Just days after retiring from a long legal and judicial career, Justice E. Riley Anderson will don his robe and sit with the Tennessee Supreme Court in Knoxville to hear 11 cases, including arguments concerning the validity of the Knox County Charter.
“Because we have only four members of the court right now, rather than a full five-member court, we asked Justice Anderson if he would be willing to take part in the cases we have before us on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7,” Chief Justice William M. Barker said. “Even though he will have been retired for less than a week, he graciously agreed to be designated as a special judge.”
The Supreme Court docket will be the first one for Judge Gary R. Wade, who was appointed by Gov. Phil Bredesen. Wade, of Sevierville, will be sworn in Sept. 1 as a member of the Supreme Court. He is presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Aug. 31 retirements of Anderson and Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., of Nashville, left the court with two vacancies, one of which will be filled by Wade. The state Judicial Selection Commission will meet Sept. 5 to conduct a public hearing and recommend three applicants to the governor for his consideration to fill the remaining position.
Anderson was a member of the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1990 until his retirement. He previously served on the Court of Appeals and was in the private practice of law in Oak Ridge for nearly three decades.