A federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s ban on religious charter schools will move forward after U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. denied a motion by the Knox County Board of Education to dismiss the case, according to Chalkbeat Tennessee. The lawsuit was filed by Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville after the board requested assurance that the proposed charter school would operate as a nonreligious institution in compliance with state law. Atchley ruled that the academy was not required to submit a formal charter application before challenging what it argues is an unconstitutional barrier to applying. A trial is scheduled for January 2027. Other parties, including parents and charter school officials, argue opening the door to religious charter schools will result in charter schools being “classified and treated as private schools,” and effect Tennessee’s public school funding formula and disability protections.

U.S. law schools are seeing a sharp drop in international applications for their in-person ​Master of Laws (LL.M) programs, with the overall pool down 14% from last year, according to Reuters. Applications from China and India — which produce the biggest cohorts of LL.M. students in the U.S. — fell 21% and 23%, respectively. Admission officers and professors suggest the federal administration’s immigration crackdown, visa uncertainty and growing competition from cheaper LL.M. programs abroad as key factors driving the decline. The shrinking LL.M. ​figures reflect a broader decline in foreign students pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S., data shows. International graduate student enrollment was down 12% nationwide in the fall of 2025, amid a 1% reduction in international students overall.

Just in time for Juneteenth celebrations, the National Museum of African American Music has launched Black Music Month 2026, a monthlong celebration marking both Black Music Month and the museum’s fifth anniversary. Held throughout June in downtown Nashville, the celebration features more than 15 events, including artist conversations, live podcast recordings, exhibitions, film screenings, community programs and industry gatherings. This year’s theme is “The Soundtrack Continues — 250 years in the making. Five years in the telling. Far from finished,” which honors the ongoing influence of Black music on American culture. Read more about the events throughout the month on the Music Row website.

Attorneys can learn how to use artificial intelligence (AI) more effectively in legal writing during a webcast on June 24 from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The program will explore practical strategies for using AI to improve drafts, identify typos and ambiguity, test legal reasoning, monitor tone and streamline the editing process without sacrificing accuracy or professional judgment. The session also will examine effective prompting techniques, common pitfalls that can make AI-generated writing less efficient and ways lawyers can balance AI's capabilities with the human judgment required for effective legal communication. Visit the TBA website for more information and to register. 

The TBA will be closed on Monday following this week's Annual Convention. The office will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m. CDT. Visit the TBA website for information on CLE or other TBA programs and for staff contact information.

Memphis attorney Charlotte Knight Griffin was sworn in today as the 146th president of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA). The oath of office was administered by former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page during the TBA’s Annual Lawyers Luncheon. Knight Griffin began her career in private practice in Memphis after earning her law degree from the University of Tennessee (now Winston) College of Law. She joined Memphis Light, Gas and Water as a staff attorney in 1978 and was named the manager of legal services in 2000. She retired in April 2023 after 45 years of service. Knight Griffin has been active in the TBA for many years, most recently serving as president-elect, vice president, speaker of the House of Delegates and a member of the Board of Governors. She has been involved in legal organizations at the local, state and national levels and is a fellow in the Tennessee, Memphis and American bar foundations.

During remarks following the swearing in, Knight Griffin spoke of her Memphis roots and pride in a profession that opens the doors of justice for all. During her year in office, Knight Griffin said she will focus on public education and access to justice initiatives, specifically increasing the involvement of senior and retired lawyers in pro bono representation. She also encouraged local bar associations, legal aid groups and courts to work with TBA to expand the state’s existing Pro Bono Emeritus Attorney Program. Finally, she announced a CLE Abroad trip to Sicily in April 2027. Several awards also were presented during the luncheon, and multiple lawyers were honored for their service to the TBA and the legal profession. Missed the luncheon? Watch it on TBA's YouTube channel.

Other events held today included the TBA Board of Governor's first meeting of the 2026-2027 bar year, the 2026 Leadership Law class' final program, the Young Lawyers Division's (YLD) Annual Meeting and two final CLE programs on wellness and time management. The Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (TLAW) also held its Annual Meeting and the Tennessee Alliance for Black Lawyers (TABL) concluded its meetings of the week. The YLD will continue its meetings tomorrow, beginning with a wellness walk open to all at 7:30 a.m. EDT.

A homeowner brought suit against the owner of the house next door, asserting a claim for breach of a joint driveway agreement and an alternative action for a declaratory judgment that the neighbor had abandoned the easement created by the driveway agreement. The neighbor filed counterclaims for a declaratory judgment, trespass, and an alternative claim for rescission for failure of consideration. After a trial, the trial court entered a final order determining the boundaries of the easement established by the driveway agreement; the court rejected the plaintiff’s claims for breach of the easement and abandonment as well as the defendant’s claim for trespass. On appeal, the plaintiff argues that the trial court erred in its rulings regarding the boundaries of the easement, its denial of her claims for breach of the easement and abandonment, and in its award of discretionary costs to the defendant. We find no error and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

In this termination action, the trial court terminated the father’s parental rights to his minor child based upon two statutory grounds, finding that those grounds had been proven by clear and convincing evidence. The court also found by clear and convincing evidence that termination of the father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. The father has appealed. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

In this termination action, the trial court terminated the father’s parental rights to his minor child based upon two statutory grounds, finding that those grounds had been proven by clear and convincing evidence. The court also found by clear and convincing evidence that termination of the father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. The father has appealed. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

A federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new congressional map was voluntarily dismissed Tuesday after plaintiffs failed to obtain a temporary injunction in May, the Daily Memphian reports. The suit was filed by a coalition of Democratic voters and congressional candidates, including state Rep. Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who argued the map was enacted too close to the August primary elections to be properly implemented. The case was dismissed at the request of the plaintiffs. Separate lawsuits brought by the ACLU of Tennessee and the NAACP State Conference of Tennessee, which challenge the map on the grounds that it violates the 14th and 15th Amendments by diluting Black voting strength, remain pending.