Incumbent and newly-elected Knox County judges and chancellors are among judicial officials being sworn in during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Supreme Court Building, 505 Main St., Knoxville. Knoxville Bar Association President Steve Collins will preside over the 6th Judicial District event.
Retiring Supreme Court Justice E. Riley Anderson will participate in the ceremony which is taking place on the final day of his judicial career. Anderson, of Knoxville, practiced law in Oak Ridge for three decades until his appointment to the state Court of Appeals in 1987. In 1990, he was elected to the state Supreme Court and was re-elected to an eight-year term in 1998. The 1957 UT College of Law honors graduate served four terms as chief justice.
Among those Anderson will swear in is District Attorney General Randy Nichols. Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Gary R. Wade will swear in District Public Defender Mark Stephens. Wade has been appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Phil Bredesen effective Sept. 1. He is filling one of two vacancies resulting from the retirements of Anderson and Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.