On October 6, Judge Ashleigh Travis was sworn in as the seventh judge of the 19th Judicial District by Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jill Bartee Ayers.
In her remarks, Judge Ayers recalled the time she and her colleagues appointed Judge Travis to the position of child support magistrate judge.
“When we selected Ashleigh as child support magistrate judge, we knew we had picked a great judge for the 19th district and we will take all the credit for it,” said Judge Ayers.
That statement was met with laughter throughout the room, at the Doug Weiland Courts Center, which was filled with family, friends and colleagues.
“It was truly great to see so much support in one room,” said Judge Travis. “So much so, that it became standing room only!”
It was especially important for Judge Travis to be surrounded by her family during the swearing in ceremony because she and her husband were working full-time, while raising their one-year-old daughter, when she started law school.
“It has been a wonderful experience, and my family has supported me every step of the way,” said Judge Travis. “My desire to serve my community in a broader realm was the reason that I applied for the newly created position of Circuit Court Judge, Part VI. As a child support magistrate judge, I strove to be courteous to all litigants and attorneys. I swore that I would always give grace and understanding, and I will work to continue practicing that as a circuit court judge.”
Prior to her appointment as Circuit Court Judge, Judge Travis served as the child support magistrate judge for the 19th judicial district, as well as the 18th judicial district by designation. Before that, she was employed by Bateman & Bateman, P.C. for more than 16 years. Judge Travis started out as a legal assistant/paralegal by day, while attending law school at night. After passing the bar exam, she was promoted to associate attorney.
The new circuit court judgeship was created by the Tennessee General Assembly through Public Chapter No. 396, enacted May 11, 2023, as an Act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 2, and is effective September 1, 2023. Judge Travis was selected out of four nominees recommended to Governor Bill Le in July.
“In the 19th Judicial District, I now join Judges Katy Olita, William R. Goodman, Robert Bateman, Joel Wallace, Jr., Judge Adrienne Fry and Chancellor Ben Dean in representing Montgomery and Robertson counties,” she said.
Judge Travis is a graduate of the Nashville School of Law. She received a master of business management degree and a bachelor of business administration from Austin Peay state University.
A new magistrate judge is expected to be named by November 1.
