Wayne County General Sessions & Juvenile Court Judge James Y. Ross received the Sharon G. Lee Award of Excellence at the 2024 Annual Tennessee Municipal Court Judges Conference.
“Thank you, everybody,” said Judge Ross. “I will say it’s always best to have the adulation and praise of your colleagues, and I certainly thank you for the honor.”
Judge Ross was elected General Sessions Judge with Juvenile Court Jurisdiction for Wayne County, as well as Clifton City Judge in 1998. He’s also served as Collinwood City Judge since 2000. Judge Ross was the Wayne County Attorney for 10 years and has served as a Sole (Legal) Practitioner since 1997.
Judge Ross is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and the Samford University Cumberland School of Law. Being inducted as a fellow into the Tennessee Bar Foundation in 2010 is one of his many honors.
Judge Ross has served the Tennessee Municipal Judges, General Sessions, and Juvenile Judges Conferences over the years in several capacities, including Legislative Committee Member & Chair, Executive Committee, and Board of Governors Member. He recently completed his term as President of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference and is the current President of the Tennessee Municipal Judges Conference.
Justice Lee presented the award to Judge Ross via video message.
“Even more impressive is his service to his community and his family,” said Justice Lee. “When seeing a child from his court in need of a home several years ago, he not only adopted the child, he persuaded his brother to adopt her sister so they could grow up together. Finally, if all of that wasn’t enough, here’s the clincher, he’s a loyal fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. His value to his jurisdictions and his service to the entire Tennessee judiciary is immeasurable.”
The Municipal Judges’ Board of Governors created the Sharon G. Lee Award of Excellence to be presented to a municipal judge who has made a significant contribution to the conference over the course of his or her service on the bench. It was named for Justice Sharon G. Lee because she began her judicial career as a municipal judge (Madisonville Municipal Court Judge).
