U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, on Tuesday introduced a bill that would modify existing immigration law to make individuals ineligible for entry if they intend to come to the United States for the purpose of giving birth to obtain citizenship for their child. “Foreign nationals have been exploiting our nation’s immigration laws for far too long, taking advantage of the system to come to the United States for the sole purpose of giving birth to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children,” Blackburn said in a press release. Blackburn’s bill, called the Ban Birth Tourism Act, comes just after the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments related to former President Donald Trump’s executive order that aimed to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States without at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.

Stand for Children Tennessee and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) submitted public records requests following the U.S. Department of Justice’s closure of its investigation into the Memphis Police Department earlier this week. According to The Commercial Appeal, the move is part of an effort underway in seven states where the DOJ previously found patterns of civil rights violations but did not secure consent decrees. The public records requests from Stand for Children and the ACLU seek response-to-resistance forms and internal investigation documents dating back to the release of the DOJ’s report. The groups are also requesting policies that were in effect prior to the beating of Tyre Nichols. Similar requests have been filed in Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, Mississippi, Minnesota and Kentucky.

Gov. Bill Lee has signed Tennessee’s $59.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 into law. The spending plan passed with bipartisan support and includes the reallocation of approximately $180 million from the governor’s proposed budget amendment to fund legislative priorities. It also provides an additional $17 million to support the state’s new Plan for Indigent Representation, aimed at improving the legal defense system for Tennesseans who cannot afford an attorney.

Mark your calendars for June 25 for the Dispute Resolution Section's Arbitration & Independent Legal Research webcast. Gail Vaughn Ashworth and Christopher Sabis will present this one hour CLE beginning at 11 a.m. CDT. Get more information and register here.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications to fill vacancies in the 30th Judicial District for a circuit court judge and a criminal court judge, following the elevation of Judge Valerie L. Smith to the appellate bench and the retirement of Judge Paula L. Skahan on June 30. Applicants must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee, be at least 30 years old, have been a state resident for at least five years and reside in the judicial district. Public hearings for the positions will be held July 16 and 17 at 9 a.m. CDT in the Historic Courtroom, Room 325, at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St., Memphis 38103. Applications must be received by the Administrative Office of the Courts by June 13 at noon. For more information, contact Assistant General Counsel John Jefferson.

Hamilton County Attorney Rheubin M. Taylor has been named the 2025 County Attorney of the Year by the Tennessee County Attorney Association. The award recognizes Taylor’s leadership, dedication to public service and legal contributions to Hamilton County and the state. He has served as the county’s chief legal advisor since 1994, with expertise in government law, ethical governance and litigation. “Rheubin Taylor embodies the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in county government,” TCAA President Andrew E. Mills said. “His legal acumen and unwavering service have made a lasting impact not only in Hamilton County but across Tennessee.” The TCAA supports county attorneys statewide through education, resources and advocacy to promote effective local governance.

A number of lawyers have been reinstated after being suspended for administrative violations. Seven lawyers have been reinstated after completing required continuing legal education hours (four were suspended in 2024, one in 2023, one in 2022 and one in 2020). In addition, 18 lawyers have been reinstated after paying their annual registration fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility (15 were suspended in 2025, one in 2024, one in 2022 and one in 2020). And 14 lawyers have been reinstated after paying their annual fee to the Board of Professional Responsibility (nine were suspended in 2025, two in 2024, one in 2023, one in 2019 and one in 2009. The TBA has records of all administrative suspensions and reinstatements going back to 2005. See all lists here.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on May 21 suspended 17 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; 11 of them also failed to file proof that client funds are held in an IOLTA-compliant account. View the fee suspension order and IOLTA suspension order. See the list of all lawyers suspended and reinstated for fee and IOLTA violations in 2025 or access all administrative suspensions dating back to 2005.

Gain fast and easy access to annual updates with TBA's 1-Click options. Each package is listed by practice area. Updates included best practices, legislation, ethical considerations and practice tips.

The state of Tennessee has executed Oscar Franklin Smith. He was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. Thursday at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, the Nashville Banner reports. It was the first execution to be performed in the state since 2020, and was the first use of a single dose of the drug pentobarbital. In a final statement, Smith spoke out against the governor and the justice system. "Somebody needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work," he said in part, according to a witness. Smith was sentenced to death for the 1989 killings of his estranged wife and her two teenage sons. The victims' family thanked law enforcement, investigators and the judicial system at a news conference after the execution. The Tennessean has additional photos from the remarks. Earlier this week, Gov. Bill Lee declined to issue a stay of the execution.