Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, is calling for a federal investigation into the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS). According to The Tennessean, the move comes "after months of independent research, review of federal oversight records, and conversations with impacted families and whistleblowers." In a news release, Behn called for the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division to investigate, saying DCS failed to comply with key federal requirements and create stability for children in its custody. Behn also alleges issues of segregation that affect children with disabilities. The agency has faced scrutiny after records showed hundreds of children slept in DCS offices in 2024 and 2025. A recent audit found persistent safety and oversight gaps. A DCS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DCS Commissioner Margie Quin is scheduled to appear before a House committee this week.

Two nonprofits are suing the city of Memphis, alleging it unlawfully denied access to Memphis Police Department (MPD) records. According to the Daily Memphian, Stand for Children Tennessee and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have filed suit after the city declined to provide records related to the 2024 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) civil rights investigation into the department. The groups are seeking use-of-force reports and field investigation memos to determine whether MPD addressed concerns outlined by the DOJ. Their public records request was filed in May 2025. The investigative findings, published under former President Joe Biden’s administration, cited concerns about MPD’s treatment of Black residents, people with disabilities and children. After President Donald Trump took office, negotiations over remedies ended and the findings were rescinded.

Gov. Bill Lee signed SB16 into law this week, allowing Tennessee high school athletes to gain immediate eligibility after one transfer beginning July 1. The law expands eligibility for student-athletes in grades 6-8 and 9-12 who transfer schools for the first time during the summer without making a bona fide change of address, provided other requirements are met, Knox News reports. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, which governs high school sports in the state, worked with bill sponsors on the legislation and is expected to present bylaw revisions to its Legislative Council in April to comply with the new law. Traditionally, many state athletic associations have denied immediate eligibility to transferring student-athletes unless they moved into a new school district, though some states, including Tennessee, are shifting to one-time transfer policies.

The family of Conor Dolin, a teen killed in a December 2022 single-vehicle crash in South Knox County, filed a lawsuit this week in Knox County Circuit Court accusing the Knox County Sheriff’s Office of negligence. The suit seeks $10 million in damages from the family of the unlicensed 15-year-old driver and an undisclosed amount from the county. According to Knox News, the lawsuit alleges the sheriff’s office lost the initial investigative file, deleted body camera footage, failed to conduct a crash reconstruction and did not complete key interviews, which contributed to the district attorney declining to bring charges. The driver's family also is accused of wrongful death, negligent supervision and creating a GoFundMe using Dolin's name and likeness without permission. Dolin's family argues the statute of limitations should begin in April 2025, when they say they first learned the driver was unlicensed and had a history of reckless driving.

In an opinion released today, the Tennessee Supreme Court held that a Grundy County resolution regulating quarry locations is effectively a zoning ordinance enacted in violation of the Tennessee County Zoning Act (CZA). The act requires counties to hold a public hearing and submit proposed ordinances to the regional planning commission before adopting zoning measures. The court found that Grundy County passed the ordinance without complying with those requirements. The suit was brought by two quarry owners after they were informed their property was in violation of a county ordinance requiring quarries to be located more than 5,000 feet away from specified types of establishments. The trial court and Court of Appeals agreed with the county that the ordinance was not a zoning regulation subject to the requirements of the CZA. The Supreme Court unanimously reversed, finding the ordinance divided the county into zones and regulated land use in a manner consistent with zoning, making it subject to the CZA's requirements. Read more in a release from the court.

The TBA’s 4th Annual Day on the Hill and the Big Shrimp legislative reception will take place March 18 in Nashville. The day will begin at 10:30 a.m. CDT at the Cordell Hull Building with presentations from TBA’s lobbying team and members of the General Assembly. Attendees then will meet with various legislators throughout the day, focusing on building relationships, championing TBA’s legislative priorities and advocating for elimination of the professional privilege tax. After the day’s meetings, attendees are invited to join colleagues, lawmakers and legislative staff at Hotel Indigo Nashville from 5-7 p.m. for the perennial favorite Big Shrimp legislative reception. The hotel is located at 315 Union St., Nashville 37201. Register here or email govaffairs@tnbar.org with questions.

The TBA Health Law Section directory is a great place to find colleagues with a similar focus. The directory provides a list of section members with contact information and a list of any other sections or TBA groups to which they belong. This resource provides a great way to connect with like-minded lawyers and cross-reference attorneys well versed in other practice areas as well. View the section directory here.

Polsinelli is seeking a junior to mid-level health care litigation associate in its Nashville or Chattanooga office. The ideal candidate will possess at least two to four years of experience in complex litigation with substantial writing experience, including the drafting of briefs, complaints, pretrial motions, memoranda and discovery requests. Experience in preparing for, taking or defending depositions is a plus, along with familiarity in managed care and reimbursement work, medical malpractice, medical staffing issues, or working with hospitals. Learn about this opening and more from the TBA Career Center.

Dickson Judge Shipp Robbley Weems died Nov. 14, 2025, at age 77. While attending the Nashville YMCA Night Law School (now Nashville School of Law), Weems was a teacher at White Bluff Elementary School. At the age of 29, he became the youngest Dickson city judge of record. In 1986, he established the state's first Public Defender Pilot Program. Following its success, the state adopted the model, leading to the creation of the Public Defender’s Office as it exists today. Weems also served as the elected public defender in Dickson County and surrounding counties for several decades, then served as assistant public defender in Columbia and its surrounding counties until retirement. In 2025, Weems’ daughter established the Weems-Rezapour Family Scholarship for Justice and Public Service in his honor. The scholarship supports high school seniors in Florida (where she lives and practices) who demonstrate integrity, civic engagement and a commitment to careers connected to justice and community leadership. Donations in Weems’ memory can be made here.

MATHIS, Circuit Judge. Progressive Preferred Insurance Company and Progressive Casualty Insurance Company (collectively, “Progressive”) partnered with Circular Board Inc. to administer a grant program. Through that program, they offered $25,000 grants to ten small businesses to help them buy a commercial vehicle. Like most grants, the program had a few eligibility requirements. One was that the small business had to be black owned and operated. Nathan Roberts, who is white, learned about the program and started filling out an online application. But he never applied. He closed the application without submitting it after learning that only black-owned businesses could receive the grants. A few months later, Roberts and his company, Freedom Truck Dispatch LLC (collectively, “Roberts”), filed a putative class-action complaint against Progressive and Circular Board for racially discriminatory grantmaking under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. He sought damages and injunctive relief. The district court dismissed the complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. Roberts now appeals the dismissal of his damages claims only. Because Roberts has failed to show that he has standing to sue Progressive and Circular Board, we affirm.