[3] On January 3, 2018, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.

[4] On January 5, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to renominate Richardson to a federal judgeship.

Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cty., Judge Richardson ruled in favor of a former dispatcher working in the Emergency Communication Center of the city of Nashville, Tennessee who had posted to Facebook a comment reading: "Thank god we have more America loving rednecks.

Judge Richardson found that the plaintiff had a free speech right under the First Amendment to make such a post that outweighed any damage to the functioning of the Emergency Communication Center or the public trust in it.

[10][11] On June 28, 2023, in the 2023 case LW v Skremetti, Richardson granted a preliminary statewide injunction against parts of the Tennessee's gender-affirming care ban that outlawed puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth.