The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is currently accepting applications to fill the vacancy in the Third Judicial District Circuit Court following the appointment of the Honorable William E. Phillips II to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The Third Judicial District covers Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins counties.
Applicants must be an attorney licensed in Tennessee who is at least 30 years of age, a resident of the state for five years, and must reside in the Judicial District.
The Commission is committed to encouraging a diverse judiciary and welcomes all qualified attorneys to apply. The public hearing for this position will be held Monday, April 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. ED at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, 821 W. Louise Avenue, Morristown, TN 37813.
For an applicant to be considered for the judicial vacancy, the Administrative Office of the Courts must receive a completed application by 12 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. The application and instructions are available at http://www.tncourts.gov/administration/judicial-resources. A completed application includes: (1) the original signed (unbound) application; and (2) a digital copy of the application. The Commission encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as possible and communicate with the Administrative Office of the Courts to schedule hand-delivery or provide delivery tracking information for the original application to help ensure timely receipt by the deadline.
Any member of the public may attend the public hearing to express, orally or in writing, objections concerning applicant(s) for the judicial vacancy.
If you require an accommodation and/or have special needs because of a qualified disability, have questions about the Commission, or need to schedule hand-delivery or provide delivery tracking information for an application, please contact John Jefferson at the Administrative Office of the Courts at John.Jefferson@tncourts.gov or (615) 741-2687.