The Tennessee Trial Judges Association installed a new president for the 2021-2022 term at a recent meeting. The Tennessee Trial Judges Association, formed in 1976, is a non-partisan association of participating circuit, criminal and chancery court judges from each county in the state dedicated to maintaining a fair, independent, and efficient judiciary. Eligible to participate are the 156 trial level judges across the state who serve over 6.9 million Tennesseans.
Elected as president is Third Judicial District Chancellor Douglas T. Jenkins, who serves Greene, Hamblen, Hancock and Hawkins counties. He was appointed to the bench in 2013 and won reelection in 2014.He is a graduate of the Nashville School of Law and Tennessee Tech University.
Judge J. Weber McCraw was appointed by Chancellor Jenkins to serve as the vice president. He sits on the bench in the 25th judicial district, which includes Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, McNairy, and Tipton counties. He was originally appointed to the court in 2005 and won reelection in 2006 and 2014. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis School of Law and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Judge Valerie L. Smith from the 30th judicial district was appointed as secretary. She was first appointed to the bench in Memphis in 2016 and won reelection in 2016. Judge Smith earned her law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis.
Chancellor Tony Childress is the organization’s treasurer. Chancellor Childress serves in the 29th Judicial District, which includes Lake and Dyer counties. He was first elected in 2008 and was reelected in 2014. He earned his law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Appointed parliamentarian is Judge Alex Pearson, who serves the Third Judicial District counties of Greene, Hamblen, Hancock and Hawkins. Judge Pearson was elected to the bench in 2014 and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and East Tennessee State University.
Appointed to serve on the executive committee this year are: Chancellor Elizabeth C. Asbury (8th Judicial District), Chancellor Jeffrey M. Atherton (11th Judicial District), Judge Joseph P. Binkley (20th Judicial District), Judge M. Wyatt Burk (17th Judicial District), Judge James L. Gass (4th Judicial District), Chancellor JoeDae L. Jenkins (30th Judicial District), Judge Brody Neill Kane (15th Judicial District), Judge Gary S. McKenzie (13th Judicial District), Judge Greg McMillan (6th Judicial District), Judge Roy B. Morgan (26th Judicial District), Jr., Judge Kathryn Wall Olita (19th Judicial District), Chancellor Louis W. Oliver, III (18th Judicial District), Judge Russell J. Parkes (22nd Judicial District), Chancellor John C. Rambo (1st Judicial District), Judge Darrell L. Scarlett (16th Judicial District), and Judge Stacy L. Street (1st Judicial District).