Nashville, Tenn. – The Administrative Office of the Courts is now accepting applications for a seat on the Judicial Nominating Commission, the body that reviews and recommends applicants for vacancies on the appellate and state trial courts for the governor’s consideration.
The vacancy on the Commission is created by the upcoming resignation of Commissioner Bill Young, who will step down on September 1, 2011, to become Solicitor General. The statute prevents state employees from serving on the Judicial Nominating Commission.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey will appoint the Commissioner, which is an at-large seat that may be filled by either an attorney or lay person. The term for this Commissioner will expire on June 30, 2013.
Applicants for the Commission must be at least 30-years-old and a citizen of the state for at least five years. Additionally, members of the Judicial Nominating Commission cannot be office holders with political parties or political organizations, lobbyists or employees of lobbyists, or salaried office holders of the state of Tennessee or the United States, which includes judges, legislators or any individual who has been appointed or elected in a manner prescribed by law. District attorneys, public defenders and employees of either of these offices are eligible and may apply for the appointment.
Anyone who wishes to be considered for the Judicial Nominating Commission must complete an application, which can be found online at www.tncourts.gov. All applications must be received by the Administrative Office of the Courts by Friday, July 29, at 4:30 p.m. central standard time.
Once applications have been received by the Administrative Office of the Courts, information about each applicant will be posted online at www.tncourts.gov. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the applicants for the commission for a period of 14 days. Once public comments have been received, the Speaker of the Senate will have 14 days to make the appointment to the Judicial Nominating Commission.
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Judicial Nominating Commission application instructions (PDF)