Chief Justice Riley Anderson of the Tennessee Supreme Court is part of a Tennessee delegation invited to attend a two-day summit in Chicago to discuss and debate systems used to select judges nationwide. Other Tennesseans attending the conference Dec. 8-9 are state Sen. Joe Haynes, D- Goodlettsville, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee; Rep. Jere Hargrove, D-Cookeville, a member of the House Judiciary Committee; and Kathryn Reed Edge, president of the Tennessee Bar Association.
“We will be looking at how judicial campaigns are conducted and how to increase voter awareness and participation in these important elections, among other related topics,” Anderson said. “Each state has its own judicial selection system and we will be sharing ideas as to how the various processes might be improved. The Tennessee delegation may come to the conclusion that change is not needed here, or we may leave the summit with options warranting further discussion.”
In Tennessee, there are two judicial selection systems - popular elections for local and trial judges and yes-no retention elections for the 29 judges on the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals. When a trial or appellate court vacancy occurs between elections, the 15-member Judicial Selection Commission recommends three names to the governor. The governor then appoints one of the three recommended applicants. To retain the position, the appointed judge must run in the next August biennial election.
The summit, initiated by Texas Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips and Texas state Sen. Rodney Ellis, is being coordinated by the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Va. More than 100 chief justices, legislators, academic experts and representatives of national organizations involved in judicial selection reform will attend.