Tennessee Senior Judge J.S. ‘Steve’ Daniel will end his 27-year career as a member of the state judiciary, including three years as one of five senior judges, to become chief disciplinary counsel for the Court of the Judiciary.
Daniel, of Murfreesboro, will assume the new position July 1. He succeeds retired Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe Riley of Ridgely, whose resignation is effective on the same date.
As chief disciplinary counsel, Daniel will investigate complaints of judicial misconduct filed against Tennessee judges. The Court of the Judiciary is charged by state law with receiving complaints and imposing sanctions or recommending removal from office when appropriate. Daniel is a former presiding judge of the Court of the Judiciary.
"I look forward to serving the Court of the Judiciary,” Daniel said. “I have enjoyed my tenure as a judge and it will be my goal to carry out my duties in such a way as to meet the objectives of the Court of the Judiciary in maintaining the highest standards of integrity for the Tennessee judiciary."
Chancellor Steve Stafford, of Dyersburg, presiding judge of the Court of the Judiciary, said Daniel is an "outstanding choice" to succeed Riley as disciplinary counsel.
"His service as a Circuit Court judge, senior judge and presiding judge of the Court of the Judiciary means that he can step right into the position and begin working immediately and effectively,” Stafford said. “We could not have found a more qualified person to serve as chief disciplinary counsel.”
Daniel, who retired from the United States Army Reserve as a military judge, was elected circuit court judge in the 16th Judicial District in 1980. He was an adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University from 1975-2004 and currently teaches at the Nashville School of Law. He is a member of the faculty of the National Judicial College and has been an instructor at the Tennessee Judicial Academy, the Tennessee Judicial Conference, the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association and other legal organizations.
He is past president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference and the Tennessee Trial Judges Association.