The Tennessee Judicial Conference held its October meeting in a new place this year: online. It is the first TJC conference held since early March, just before the pandemic took hold. The June conference was canceled this year.
TJC President and 26th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Roy Morgan welcomed the judges to the virtual conference and praised them for their work during this unprecedented year. He also shared a quote that he recently read which he thought aptly summed up the switch to a virtual conference.
“Change is the law of life,” he said.
As part of his opening remarks, Judge Morgan also thanked Administrative Office of the Courts staff for making the virtual event possible and thanked his colleagues in the TJC for entrusting him with the presidency of the conference.
“I’m in this position only because you were kind enough to let me serve,” he said.
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeff Bivins commended the judges for all the work they had done over the past few months to keep courts open and functioning. He said that everyone’s willingness to think outside the box and adapt to new situations was a key to the success that the state has had in keeping its judicial system up and running in a way that has distinguished Tennessee nationwide.
Chief Justice Bivins also expressed the views of many when he said that he wished the conference could have been held in person.
“I so miss seeing each other and talking to each other,” he said. “That networking part of the judicial conference is just as important, if not more so, than the actual business that we accomplish because we are a judicial family.”
Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate provided a rundown of news related to the Supreme Court and Tennessee judges over the past few months.
One of the developments she highlighted was the Tennessee Supreme Court’s June statement on its commitment to equal justice under the law.
“Their commitment to racial and social justice has been inspirational,” she said.
In addition, Director Tate applauded the Court for its dedication to transparency during this time, which has allowed the public to remotely view court proceedings as never before. She also drew attention to such recent events as the eviction summit and the announcement of Project ECHO, a program to train judges on the opioid crisis.
Some numbers shared by Director Tate gave viewers a snapshot of the impressive work that Tennessee courts have accomplished in the preceding months:
Almost 300 appellate arguments have been livestreamed.
Tennessee courts have held 6,512 Zoom sessions since April.
Judges, court staff, and others have completed over 10,000 virtual training hours.
Over $30 million in indigent claims have been processed and paid.
Over $2.8 million in computer hardware has been deployed to judges throughout the state.
Over $500,000 of personal protective equipment has been sent to Tennessee courts.
“Our mission has continued,” Director Tate said. “It’s been incredible.”
Toward the end of the conference’s introductory session Judge Morgan also announced all of the judges who are either new to the conference or who have retired since March.
The new judges were Judge Bonita Jo Atwood, appointed to the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court bench in May, Judge Michael Collins, who was elected to the 15th Judicial District Circuit Court bench in August, and Chancellor Vicki Hodge Hoover, who was elected to the 24th Judicial District Chancery Court in August.
Retiring was longtime Court of Appeals Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr., who officially left the appellate bench at the end of April. Former 6th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Kristi Davis was appointed by Governor Bill Lee to fill the vacancy created by Judge Susano’s retirement.
The October conference included numerous educational sessions for the judges, including a presentation on the ABCs of Domestic Violence by 20th Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton, and updates on new laws impacting criminal and civil law that have recently passed.
There is a hope that the next conference in March could be in-person again depending on the state of the pandemic at that time.