to Jennifer Egelston, a staff attorney in the Knoxville office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET). Egelston was selected for her work on several complicated family law cases and her efforts to educate other lawyers about Abrial’s Law, which gives courts new tools to protect parents and children from abusive caregivers. The 2026 Law Student of the Year Award will be presented to Sierra Sidoti, a student at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. Sidoti will be recognized for her work as a pro bono law clerk in the Knoxville office of LAET. During a prolonged staffing gap in 2025, Sidoti helped maintain continuity of pro bono services and train the staff member who ultimately was hired to fill the role. Finally, the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will present the 2026 CASA Volunteer of the Year to Tracy Farmer who serves with Williamson County CASA. Farmer will be recognized for her longevity of service, extraordinary commitment to serve Tennessee children and mentorship of new volunteers. Read more about each award recipient at the links above.