Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has announced that his office will place a priority on 12 violent crimes in the new year, reports the Commercial Appeal. The offenses include first- and second-degree murder, carjacking, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault while firing a gun, violent sex offenses, aggravated burglary, possession of a firearm by a violent felon, possession of a firearm with a stolen car, possession of a Glock switch, and retail smash and grabs. Mulroy said his office will focus on investigating and expediting processing of these crimes. The office also will argue for court-ordered monitoring if bail is set in any of these cases, and notify victims if the individual commits another crime while out on bail.

The state of Tennessee is suing owners of the cattle farm Browning Land & Cattle Company LLC, accusing them of polluting waterways in Clay County, reports News Channel 9 The suit, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court on Dec. 8, alleges the owners have been illegally operating a 174-acre animal feeding farm with over 8,000 cattle without permits, a violation of the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act. Documents obtained by FOX 17 News allege “dangerously high” levels of E. coli were detected following water sampling inspections one year after the first notice of violation was issued to the farm by the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Nebraska and Kentucky are the latest states to commit to using the updated bar exam for licensing attorneys, reports Reuters. The two states' highest courts said they will begin administering the Next Gen bar exam in July 2027, two testing cycles after the new exam is slated to debut in July 2026. Nine states so far have said they will move to the Next Gen test. The new version will emphasize legal skills and rely less on the memorization of laws. The National Conference of Bar Examiners will stop making the current Uniform Bar Exam available to states in 2028.

Initial funding to plan and construct a mental health facility for current detainees in the Shelby County Jail was approved by the Shelby County Commission on Monday, reports the Commercial Appeal. Commissioner Britney Thornton amended the item to require quarterly reporting on the development of the facility. The estimated cost of the construction cited by commissioners and the administration is over $25 million.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and a bipartisan group of 52 other attorneys general announced a $700 million agreement with Google today in a suit accusing the company of anticompetitive conduct. Google will pay $630 million in restitution, minus costs and fees, to U.S. consumers who made purchases on the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023. Google will pay the states an additional $70 million for sovereign claims. The agreement also requires Google to make its business practices more pro-competitive. Read the full announcement.

Did you miss any of the TBA's substantive law forums this year? You’re in luck! All of them are now available as 1-Click packages, perfect to complete your last minute CLE requirements. Choose from a wide variety of topics including business law, construction law, creditors practice, disability, dispute resolution, estate planning, immigration, IP, litigation, real estate, tort and insurance, and more. Visit our 1-click packages page and find the right package for you!

Tennessee could become the first state to adopt a statewide ban of political flags, including rainbow pride flags and transgender rights flags, in publicly funded schools, should HB1605 become law, the Tennessean reports. “We’re simply trying to remove political statements … so that the school can focus on educating the child, and not getting involved in these kinds of political issues.” said Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, the bill’s sponsor. Other flags that would be impacted by the bill include the Thin Blue Line (a sign of support for law enforcement), Black Lives Matter and the POW/MIA flag.

New data from the American Bar Association shows that racial diversity among first-year law students hit a historic high in the final admissions cycle before a national ban on affirmative action took effect, Reuters reports. The data shows that 40% of this year's class are students of color, up one percentage point from last year. Law schools admitted 37,886 first-year students in law school programs across the country, a slight decrease from 38,060 last year. 

After almost 45 years of law practice as an association of attorneys, Phillips & Ingrum Attorneys at Law has evolved into two separate law firms: The Ingrum Law Firm PLLC and Phillips Ralston. The Ingrum Law Firm remains in its existing downtown office space at 117 East Main St., Gallatin 37066. Firm managing partner C. Jay Ingrum is joined by Haley E. Medley, Erin M. King and Ryan A. Claxton. The firm can be reached at 615-452-6613 or online at www.ingrumlawyers.com. Read the firm's announcement.

The American Bar Association (ABA) Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) will hold a free webinar tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. CST on the topic of “Conservatorships and Guardianships in Medicine and Law.” Organizers say the purpose of the event is to promote literacy among lawyers on issues that intersect with medicine and law. Topics include working with clients with diminished capacity, discharging patients without capacity, and emergency or expedited processes to obtain consent to discharge. Presenters include Amy Willoughby Bryant, a TBA Board of Governors member and co-founder of the Conservatorship Association of Tennessee. Join the webinar at https://americanbar.zoom.us/j/97571474308 with ID number 975 7147 4308. View a flyer for the event.