The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee will appoint a new full-time magistrate judge upon the retirement of Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes, effective July 31, 2026. Those interested in being considered for the position should request an application form from Chief Deputy Clerk Vicki Kinkade, 719 Church St., Ste. 1300, Nashville 37203 or download from the court’s website. Completed applications should be emailed by close of business on Nov. 14 to magistrate@tnmd.uscourts.gov. Read more about the duties of and qualifications for magistrate judges in an announcement from the court.

On Oct. 7, the Tennessee Supreme Court referred the case of Shelby County lawyer Kevin Eugene Christopher to the Board of Professional Responsibility (BPR). The court reports that Christopher pled guilty to one count of assault, a Class A misdemeanor, in violation of Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39- 13-101, and one count of reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor, in violation of Tenn. Code. Ann. § 39-13-103. He received diversion from the trial court.

The Tennessee Supreme Court disbarred Montgomery County lawyer Joel David Ragland from the practice of law on Oct. 8. The court reports that Ragland consented to the action because he could not successfully defend himself against disciplinary charges. The court found that he misappropriated funds by writing unauthorized checks against his firm’s trust account in violation of Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4.

Completing CLE requirements before Dec. 31 is now easier than ever with new packages from the TBA. The “CLE Made Easy Series” offers curated packages based on hours needed or special interest topics. Credit hour packages include 15, 12, 10 and eight-hour offerings. Topical options include 15 hours for solo and small practice lawyers, eight hours from the TBA’s 2025 Convention and six hours from the Young Lawyers Division’s Rookie Series. Looking for ethics hours? Two three-hour packages also are available. Don’t see what you are looking for in the new offerings? Check out the more than 100 on-demand programs and upcoming live programs in the TBA's online course catalog.

State Rep. Justin J. Pearson is planning to challenge long-time incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District, according to the Commercial Appeal. Cohen has held the seat — which encompasses most of Memphis and some of its suburbs — since 2007. The Democratic primary for the seat will be held in August 2026, followed by a general election in November 2026. "The status quo is not working for us," Pearson said in an interview ahead of the announcement. "I think that we will be the strongest candidate in the race. We have the right vision, the right ideas, the right goals and visions” for the district. According to The Tennessee Journal, Pearson plans to run for re-election to his state House seat while challenging Cohen. Read more about his campaign.

Cincinnati-based Frost Brown Todd (FBT), with offices in Nashville, is merging with New Jersey law firm Gibbons to create FBT Gibbons LLP. The combination, effective Jan. 1, 2026, will create a mid-market firm with approximately 800 attorneys in 25 offices. FBT Chair Robert Sartin, based in Nashville, will serve as chair of the new firm. According to a press release, the merger will deliver “synergies in key industries of strategic focus” — including finance, manufacturing and energy — and “drive growth in corporate and transactional work.” FBT says its clients will benefit from Gibbons’s litigation practice.

Over the past two months, members of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) have been visiting law schools across the state. Alex Bunn, Cole Harrell-Morris and Jennifer Sneed joined together for a final stop at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Students were encouraged to apply to the YLD's new Rural Judicial Fellowship program and the award-winning DLI program, as well as to reach out to members of the TBA while still in law school. Memphis Law student Divine Dent, a graduate of the DLI Class of 2025, also participated and shared her experience with the program. See photos from the day.

READLER, Circuit Judge. The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association and several individual members (together “the Farmers”) sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture, challenging the agency’s policy of disallowing applications to one of its programs filed on behalf of deceased relatives, which the Farmers wished to do here. The district court dismissed their lawsuit, holding that the relevant statute required the USDA to accept applications from living farmers only. We agree, and thus affirm the district court.

LARSEN, Circuit Judge. Outdoor One Communications LLC (Outdoor) applied for a permit to put up a billboard in Canton Township, Michigan. Canton denied the application because the proposed sign violated the local sign ordinance’s height and size restrictions. Outdoor then challenged Canton’s sign ordinance in federal court on various First Amendment grounds, including that the ordinance was an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech. The district court denied Outdoor’s claims for lack of standing, and this court affirmed. Outdoor has since filed another suit, once again alleging that the ordinance acts as a prior restraint. The district court determined that res judicata precluded the action and dismissed it. Because issue preclusion bars only part of the claim, and Outdoor has otherwise alleged standing, we AFFIRM in part, VACATE in part, and REMAND for further proceedings.

The Petitioner, Rodney Miller, appeals from the order of the Shelby County Criminal Court denying his petition seeking post-conviction relief from his convictions of rape of a child, aggravated statutory rape, and aggravated sexual battery. On appeal, the Petitioner initially argues that the order of the post-conviction court is insufficient for appellate review. He further claims that each of his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance in failing to object to the State’s improper voir dire, in failing to effectively cross-examine the victim at trial, and in failing to adequately advise the Petitioner of his right to testify. Finally, the Petitioner asserts that the cumulative effect of trial counsels’ deficiencies deprived him of his right to a fair trial.1 After review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.