Retired Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) Judge Thomas Talmage Woodall was surrounded by family, friends and colleagues at the Nashville Supreme Court building, July 14 for the unveiling of his official judicial portrait.
“I want to thank everyone who’s come here today. I’m truly honored,” said Judge Woodall.
“My two favorite things in the world are art and history and I feel like these portraits when they come into a courthouse are the perfect intersection of those things,” said portrait artist Frank Morris. “It’s an unspoken language that people who walk in here who’ve maybe never been to school before understand immediately by seeing the paintings - the history of this building, what they mean to them, the importance of the men and women who have served here, and how they are so important in Nashville and Tennessee and the whole United States.”
After first serving as a law clerk for Judge Mark A. Walker right out of law school, Judge Woodall set his sights on joining that court one day. He went on to practice law with a firm in Memphis, serve as an assistant district attorney in the 24th judicial district, and even started his own firm. In 1996 he was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals and served for 24 years, six as presiding judge. He retired in 2020.
“He served as a cooperative, collegial colleague and leader to his peers on the court,” said Court of Appeals Judge Tim Easter. “He was a willing, and still is, a willing mentor to countless lawyers across the state. He’s a sponsor to many great fellow travelers, and a Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) volunteer who is legendary within that program.”
Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Bivins thanked Judge Woodall for his service to Tennessee.
“You were always kind and willing and open and considerate of everyone who came before you,” said Chief Justice Bivins. “You were such a great colleague. I had the honor of serving as one of your colleagues for about three years. It was such a pleasure to serve with you. Seeing everyone here, it’s a great testament to the great esteem in which you’re held. It’s a true testament to what a great jurist you were. You have left a true legacy.”
Presiding Judge Robert Wedemeyer served with Judge Woodall for 20 of his 24 years on the bench.
“He’s just a great guy and he’s got a kind heart, and he’s very interested in getting the cases right,” said Judge Wedemeyer. “He knows a lot of the law and if he doesn’t know, he’s curious enough to find out about what the law is. He wants to apply it to the facts and just do a great job.”
In his closing comments, Judge Woodall honored his longtime colleague and mentor.
“I would like to dedicate this ceremony to the memory of Judge Mark A. Walker, of Covington, Tennessee, who was the very first presiding judge on the CCA and one of the three original members and guided this court through its early days and on to when he retired in 1987. He was a tremendous influence on me. He was humble. He just came to work and did his job and was very highly thought of.”
