{
  "id": 12416545,
  "title": "Every Active Federal Judge in Nashville Recuses From Jack Smith Case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/every-active-federal-judge-in-nashville-recuses-from-jack-smith-case",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T16:18:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/every-active-federal-judge-in-nashville-recuses-from-jack-smith-case-12530381"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "All four active U.S. district judges in Middle Tennessee have stepped aside from a lawsuit filed by Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn against former special counsel Jack Smith. Blackburn initiated the case on September 30 over Smith's investigation, known as Arctic Frost, which sought her phone records. Blackburn claims the records violated her constitutional rights, while Smith says they did not contain call content and followed Justice Department protocols. The October 5 order in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee confirms the recusals, stating that judges from outside the district will now oversee the case. No reason for the recusals was provided in the order, and it does not indicate any personal bias or conflict of interest for the remaining judges. The judges are appointed by Presidents Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. The lawsuit seeks to hold Smith accountable, challenge his appointment, and seek declarations that his actions were unlawful.",
  "summary": "Blackburn filed the lawsuit on September 30 over Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.",
  "key_points": [
    "All four Middle Tennessee district judges recuse from Jack Smith case",
    "Blackburn sues Smith over Arctic Frost investigation of her phone records",
    "Federal judges from outside district oversee case"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}