Melissa Stewart works as a civil rights attorney fighting to uphold the rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution. Her areas of practice primarily focus on the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, especially as they relate to LGBTQ+ rights, jail and prison conditions, and police misconduct. She also litigates under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. She has led the litigation challenging unconstitutional drag ban laws in Tennessee and Florida and has briefed and argued appeals in the Sixth and Eleventh Circuits. She has spoken about the First Amendment at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Minnesota Law School, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Melissa is licensed in Tennessee and is admitted to federal courts in Tennessee, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Wyoming, and Illinois, as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits.
Practice Areas:
- Section 1983 Civil Rights
- Constitutional Law – First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, especially as they relate to LGBTQ+ rights, jail and prison conditions, and police misconduct.
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Trafficking Victims Protection Act
- State and federal Appellate Litigation
- General Civil Litigation.
Education:
- Mount Holyoke College – B.A. (2019)
- Duke Law School – J.D. (2022)
Court Admissions:
- Tennessee State Courts
- Tennessee Federal Court – Western, Middle and Eastern Districts
- ArkansasFederal Court – Western and Eastern Districts
- Colorado Federal Court
- Florida Federal Court – Middle District
- Wyoming Federal Court
- Illinois Federal Court – Southern District
- U.S. Court of Appeals – Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals – Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals – Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals – Eleventh Circuit
Personal:
In her spare time, Melissa enjoys reading and writing fiction, boxing, and listening to Taylor Swift.
