Nashville, Tenn. - The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments is now accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, following the retirement of Judge D. Michael Swiney on January 12, 2026.
Qualified applicants must be licensed attorneys who are at least 30 years of age, have been residents of the state for five years, and must reside in the Eastern Grand Division of Tennessee. Applicants must complete the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments’ application, which is available at http://www.tncourts.gov/, and submit it to the Administrative Office of the Courts by 12:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
Applicants must submit by the deadline: (1) the original signed and unbound application (updated version posted on November 28, 2022) with writing samples; and (2) a digital copy of the application (updated version posted on November 28, 2022) with writing samples in order to have his/her name placed on the list of candidates for consideration for the judicial vacancy. Complete application instructions can be found at: http://www.tncourts.gov/admistration/judicial-resources. The Council encourages all candidates to submit applications as soon as possible.
Any member of the public may attend the public hearing to express, orally or in writing, their objections concerning applicant(s) for the judicial vacancy.
The Council will meet on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EST, in the courtroom of the Knoxville Supreme Court Building located at 505 Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902.
Please submit application questions to AOC Assistant General Counsel Laura Blount at (615) 741-2687 or laura.blount@tncourts.gov.