NEWS SUMMARY

	Chief Justice Holder talks to legislative interns. Click here to read more.
	Speaker of the House Kent Williams has appointed Olen G. Haynes to the Tennessee Judicial Nominating Commission. Click here to read more.
	The Court of the Judiciary is seeking applicants for its chief disciplinary counsel position. For more information, click here.
	The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission has released its formal evaluations today for Supreme Justice Sharon Lee and Court of Appeals Judge John McClarty. Click here to read more.
More News:	Judicial Nominating Commission recommends three to Governor for Hamilton County vacancy. RFP for Appellate Case Management amended by AOC. Click here to view previous press releases

Chief Justice Holder Speaks to Legislative Interns
March 12, 2010

Chief Justice Janice Holder spoke with legislative interns Friday about her experience as a Supreme Court justice. The legislative interns previously watched oral arguments before the Supreme Court and came armed with questions about appellate procedure, the court system structure and the process for judicial appointments and elections.

When asked why she wanted to become a judge, Holder replied, "I thought it would be fun, and it has been."

"I'm blessed to work with wonderful, smart people every day," said Holder.

SPEAKER KENT WILLIAMS APPOINTS OLEN G. HAYNES, SR. TO THE TENNESSEE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

Speaker of the House Kent Williams (Carter County Republican – Elizabethton) has appointed Olen G. Haynes, Sr. of Washington County as a member of the Tennessee Judicial Nominating Commission.

“Olen brings a wealth of experience that will make him an asset to the Judicial Nominating Commission”, said Speaker Kent Williams. “He is well respected in our area and I am confident he will serve our state well”.

Mr. Haynes has been a leader in the community for over 60 years. He attended East Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is currently a partner in the law firm of Arnold, Haynes & Sanders and has practiced law for over 40 years. His areas of practice include personal injury, eminent domain, medical malpractice, product liability, aviation law, domestic relations and criminal law. Haynes’ dedication to the community and knowledge of the judicial system will serve him well during his time on the Judicial Nominating Commission.

The purpose of the Judicial Nominating Commission is to assist Governor Bredesen in finding and appointing the best qualified persons for service on the appellate courts of the state, nominating for the trial courts, and to assist the electorate of the state in electing the best qualified persons to the courts. The Judicial Nominating Commission is also responsible for making the courts less political and keeping political pressures away from the judicial system.

This appointment was made in accordance with T.C.A. Section 17-4-102.

Court of Judiciary Seeks New Disciplinary Counsel
March 8, 2010

Nashville, Tenn. – The Court of the Judiciary, the body charged with overseeing the ethical conduct of judges, is seeking applicants for its chief disciplinary counsel position.

Steve Daniel, who currently holds the position, will be stepping down as chief disciplinary counsel when his contract ends on June 30, 2010. Daniel has also agreed to stay in this role to complete his pending cases before the Court of the Judiciary.

“We are grateful for Steve Daniel’s diligent efforts to further the ethical conduct of judges in Tennessee,” said Don Ash, presiding judge of the Court of the Judiciary. “We commend his steadfast commitment to judicial excellence and we wish him great success as he pursues other interests.”

The chief disciplinary counsel is responsible for reviewing and screening complaints against judges, conducting preliminary and full investigations of judges, making recommendations to the Court’s investigative panel and prosecuting formal charges. The chief disciplinary counsel is not a state employee, but rather a contractor who is appointed by the Court of the Judiciary.

Applicants must be licensed attorneys who have practiced law for at least 10 years. Interested applicants must submit a resume, cover letter and writing sample by Friday, April 9. The job description and application instructions are available on our web site, here.

Judicial Performance Evaluations Released for Lee, McClarty
March 4, 2010

Nashville, Tenn. – The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission has released its formal evaluations today for Supreme Justice Sharon Lee and Court of Appeals Judge John McClarty, who stand for election in August. The Commission unanimously voted to recommend both Lee and McClarty for retention. The full evaluation report can be found online here.

The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which is made up of lawyers, non-lawyers and state trial court judges, is charged with evaluating the performance of appellate judges who seek election. The evaluation process is geared to help inform the public about the performance of appellate court judges prior to the election, while also encouraging the self-improvement of judges.

As part of the evaluation process, attorneys, court personnel, trial court judges and appellate court judges completed an anonymous survey about each judge. The survey contained questions about oral argument, written opinions, administrative performance and general performance.

In developing its recommendations, the Commission reviewed the survey results and also conducted formal individual interviews with the appellate judges to discuss their judicial performance. The Commission’s report reflects an overview of both the survey results and of the interview with the judge.

In addition to posting its recommendations online, the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission will also publish its full report in Tennessee newspapers prior to the August election. Click here to see the report.

Judicial Nominating Commission Recommends
Candidates for Judicial Vacancy in Hamilton County

Nashville, Tenn. – The Judicial Nominating Commission met in Chattanooga today to review the 11 applicants for the judicial vacancy in the 11th Judicial District created by the impending retirement of Chancellor Howell Peoples. After holding a public hearing and interview for each applicant, the Judicial Nominating Commission has recommended the following three candidates to Governor Phil Bredesen:

Jeffrey Michael Atherton
Attorney, Burnett, Dobson, Pinchak
Harrison, Tenn.

Arthur C. Grisham
Attorney
Chattanooga, Tenn.

Joe E. Manuel
Attorney
Hixson, Tenn.

The governor may now appoint one of these candidates.

AOC Releases RFP for Case Management System
August 13, 2009
Evaluation Notice Posted December 4, 2009

The State of Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts has developed additional amendments to its RFP for an Appellate Court Case Management system. The RFP and its associated documents can be downloaded from this web site.

The general services solicited are as follows:

The State intends to secure a contract for software, customization, installation, training, and software support for an Appellate Court Case Management system. The agency involved in this procurement is seeking a proven solution that has successfully been implemented in similar environments.

Click here to see the RFP and associated documents.

The Tennessee Court System provides this site as a public service, offering convenient public access to court reports, court information, and employment opportunities in the court system, as well as Tennessee Appellate Court opinions. Information posted on this site is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed.