The public will have an opportunity Feb. 12 to its views on 13 attorneys who have applied to fill a 30th Judicial District vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Court Judge Robert Lanier, who retired in December after serving 21 years.
The state Judicial Selection Commission will conduct a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select downtown in Memphis. The commission will reconvene at 9 a.m. Feb. 13 for private interviews with the applicants before submitting three names to Gov. Phil Bredesen who will appoint a new judge to fill Lanier’s unexpired term. The position will be on the ballot Aug. 5, and again in 2006 for a full eight-year term.
Attorneys hoping to succeed Lanier are Stephen H. Biller, James E. Bingham, John R. Cannon Jr., Frank S. Cantrell, Donna Marie Fields, Mitzi C. Johnson, Sherrie Miller Johnson, Caren Beth Nichol, Fred M. Ridolphi, Jr., Jerry F. Taylor, Lonnie B. Thompson, Karen Wilson Tyler and Ellen B. Vergos.