News
April 17, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider four candidates when it meets on May 21 in Cookeville to select nominees for the criminal court judge vacancy in the 13th Judicial District, which covers Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties. This vacancy was created…
April 16, 2019
The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury issued the FY 2017-18 Tennessee Judicial Weighted Caseload Study in April 2019. The state has an estimated net deficit of 6.51 full-time equivalent judges. In the previous year, there was a deficit of 9.76 judges across the state and four judicial positions…
April 10, 2019
The Advisory Task Force on Composition of Judicial Districts will hold a public hearing in Jackson on Monday, April 15 to receive comments from those interested in sharing their thoughts on judicial districts in Tennessee. The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. at the Madison County…
April 9, 2019
Longtime Nashville litigator Patricia Head Moskal was recently sworn in as the newest chancellor on the 20th Judicial District Chancery Court during a ceremony at the Metropolitan Courthouse in Nashville. In January, Governor Bill Haslam appointed Chancellor Moskal to the position on the court,…
April 3, 2019
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is accepting applications for a Criminal Court Judge in the 13th Judicial District, which covers Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties. This vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of the Honorable David A. Patterson, who…
February 8, 2019
Twelfth Judicial District Chancellor Jeff Stewart retired in 2018 after nearly 30 years on the bench serving the people of Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie Counties.In honor of Chancellor Stewart’s many years of service, friends, family members, fellow judges, and other…
January 17, 2019
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has appointed Patricia Head Moskal of Nashville as Chancellor of the Chancery Court for the 20th Judicial District, which serves Davidson County. Moskal replaces Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman, who retired earlier this month. Moskal, 64, has practiced law in…
January 17, 2019
Davidson County Chancellor Claudia C. Bonnyman was celebrated for her many years of public service by colleagues, friends, and family at a retirement reception held Tuesday at the Metropolitan Courthouse in Nashville.Chancellor Bonnyman served on the Davidson County Chancery Court for 15 years;…
January 4, 2019
The Knoxville Bar Association bestowed awards on two East Tennessee judges at its recent annual meeting. Sixth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Deborah C. Stevens was given the Presidents’ Award in recognition of her longtime service on the KBA’s Diversity in Profession Committee, while…
December 17, 2018
Two judges who have been leaders in the struggle to rescue lives and communities affected by substance abuse were among the honorees at the Tennessee Association of Recovery Court Professionals’ 14th Annual Recovery Court Conference, held recently in Murfreesboro. Eighth Judicial District Criminal…
December 5, 2018
Sixth Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Steven W. Sword was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, King University.Judge Sword graduated magna cum laude from King in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in History. He is looking forward to his new role at the school, whose…
December 4, 2018
The Trial Vacancy Commission met today, Tuesday, December 4, 2018, to consider six candidates for the 20th Judicial District Chancery Court vacancy.There is an upcoming vacancy in this position due to the retirement of the Honorable Claudia C. Bonnyman, effective January 1, 2019.After holding a…
November 30, 2018
It has been more than six months since the grand opening of the new Rutherford County Judicial Center in Murfreesboro. The 200,000-square-foot, $73 million facility was constructed to replace the county’s old judicial building, which had failed to keep up with the needs of the rapidly growing…
November 28, 2018
The Memphis Bar Association's Young Lawyers' Division honored Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Gina C. Higgins with the 2018 Chancellor Charles A. Rond Memorial Award for Outstanding Judge of the Year at its annual meeting on November 8, 2018.In 1976, the YLD established an award to be given…
November 20, 2018
The Honorable Carol L. McCoy stepped down from her role as a chancellor on the 20th Judicial District Chancery Court in 2016. Those visiting or working at the Metropolitan Courthouse will still get to see her face for years to come, though, thanks to a new portrait of Chancellor McCoy that was…
November 15, 2018
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today appointed Christopher V. Sockwell of Lawrenceburg as CircuitCourt Judge for the 22nd Judicial District, replacing Judge Robert Jones, who retired in October. The22nd Judicial District includes Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties. Sockwell, 55, has…
November 14, 2018
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today appointed Jennifer L. Smith of Nashville as Criminal Court Judge for the 20th Judicial District, which serves Davidson County. Smith replaces Judge Seth W. Norman, who retired in August. In addition to maintaining a regular criminal court docket,…
November 13, 2018
The Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider six applicants when it meets on Tuesday, December 4 in Nashville to select nominees for a seat on the 20th Judicial District Chancery Court. This district covers Davidson County. There is an impending vacancy on the court due to the Honorable Claudia…
October 29, 2018
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today appointed Kathryn Wall Olita of Clarksville as Circuit Court judge for the 19th Judicial District, which serves Montgomery and Robertson counties. The appointment fills a new trial court judgeship established this year by the Tennessee General Assembly.“I am…
October 9, 2018
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today appointed Darrell L. Scarlett of Murfreesboro as Circuit Court judge for the 16th Judicial District, which serves Rutherford and Cannon counties. The appointment fills a new trial court judgeship established this year by the Tennessee General…