The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is currently accepting applications for three newly established state court judicial positions in the 13th, 19th, and 22nd Judicial Districts. The new judicial positions were created by the Tennessee General Assembly through Public Chapter No. 396, enacted May 11, 2023, as an Act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 2.
The new positions are effective September 1, 2023. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 12, 2023, at 12 p.m. CDT. Applicants must be an attorney licensed in Tennessee who is at least 30 years of age, a resident of the state for five years, and must reside in the relevant Judicial District. The Commission is committed to encouraging a diverse judiciary and welcomes all qualified attorneys to apply.
The new position in the 13th Judicial District, which includes Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White counties, is for a criminal court judge. The 13th Judicial District experienced a population increase of 7.27 percent between 2010 and 2020, and the three most recent Weighted Caseload Studies conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury found a consistent need for an additional judicial position. The public hearing for this position is scheduled to be held at the Stone Memorial High School located at 2800 Cook Road, Crossville, TN 38571, on July 18, 2023, at 9 a.m. CDT.
The new position in the 19th Judicial District, which includes Montgomery and Robertson counties, is for a circuit court judge. The 19th Judicial District experienced a population increase of 22.74 percent between 2010 and 2020, and the three most recent Weighted Caseload Studies conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury found a consistent need for additional judicial positions. The public hearing is scheduled to be held at the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse located at 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040, on July 12, 2023, at 9 a.m. CDT.
The new position in the 22nd Judicial District, which includes Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties, is for a circuit court judge. The 22nd Judicial District experienced a population increase of 12 percent between 2010 and 2020, and the three most recent Weighted Caseload Studies conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury found a consistent need for an additional judicial position. The public hearing is scheduled to be held at the Maury County Tom Primm Commission Meeting Room located at 6 Public Square, Columbia, TN 38041, on July 13, 2023, at 9 a.m. CDT.
For an applicant to be considered for the judicial vacancy, the Administrative Office of the Courts must receive a completed application by Monday June 12, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. CDT. The application and instructions are available at http://www.tncourts.gov/administration/judicial-resources. A completed application includes: (1) the original signed (unbound) application; and (2) a digital copy of the application. The Commission encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as possible and communicate with the Administrative Office of the Courts to schedule hand-delivery or provide delivery tracking information for the original application to help ensure timely receipt by the deadline.
For additional information, please contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov.