Newly elected U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps was sworn into office, roughly 36 hours after he won a special election for the District 7 seat according to the Nashville Banner. In a speech on the House floor, Van Epps reiterated his allegiance to President Donald Trump and his policies. Read more from the paper.

JANE B. STRANCH, Circuit Judge. Milder Escobar-Temal is a citizen of Guatemala who came to America unlawfully over a decade ago and resides in Nashville, Tennessee. In October 2022, police found three firearms in Escobar-Temal’s residence, and he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(A), which prohibits unlawfully present individuals from possessing firearms. Escobar-Temal now appeals his conviction, arguing that § 922(g)(5)(A) is unconstitutional facially and as applied to him. For the following reasons, we AFFIRM. 

HERMANDORFER, Circuit Judge. After Dominga Sanik Herrera entered the United States unlawfully, an immigration judge ordered her removed to her native country of Guatemala. Herrera later sought to reopen her removal proceedings on the ground that she lacked notice of the original removal hearing. Herrera’s attempt failed after she did not respond to an IJ’s request for more information about her lack-of-notice claim. Nearly a decade later, in 2020, Herrera re-raised her lack-of-notice argument in a second motion to reopen her removal proceedings. The IJ denied her motion as number barred. The Board of Immigration Appeals agreed and dismissed Herrera’s appeal of the IJ’s decision. It also declined to reopen proceedings sua sponte. Because Herrera failed to exhaust her number-bar challenge, we deny her petition in part. And because we lack jurisdiction over the Board’s decision not to reopen sua sponte, we dismiss her petition in part.

The Defendant, William Goldsberry, Jr., appeals the Henderson County Circuit Court’s revocation of his probation. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion to dismiss the violation of probation warrant due to a violation of his speedy trial rights and by revoking his probation in full, contending that the evidence was insufficient to establish he committed a non-technical violation. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

This appeal involves allegations of the mishandling of a dead human body by the funeral home and cemetery responsible for its final disposition. The decedent’s mother brought tort and breach of contract claims based on her assertion that the decedent’s body had been cremated rather than buried. The trial court granted summary judgment to both defendants on all claims. The mother appeals. We affirm.

December 8, 2025 - December 12, 2025.

On Dec. 15, the Tennessee Supreme Court responded to a petition for reinstatement from Georgia attorney Meredith Gardial noting that she has outstanding requirements with the Board of Professional Responsibility and the Commission on Continuing Legal Education. If these obligations are not satisfied by Jan. 27, 2026, the court said it would dismiss her petition.

On Dec. 4, the Tennessee Supreme Court reinstated Utah attorney Danielle Cristene Droitsch to inactive status noting that all required reinstatement fees and delinquent annual inactive registration fees have been paid to the Board of Professional Responsibility.

The Tennessee Supreme Court recently took action on two reinstatement petitions. On Dec. 10, the court reinstated Sullivan County lawyer Joseph Salvatore Imburgia, who had been on inactive status since Dec. 10, 2019. On Dec. 9, the court reinstated the law license of Georgia attorney Sarah Elaine Willis, who had been on inactive status since July 23, 2019.

Knox County Chancellor John Weaver directed that documents concerning the state’s execution procedures and recent executions be provided immediately to the legal team of Harold Nichols, who was executed Dec. 11. The October lawsuit from Nichols alleges that the Tennessee Department of Correction has refused to release key records. Nichols’ attorneys cite months of unanswered or denied requests. Weaver heard arguments in November and required all contested documents be submitted by Dec. 3. A future hearing will determine whether the records were withheld willfully, WATE reports.