The Judicial Nominating Commission met on June 27, 2013 in Chattanooga, Tenn., to hold a public hearing and conduct interviews of candidates for the upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals vacancy in the Eastern Grand Division.
After interviewing the candidates and conducting a vote, the commission has submitted the following two panels of nominees to Gov. Bill Haslam for the upcoming vacancy created by Judge Joseph Tipton's notification that he will not seek retention in the 2014 election.
Panel A:
Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Criminal Court Judge
Second Judicial District
Blountville, Tennessee
Boyd M. Patterson, Jr.
Assistant District Attorney General
11th Judicial District
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Thomas J. Wright
Circuit Court Judge
Third Judicial District
Greeneville, Tennessee
Panel B:
Charles Edward Atchley. Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Eastern District of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
William Jackson Brown
Owner
William J. Brown & Associates
Cleveland, Tennessee
Samuel K. Lee
Attorney
Ridenour & Ridenour Law Firm
Clinton, Tennessee
With appeals court openings, the governor has the option to reject the first panel of names and request a second panel from the JNC. Because of the time constraints in the current situation, the commission has submitted both panels.