News
June 14, 2021
Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Lynda Jones was awarded Nashville Cable’s Spirit of Leadership award on June 9, 2021. The Spirit of Leadership Award recognizes a Cable member who exemplifies leadership through personal and professional accomplishments that have inspired and influenced…
May 18, 2021
Medical debt is an unwelcome burden with lasting repercussions for millions of Americans each year. Thankfully, the Hamilton County General Sessions Court is at the forefront of a new program that gives those with unpaid medical bills the opportunity to negotiate a better outcome for themselves…
April 1, 2021
When looking back at the history of women in the Tennessee judiciary, one often overlooked name is that of the state’s first woman county judge: DeKalb County’s Kate M. Drake. Overall, Judge Drake was the second woman to serve as a judge in the state, assuming the bench in 1931, 11 years after…
January 25, 2021
Earlier this month, longtime Clarksville attorney Sharon Massey Grimes was appointed to the Montgomery County General Sessions and Juvenile Court bench to fill the unexpired term of her late husband Judge Ray Grimes, who passed away in November after serving as a judge for 22 years.The Montgomery…
January 12, 2021
The Tennessee Judiciary mourns the loss of Ellen Abbott, who served as the Director of the Office of Criminal Justice Services at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Ms. Abbott played a vital role in the development and success of the state's recovery courts,…
January 12, 2021
Former Grainger County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Wayne Wolfenbarger died on Jan. 7 at his home in Bean Station at the age of 77. Judge Wolfenbarger served the people of Grainger County for 32 years from the bench. He joined the Tennessee bar in 1966, after having…
January 4, 2021
Former Rhea County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge James W. McKenzie passed away January 2. He was 76.Judge McKenzie had been in private legal practice in his hometown of Dayton for 26 years when he was elected to the Rhea County bench in 1998. He served there until his retirement in 2014…
December 21, 2020
It has been a difficult year, but that has not stopped one East Tennessee county from celebrating the achievements and selfless service of a local judge.Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey was recently named the winner of a 2020 Volunteer Spirit Award, an annual…
December 16, 2020
The Board of Judicial Conduct has issued a Public Reprimand for Lewis County General Sessions and Juvenile Judge Michael Hinson. Read the Board's Public Reprimand here.
November 26, 2020
Judge Raymond Grimes, a general sessions and juvenile judge in Montgomery County, passed away on November 26 after being hospitalized with COVID-19 for several days. He was 73. He was first elected to the bench in 1998 and was reelected multiple times, most recently in 2014. Judge Grimes…
November 19, 2020
Once a month at Room in the Inn, a homeless services organization in Nashville, criminal defendants with needs most people never have to worry about enter a room on the second floor seeking relief. The defendants are all homeless, and most of them have recently been arrested on charges directly…
November 11, 2020
America’s service members put everything on the line for their country, and in many cases the sacrifices they make take a toll. Thankfully, active duty service members and veterans in Montgomery County have access to an invaluable resource to help them overcome mental health or substance use issues…
November 4, 2020
Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Lynda Jones was recently elected president of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference. Judge Jones has been a member of the conference since her election to the bench in 2014.Over the course of her judicial career,…
October 28, 2020
This week the Washington County Commission voted unanimously to appoint Judge Janet Vest Hardin to fill out the remaining term of the late Judge James Nidiffer on the Washington County General Sessions Court bench. Judge Nidiffer passed away in September after having stepped down from the bench in…
October 13, 2020
A select group of judges from across the state and court system are immersed in a new innovative training and education regimen focusing on opioid addiction. Looking to better address addiction in their courtrooms, thirteen judges are taking part in a pilot Project ECHO (Extension for Community…
October 5, 2020
Domestic violence is a scourge that affects millions of people in the United States each year, often with devastating consequences. Unfortunately, the problem is especially acute in Tennessee, which recent data shows has the fifth highest rate of women killed by men in the country. Because 92…
October 2, 2020
The Board of Judicial Conduct has issued a Public Reprimand for Coffee County General Sessions Judge Jere Ledsinger. Read the Board's Public Reprimand here.
September 8, 2020
The Tennessee legal community is mourning the loss of Washington County General Sessions and Juvenile Judge James A. Nidiffer, who passed away on September 7, 2020 after a long illness. He was 66.Judge Nidiffer was first elected as a general sessions and juvenile judge in 2006 and was re-elected in…
August 27, 2020
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Janet Vest Hardin as Special Judge in General Sessions Court for Washington County.“Janet Vest Hardin’s decades of experience as a prosecutor and attorney make her an exceptional addition to the bench in Washington County,” said…
July 20, 2020
Tennessee’s many recovery courts play a critical role in reducing recidivism and improving the lives of those with substance use disorders in the state. These intensive court programs give repeat offenders a chance to break the cycle of their addiction and become productive members of society…