The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday it will not pursue criminal charges against General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer following an October dispute with Shelby County sheriff’s deputies. Deputies and Sawyer clashed verbally over whether her private security guard could carry a firearm inside the D’Army Bailey Shelby County Courthouse, according to the Daily Memphian. Video of the encounter circulated on social media, prompting calls for Sawyer’s resignation from Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Eads, and other Memphis leaders. Taylor alleged Sawyer tried to facilitate bringing a gun into the courthouse, while Sawyer said her security guard had previously been allowed inside with a permitted weapon. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office conducted its own review before referring the matter to District Attorney General Steve Mulroy. “There is simply no evidence that Clerk Sawyer solicited, aided or directed her security guard to bypass courthouse security,” the DA’s office said in a statement.

Tennessee death row inmate Harold Wayne Nichols was executed by lethal injection Dec. 11 at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, The Tennessean reports. Nichols was pronounced dead at 10:39 a.m. CST. He had been on death row for 35 years and was sentenced to death for the beating and rape of 20-year-old Karen Pulley in Chattanooga. Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday he would not halt the execution after Nichols requested clemency. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals also denied two of Nichols’ motions. The state executed Oscar Smith in May and Byron Black in October. In March, nine men on death row, including Smith and Black, filed a lawsuit challenging the use of pentobarbital in Tennessee’s new lethal injection protocol citing the "risk of tortuous death."

Virginia and Tennessee will begin restricting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases of sugary drinks in 2026. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, joined by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced the approval of six new state SNAP food-choice waivers under the Make America Healthy Again initiative, WCYB reports. Hawai'i, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee submitted waivers that will amend the statutory definition of “food for purchase” beginning in 2026. In Tennessee, the restrictions will include processed foods and beverages such as soda, energy drinks and candy. “The Trump administration’s leadership to create innovative, responsible solutions that strengthen families and improve health outcomes will have a lasting impact on Tennesseans for generations to come,” Gov. Bill Lee said.

The confirmation vote for former Nashville auto executive Lee Beaman to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board has been delayed, the Tennessee Lookout reports. The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works planned to advance Beaman’s nomination but removed it from the agenda on Wednesday after questions arose about his Washington, D.C. properties and his ties to Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles. Beaman told senators he purchased two D.C.-area rowhouses through Crockett Ventures and leased them to the nonprofit Ambassador Services International for $1 per year. The nonprofit is run by Beaman's pastor, Steve Berger. Several lawmakers are believed to be living in the properties, and Democratic senators voiced concerns of a potential conflict of interest for Beaman. Beaman told the committee he has no control over the nonprofit or its subleases, and is not involved in the organization's operations. Beaman briefly served as Ogles’ campaign treasurer in 2022.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate remained at 3.6% in September, according to the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The release of the data was delayed because the federal government shutdown affected the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s seasonally adjusted rate was unchanged from August, while the U.S. rate was 4.4%, eight-tenths of a point higher than Tennessee’s. Total nonfarm employment increased by 3,400 jobs over the month, led by gains in accommodation and food services, durable goods manufacturing and government.

The TBA will host “Justice Outside the Courtroom: Evaluating Arbitration in Family Law Disputes” on Dec. 18 from 11 a.m. to noon CST, a webcast examining whether the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act offers sufficient protections for families navigating divorce, parenting issues and other domestic matters. The program will explore gaps in confidentiality rules, child-centered standards, judicial review and enforceability, while comparing practices in states with specialized family arbitration statutes. Speakers include Rebecca Ketchie, Amy Amundsen, Chancellor Kasey Culbreath, Leslie Gattas, Professor Becky Jacobs and Carolyn Zack. For more information and to register, visit the TBA website.

The TBA's Year End CLE Event includes a Mediation Package featuring seven total credit hours, including three dual and four general, with programs covering mediation ethics, dispute resolution updates, family law consultations, divorce and tax issues and more. The package includes courses such as “Mediation Ethics – The Ethics of Rule 31,” “The Art of the Family Law Consultation” and “Divorce & Taxes,” with registrants seeking CME credit able to self-submit through the AOC’s ADR Portal using their proof of completion. Check out the specific courses included on the TBA website. Looking for something else? TBA also has six, eight, 10, 12 and 15-hour packages based on specific topics or practice areas, live webcasts and on-demand video all month long. Explore all the Year End options to complete your CLE requirement by Dec. 31.

The TBA has announced that open enrollment for its group health insurance has been extended to Dec. 15. Due to strong enrollment, member interest and requests for additional time to review coverage options, TBA Member Insurance Solutions has negotiated a one-time extension. After Dec. 15, enrollment will be closed until Fall 2026. The plan, offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, is available exclusively to TBA members and offers guaranteed issue coverage with no health questions or pre-existing condition exclusions. For rates, plan details and enrollment information, visit the TBA website.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Dec. 10 rejected two constitutional challenges to the state’s 2022 redistricting of legislative districts. A challenge from Gibson County voter Gary Wygant claimed the new House map was unconstitutional because it split the county into two districts, while a challenge from Davidson County voter Francie Hunt claimed the Senate map was unconstitutional because it did not consecutively number the county’s four districts for that body. During trial, the state argued that the challengers had limited or no standing to sue.

The three-judge panel issued a divided opinion holding that: (1) Wygant had standing to bring a district-specific challenge to the House plan; (2) the House plan was constitutional; (3) Hunt had standing to challenge the Senate plan; and (4) the Senate plan was unconstitutional. The panel dismissed Wygant’s challenge to the House plan with prejudice. The panel entered judgment for Hunt as to the Senate plan and ordered the General Assembly to adopt a constitutionally compliant Senate plan by Jan. 31, 2024.

The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part. It affirmed the trial court’s judgment rejecting Wygant’s district-specific challenge on the merits, reversed the judgment concluding that Hunt had standing, and vacated the judgment holding the Senate map unconstitutional. Read more about the decision in a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts or view the opinions in the case.

Two Tennessee Bar Association programs were named the best in the state by the Tennessee Society of Association Executives (TNSAE) at a luncheon and awards ceremony in Franklin. TBA staff were on hand to accept the awards. The TBA's indigent representation education campaign won in the "Associations Impacting Tennessee" category, which recognizes programs that provide community assistance or respond to a community need. Over the course of six months, the TBA launched an intensive campaign to educate lawmakers and the legal community about a new approach to providing free legal services to the indigent. The effort resulted in the General Assembly adopting a new system to improve representation for needy Tennesseans. The TBA also won in the "Best Continuing Education Program" category for its Murder Mystery CLE. The program, sponsored by the Criminal Justice Section, blended education and entertainment in a truly innovative way by immersing participants in a 1920s investigation and using real Tennessee criminal laws to solve a fictional case. Held in person last May, it delivered hands-on learning, collaboration and engagement. Congratulations to all TBA members and staff who were involved in advancing these programs! See photos from the ceremony.