Supreme Court Appoints Sarah Keith, Donald Capparella, Judge Jennifer Smith To Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure

The Tennessee Supreme Court today appointed Sarah Keith of Knoxville and Donald Capparella of Nashville as new members on the Tennessee Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure. Judge Jennifer L. Smith, a criminal court judge in the 20th Judicial District, was appointed as the new Trial Court Liaison.  The Advisory Commission studies and makes recommendations as to court rules on practice and procedure.

Ms. Keith will begin a new position as an assistant district attorney general in the 7th Judicial District at the beginning of the year.  She previously held a similar position in the 6th Judicial District (Knox County) and the 10th Judicial District (Bradley, Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties) before opening her own private law practice.

Mr. Capparella is an attorney at Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella PC. He has vast experience at both the trial and appellate level, litigating hundreds of cases over the past 25 years.

Judge Smith took the bench in 2018 after a long career at the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, where she rose to the position of associate solicitor general.

Ms. Keith’s and Mr. Capparella’s terms will begin January 1, 2023, and end June 30, 2026. Ms. Keith replaces Steven Strain of Jasper and Mr. Capparella replaces F. Braxton Terry of Morristown. Mr. Strain’s and Mr. Terry’s respective terms expire December 31, 2022 and the Tennessee Supreme Court thanks them for their valuable service and significant contributions.

The Supreme Court also reappointed current members Kathryn Barnett, James Bowman, Doug Halijan, F. Dulin Kelly and Allan Wade to new terms that will begin January 1, 2023 and end June 30, 2026.

To read the Supreme Court's Order, please visit this page