The four judges most recently appointed to the bench in Davidson County have completed an intensive four-day Judicial Academy conducted Nov. 17-20 by the state Administrative Office of the Courts.
Chancellors Claudia Bonnyman and Richard Dinkins and Criminal Court Judges Monte Watkins and Mark Fishburn were among 14 trial and general sessions judges from across the state who attended the Nashville academy. Watkins and Fishburn were appointed Aug. 27 by Gov. Phil Bredesen to two new positions created by the legislature. Bonnyman and Dinkins were appointed Sept. 17 to fill a new position and a vacancy created by the retirement of Chancellor Irvin Kilcrease, Jr.
Courses for judges elected or appointed since the last academy in 2000 included transition from bar to bench; dealing with stress; docket control; civil and criminal jury instruction; how to handle juries; reversals; contempt of court; and judicial writing. They also completed courses on workers compensation; ethics; evidence; criminal law; procedure, search warrants and sentencing; domestic relations; and Supreme Court Rule 13 dealing with the appointment of attorneys for indigent defendants.
Circuit Court Judge Steve Stafford of Dyersburg served as the academy’s dean. Courses were taught by current and former Tennessee judges, including Criminal Court Judges Cheryl Blackburn and Steve Dozier and Circuit Court Judge Tommy Brothers, all of Nashville. Other instructors from Middle Tennessee were Cornelia Clark, administrative director of the courts and a former Circuit Court Judge, of Franklin, and Circuit Court Judge Don Ash of Murfreesboro.