The City of Nashville has sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over recent public health funding cuts, which the city argues are unconstitutional. According to The Tennessean, the lawsuit alleges the cuts were illegal and lacked congressional approval because the funds previously were reviewed and approved by Congress. Nashville joined three other local governments in filing the suit in federal court in Washington, D.C. In March, HHS cut $11 billion in public health funding as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) review effort. The Trump administration characterized the funds as COVID-era relief, but Nashville’s suit contends that Congress repeatedly reviewed and renewed some of the grants well after the peak of the pandemic.

Shelby County lawyer Marti Lee Kaufman received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 25. The court found that Kaufman violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 8.4 while handling two car accident cases and one civil fraud matter. In the first case, Kaufman delayed 17 months in filing a lawsuit against the driver of the other car involved in the accident and then failed to properly serve the defendant. In the second case, Kaufman took no action for 17 months, and then took no further action after filing a complaint. In the third matter, Kaufman was hired to represent a client in a civil fraud matter but failed to take action for 30 months. She ultimately refunded the client’s retainer.

The Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Duncan School of Law will host Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Dwight E. Tarwater as its 2025 commencement speaker on May 8. He will be the first sitting justice to speak at the law school's commencement. Tarwater joined the state’s high court in September 2023 following his nomination by Gov. Bill Lee and confirmation by the Tennessee General Assembly. Tarwater co-founded the Knoxville law firm of Paine Tarwater Bickers LLP and gained national recognition for handling complex litigation in state and federal courts across more than 20 states. “We are honored to have Justice Tarwater speak to our graduates and their families at our upcoming commencement exercises,” said LMU Law Vice President and Dean Matt Lyon in a press release. The law school’s 13th graduating class is the largest in its history.

The Tennessee Board of Parole on Tuesday recommended a pardon for country music star Jelly Roll, a Nashville native who has spoken openly about his criminal record. The board’s unanimous, nonbinding recommendation now leaves the final decision to Gov. Bill Lee. The rapper-turned-country singer is seeking a pardon so he can more easily travel internationally to perform and share his message of redemption, after spending time behind bars as a young person. The Associated Press reports that his most serious convictions include a robbery at age 17 and drug charges at 23. Due to his record, Jelly Roll told the board, it “takes a team of lawyers and a mountain of paperwork” to travel abroad. The board began reviewing his application in October 2024, marking at least five years since his sentence expired. Lee has issued more than 90 pardons since taking office in 2019, all of them since 2021.

Shelby County lawyer Curtis Douglas Johnson received a public censure from the Tennessee Supreme Court on April 24. The court found that Johnson knowingly failed to file fee disclosures required by the federal bankruptcy court, even after being instructed by the court to do so. The Supreme Court also found that Johnson failed to promptly notify his client that he had received and accepted a settlement offer in a wrongful eviction case, and later failed to notify his client that he had received the settlement funds. Johnson then distributed funds held in trust for a different client to the client before her settlement check was deposited and cleared. His actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 1.4, 1.15(a) and (d) and 3.4(c).

Nearly all counties in Tennessee reported unemployment rates below 5% in March, according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Only four of the state’s 95 counties recorded unemployment rates of 5% or higher, with the highest at 5.7%. Unemployment rates decreased from February to March in 70 counties, remained the same in 17, and increased in eight.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on April 24 suspended 11 attorneys for failure to pay the annual registration fee; six 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.

The Shelby County Mental Health Court Foundation will hold an evening of celebration and support on May 2 from 7-9 p.m. at Annesadale Mansion, 1325 Lamar Ave., Memphis 38104. The event is designed to raise awareness and funding for the work of the court. Tickets are available for purchase online. A $100 donation is suggested. Black tie dress is requested. For more information contact Tameria Bowling, 901-482-2426.

Memphis Area Legal Services and the Community Legal Center will hold a free legal clinic tomorrow in Memphis at the Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave., Memphis 38104. The event will run from 10 a.m. to noon CDT. Issues to be handled include debt and bankruptcy, divorce, child support and custody, foreclosure and eviction, expungement, personal injury, disability claims, employee rights, wills and estates and more. View a flyer for the event.

Join the TBA for a webcast on April 29 at noon CDT for a comprehensive update on Nashville’s economic landscape. Lori Odom, senior vice president of economic development with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, will discuss the latest trends and opportunities in international business that are shaping the region's future. Be sure to bring questions for this engaging session focused on the pulse of Nashville’s economy. For more information and to register, visit TBA's website.