Candidates who passed the February bar exam, along with others, were sworn in during a ceremony in Knoxville on Monday.  Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight E. Tarwater presided over the ceremony. See photos from the event here.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) crime lab in Jackson will dedicate two scientists to DNA and ballistics testing exclusively for the Memphis Police Department. Memphis City Council member Philip Spinosa and Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, announced the agreement Tuesday. According to the Daily Memphian, the city will fund both positions, and the arrangement will remain in place until the city or county proceeds with building an independent crime lab. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told the news outlet he is still pursuing a local crime lab independent of the TBI. Harris and District Attorney General Steve Mulroy estimate the annual cost of that operation to be $5.5 million.

Gov. Bill Lee has signed an executive order aimed at expanding Tennessee’s workforce development, particularly in high-growth industries. Executive Order 109 designates the Tennessee State Workforce Development Board as the central leadership for the state’s broader workforce agenda, according to Fox 17. The order calls for leveraging technology and employer partnerships to personalize career pathways, promote continuous innovation and maximize public return on investment. “As companies continue to invest in Tennessee and create high-quality jobs, continued coordination across state government and public-private partnerships will be necessary to unlock our full economic potential and create greater opportunity for all Tennesseans to thrive," Lee said. The signing ceremony took place in Knoxville.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission met in Hohenwald to select nominees for a circuit court judge in the 32nd Judicial District, which includes Hickman, Lewis and Perry counties. Following a public hearing and interviews, the commission selected three nominees to forward to Gov. Bill Lee for consideration: William K. Lane III, Patricia W. Holder and Jack B.D. Heath. Read more about the nominees in their applications on the Administrative Office of the Court's website.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit today against the U.S. Department of Education and its Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) program. The lawsuit challenges the program’s eligibility criteria, which limits access to federal funding for needy students to colleges and universities where at least 25% of the undergraduate full-time equivalent student body is Hispanic. The plaintiffs argue that HSI program’s requirement is unconstitutional and are asking the court to strike down the enrollment-based limitation on access to grants.

DAVIS, Circuit Judge. Irene Michelle Fike appeals from the district court’s restitution award to the victim that Fike defrauded. She asks that we vacate the district court’s inclusion of prejudgment interest in that award. Fike argues that the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act of 1996, 18 U.S.C. § 3663A, does not permit courts to add interest as part of an award compensating a victim’s losses, and what’s more, the district court did not have a sufficient basis for calculating the interest awarded here. Because the district court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm.

A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tennessee, aims to increase transparency at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by requiring nearly all board and committee meetings to be public, with at least one week’s notice. The legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support, would amend the TVA Act of 1933 and includes exceptions for emergencies and sensitive competitive information. Burchett argues the change is necessary to restore public trust, while TVA maintains it already meets transparency standards and welcomes further input. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has the story. The Trump administration fired one TVA board member in March and fired the TVA chair in April.

Ozone pollution levels in Memphis and surrounding areas have exceeded national health standards for the past two years, prompting environmental groups to petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for stricter regulatory enforcement. The Southern Environmental Law Center and local partners argue that local and state agencies have failed to adequately reduce emissions, leaving vulnerable communities — particularly in South Memphis — exposed to harmful air quality. The Tennessee Lookout reports that four out of five regional air monitors now exceed federal ozone limits, but South Memphis still lacks a monitor despite its industrial growth and historical pollution concerns. The EPA is being urged to formally recognize the region’s noncompliance, which could lead to tougher permit requirements for polluting facilities.

Joshua J. Smith, a Knoxville businessman and prison reform advocate pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2021, has been appointed deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons — the first formerly incarcerated person to hold such a leadership role. Smith served five years in prison for federal drug convictions and went on to become a successful entrepreneur and founder of the Fourth Purpose Foundation, which focuses on prison reform. The Tennessean reports that his appointment has been praised for bringing a unique perspective shaped by lived experience, with priorities including supporting correctional staff and improving reentry programs. Gov. Bill Lee named Smith to the Tennessee Criminal Justice Investment Task Force in 2019, supported Smith’s pardon and expressed confidence in his ability to serve the nation effectively.

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