Annual Report of the

Tennessee Judiciary

2002

“If we do not maintain justice, justicewill not maintain us.”-Francis Bacon

1

Frank F. Drowota, III Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee

E. Riley Anderson Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee

Adolpho A. Birch, Jr. Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee

Janice M. Holder Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee

William M. Barker Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Tennessee

Cornelia A. Clark Administrative Director of the Courts

Elizabeth Sykes Deputy Director

Letter from the Chief Justice & State Court Administrator --------------------- 2

Early History of the Court System------------------------------------------------------- 3

Courthouse Fires and Disasters --------------------------------------------------------- 5

Supreme Court Historical Society------------------------------------------------------- 6

Tennessee Supreme Court ---------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Intermediate Appellate Courts ------------------------------------------------------------ 8

Trial Court Judges by District ------------------------------------------------------------ 9

General Sessions Court Judges by County---------------------------------------- 13

Appellate & Trial Court Clerks ---------------------------------------------------------- 17

The Year In Headlines --------------------------------------------------------------------- 24

2002 Initiatives ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26

Administrative Office of the Courts --------------------------------------------------- 27

Boards & Commissions ------------------------------------------------------------------ 30

Board of Professional Responsibility ------------------------------------------------ 31

Tennessee Board of Law Examiners ------------------------------------------------- 31

Commission on Continuing Legal Education & Specialization ------------- 31

Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection---------------------------------- 31

Statistical Report --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33

2

“The terrorists have labeled us adecadent and greedy society that needs to bedestroyed. We face the challenge of defyingthis label . . . Each of us needs to examine ourown personal lives and commitment tounselfish service whether we are in roles ofelected public service, corporate leadership oreveryday citizens . . . We bear the responsibilityto renew our commitment to honesty, to therule of law, to tolerance, to compassion, toselfless service and only then can we expectour democracy to survive . . . “

Chief Justice Frank F. Drowota, III, Sept. 11, 2002

Chief Justice Frank F. Drowota, III

DirectorCornelia A. Clark

Message from the Chief Justice and Administrative Director

Dear Fellow Tennesseans:

As we reflect on the past year, we cannot help but notice a new or renewed force in our nationand state - a healthy and positive result of the horribleevents of Sept. 11, 2001. That force is unabashedpatriotism, which has brought with it a widespread and

keen interest in our history, inthe events and people re-sponsible for shaping thecountry to this point in time.

We in the judicial branchof government are proud ofthe critical role courts haveplayed in that evolution. Weuse the word evolution be-cause ours is a nation of con-stant change and improve-ment, even of trial and error. The goal is to preserve, protect and expandupon our freedoms and advantages so that we will leave an even more per-fect union for those who will come behind us.

In keeping with our national pride and curiosity about the past, part ofthis year’s annual report focuses on the history of the state’s legal system.The report begins with an article giving a brief early history of the courts inTennessee, followed by information about the publication of a new book - “AHistory of the Tennessee Supreme Court.” This book, a six-year projectof the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society, is the first comprehen-sive history of the court from statehood in 1796 through the judicial electionsof 1998.

But, the report also contains other information we hope you will find use-ful, such as a listing of the state’s trial and general sessions judges and courtclerks and a section of statistical data detailing case filings and dispositionsin trial and appellate courts statewide. There is a great deal of information

between the covers of this report, which is part of our commitment to make the Tennessee judicialsystem as open and accessible as possible.

Respectfully Submitted,

Frank F. Drowota, III

Cornelia A. Clark

3

For Tennessee’s first hundred years, justices of the peace were the foundation of the state’s legalsystem. These men, often without legal training, served the citizens in their counties by resolvingminor disputes, performing marriages and serving on the quarterly court. They saved both time andexpense by resolving issues without formal court proceedings. The regular courts changed and evolvedthrough the years, but the justice of the peace remained the first source of help for citizens with legalproblems.

The Watauga Association formed the first court in what is now Tennessee, in 1772. The fivemembers of this court served as both legislators and judges, under the leadership of John Carter.

In 1776 North Carolina accepted responsibility for the Tennessee frontier and authorized John Carterto continue holding a court at Jonesboro for the “Washington District.” When Washington County wasorganized in 1778, this court became the County Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions. Appealswere technically (though not practically) grantable to the Superior Court of Law and Equity of Salisbury District,200 miles to the east.

As the new counties of Sullivan (1779) and Greene (1783) were formed, each was provided withits own Court of Common Pleas. So that appeals from the Common Pleas courts of all the newcounties could be tried on their side of the mountains, North Carolina established the Washington

District Superior Court of Law and Equity atJonesboro in 1784. As the area further westbecame more populous the same process wasfollowed, beginning with the formation of theDavidson County Court of Common Pleas andQuarter Sessions in 1783. The Metro DistrictSuperior Court of Law and Equity was establishedat Nashville in 1788 to hear appeals for the westerncounties. This two-court system was generallymaintained during the brief State of Franklin andterritorial periods.

The 1796 Constitution of Tennessee gaveJustices of the Peace sole jurisdiction over casesinvolving less than $50 in property or fines. It alsocontinued the Court of Common Pleas and QuarterSessions as an “inferior” court, and the Superior Courtof Law and Equity as the “superior” and appellatecourt.

The Court of Common Pleas and QuarterSessions was comprised of a county’s justices sittingin quorum. Until 1809, this group heard cases both oflaw and equity, and handled the business of thecounty. They heard law cases in which the punishmentdid not include loss of life or limb, and equity cases inwhich the amount of money or value of propertyinvolved was modest. A clerk kept minutes of thecourt’s proceedings, and handled the court’s businessbetween sessions.

The Superior Courts of Law and Equity had solejurisdiction over cases punishable by loss of life orlimb and cases of greater dollar value. They alsoserved as courts of appeal, for those dissatisfied witha Court of Pleas decision. Many of Tennessee’s

Court System Begins with Justices of the Peace

The Cumberland Compact was entered into May 1,1780, by 250 settlers on the Cumberland River. Thecompact framed the principles of self-rule andjurisprudence by which newcomers to the regioncould govern themselves. (Tennessee State Libraryand Archives)

By Charles A. SherrillDirector, The Brentwood Library

4

leading pioneers served as Superior Court judges, including Andrew Jackson, John Overton, JohnMcNairy, Archibald Roane and Willie Blount. The three traveling Superior Court judges heard cases inJonesboro (Washington District), Knoxville (Hamilton District), Carthage (Winchester District), Clarksville(Robertson District), and Nashville (Metro District).

By 1809, the two-court system was overworked. To divide the case load, the legislature formed aCircuit Court, to be held in each county. The SuperiorCourt was renamed the Supreme Court of Errors &Appeals. The division of cases among the courtsvaried from 1809 to 1833 as the legislature and thejudges worked out the new system, sometimesdisagreeing. In general the Common Pleas courtheard only minor cases of both law and equity, theCircuit Court heard criminal cases and appeals fromthe Common Pleas court, and the Supreme Courtheard larger equity cases and appeals from theother two courts.

By 1829, the existing court system was strainedto its limits. Adam Huntsman reported to the Senatethat year that confusion over jurisdiction, multipleappeals and a lack of legal knowledge amongjustices of the peace made Tennessee’s judicialsystem “the most expensive and least efficient ofany in the United States.” The legal process becamea major issue driving the need for a newConstitution.

When the second Constitution of Tennesseewas adopted in 1834 it reorganized the judiciary byadding a system of Chancery Courts. This allowedfor a clear division of cases of law (Circuit Court)and cases of equity (Chancery Court). The nameof the Court of Common Pleas and QuarterSessions was shortened simply to County Court,and its powers limited to trying non-indictableoffenses (such as swearing, bastardy, andgambling), and tending to estate matters, roads,and other county business. The Supreme Court reduced its circuit to three districts, meeting in Knoxville,Nashville and Jackson.

The Chancery Court was originally a district court, but gradually one was established in each county.The Chancellor (judge of Chancery) weighed the evidence in equity cases and decided on a fair divisionamong the parties. This court heard disputes over land boundaries, the partitioning of estates, disagreementsbetween business partners, and other matters of equity or “fairness.”

In contrast, the Circuit Court heard matters of law. A jury was seated to decide each case bydetermining whether a specific law had been violated. The cases heard by the Circuit Court includedthose brought by the State for crimes against the people (criminal cases), and those betweenindividuals (civil cases). Criminal cases included murder, unlawful retailing of liquor, lewdness,public fighting and theft. Most civil cases resulted from unpaid debts. Beginning in 1842, the largestcounties found it necessary to ease the work of the Circuit Court by forming separate CriminalCourts, but most counties did not divide the Circuit Court until after 1880.

The appellate function of the Tennessee Supreme Court causes its records to reflect theoperations of all the lower courts. The case files of this court, found among the state archives,provide an intimate look at the lives of Tennesseans through the documents filed by the parties asthey dealt with issues ranging from burglary to bribery and beyond.

Tennessee’s first constitution was ratified in 1796 andsent to Philadelphia as part of the application forstatehood. The document, which was patterned afterconstitutions in North Carolina and Pennsylvania,included protection for those accused of crimes andprotections against excessive government.

5

The historic Montgomery County Courthouse wasextensively damaged by a tornado that rippedthrough downtown Clarksville in 1999. The second-empire style building, completed in 1879, cost$100,000 when it was constructed. It replaced acourthouse destroyed in the great fire of 1878. Theold courthouse is being restored and a newcourthouse also has been built. Clarksville artistTony Biagi captured the historic building in this print.

Bedford 1830 1863 & 1934 tornado/ fires Bledsoe 1908 fire

Blount 1879 & 1906 firesCannon 1934 fireCarroll 1931 fireCarter 1933 fireChester 1910 fireClaiborne 1932 fireCocke 1876 fireCoffee 1870 fireCumberland 1905 fireDavidson 1856 fireDecatur 1869 & 1927 firesDickson 1830 tornadoDyer 1864 fireFayette 1925 fireGibson??? 1941 fireGiles 1813, 1857 & 1907 firesGrainger 1946 fireGrundy 1853 & 1990 firesHamilton 1910 fireHancock 1885 & 1930 firesHardeman 1864 fireHardin 1859, 1864 & 1949 fireHenderson 1896 fireHickman 1864 fireHumphreys 1876 & 1898 firesJackson 1872 & 1926 firesLauderdale 1869 fireMcMinn 1964 fireMacon 1860 & 1901 & 1932 firesMarion 1922 fireMarshall 1872 & 1927 firesMeigs 1904 & 1964 fireMonroe 1820s 1860 fire/Civil WarMontgomery 1878 & 1900 1999 fires/ tornadoObion 1842 earthquakeOverton 1865 firePerry 1863 & 1928 fires

Courthouse Fires and DisastersCompiled by Tennessee Library & Archives

Because of courthouse fires and other disasters, some Tennesse records filed at the county levelhave been lost forever. The following list shows when courthouse fires and other disasters occurred inTennessee.

COUNTY YEAR DISASTERPickett 1934 firePolk 1895 & 1935??? firesPutnam 1860s 1898 burned/Civil WarRhea 1869 & 1927 firesRutherford 1832 tornadoScott 1946 fireSevier 1856 fireStewart 1862 fire (Federal troops)Sullivan 1863 fireTrousdale 1900 & 1904 firesUnion 1870s & 1969 firesWashington 1839 fireWayne 1973 fire Weakley 1948 fire Wilson 1881 fire

6

Chief Justice Frank F. Drowota, III, (far right) and retired Justices RobertCooper (1974 - 1990), William H.D. Fones (1973 - 1990) and Martha CraigDaughtrey (1990 - 1993 when she was appointed to the U.S. Court ofAppeals for the 6th Circuit) were among those attending a ceremony inthe old Supreme Court room at the Tennessee State Capitol to markpublication of “A History of the Tennessee Supreme Court.” RetiredJustice Lyle Reid (1990 - 1998) also attended the book’s unveiling.

Six years after the Tennessee Supreme Court HistoricalSociety’s creation during the state’s 1996 Bicentennial cel-ebration, the organization saw its first major project becomea reality. “A History of the Tennessee Supreme Court,” writtenby seven leading scholars and published by the University ofTennessee Press, was published in 2002 and unveiled duringa ceremony at the state Capitol.

The book covers the court from 1796, when Tennesseebecame a state, through the 1998 judicial elections. The au-thors delve into many of the important and contentious is-sues the court has faced, such as slavery, Reconstruction,race and gender relations, and also includes biographical in-formation about past and present members of the court.

The state’s first constitution, adopted in 1796, createdthe first court of last resort, the Superior Courts of Law andEquity. It was followed in 1809 by the Supreme Court ofErrors and Appeals and, in 1834, the Supreme Court of Ten-nessee. The 1870 state constitution mandated the court as itis today, with five members, no more than two from each granddivision.

The book points out the court’s colorful history and includesinformation about justices whose names are familiar because oftheir contributions to the state and nation. For example, thenation’s seventh president, Andrew Jackson, resigned from theU.S. Senate in 1798 and was appointed judge of the state Su-perior Court.

Justice Janice Holder and other currentand former members of the court signedcopies of the book. Besides being availablefor purchase from the Tennessee SupremeCourt Historical Society, copies of the bookare being donated to school librariesstatewide. The school donations are beingsupported by a grant from the FristFoundation.

Historical Society Initiative Becomes Reality

7

Tennessee Courts

As required by the state Constitution, the five members of the Tennessee Supreme Court normallyhear cases in Nashville, Jackson and Knoxville. Pictured in the courtroom at the Supreme CourtBuilding in Nashville are (from left) Justice Janice M. Holder of Memphis; Justice E. Riley Anderson ofKnoxville; Chief Justice Frank F. Drowota, III, of Nashville; Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., of Nashville;and Justice William M. Barker of Chattanooga. The five justices of the Supreme Court sit “en banc,” oras a whole, to hear oral arguments.

“Over time, state supreme courts haveplayed a pivotal role in the growth of law. . .state supreme courts have often been calledupon to grapple with thorny legal issues longbefore they reached the Supreme Court ofthe United States. . .”

A History of the Tennessee Supreme Court

Supreme Court

The TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT is the state’scourt of last resort and may accept appeals of civil andcriminal cases from lower state courts. The five justices alsointerpret the laws and Constitutions of Tennessee and theUnited States.

The Supreme Court may assume jurisdiction overundecided cases in the Court of Appeals or Court of CriminalAppeals when there is special need for a speedy decision.The court also has appellate jurisdiction in cases involving state taxes, the right to hold public officeand issues of constitutional law. Appeals to the Supreme Court are discretionary except in deathpenalty cases. The court is required by law to review those cases on direct appeal.

Attorneys may present oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Oral arguments also are heardin the two intermediate appellate courts. After Supreme Court justices have heard oral arguments, ifarguments are presented, and reviewed attorneys’ briefs and records in the case, they issue theirwritten opinions. Only opinions on federal constitutional issues can be appealed to the federal appellatecourts, which may or may not agree to consider the appeals.

Judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals are elected on a“yes-no” ballot every eight years. When a vacancy occurs the 15-member Judicial Selection Commissioninterviews applicants and recommends three candidates to the governor, who appoints a new judgeto serve until the next August general election.

By state law, judges on the three courts must be evaluated every eight years. Results are publishedin newspapers across the state to help voters decide whether judges should be retained if recommendedby the Judicial Evaluation Commission.

8

Intermediate Appellate Courts

The COURT OF APPEALS, created by the General Assembly in 1925, hears appeals in civil —or noncriminal — cases from trial courts and certain state boards and commissions.

The COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, created by the General Assembly in 1967, hears trialcourt appeals in felony and misdemeanor cases, as well as post-conviction petitions. State law requiresthe Court of Criminal Appeals to review all death sentences. If a capital case conviction and sentenceare affirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeals, there is an automatic review by the state SupremeCourt.

All other Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals decisions may be appealed, by permission,to the state Supreme Court. Each of the intermediate appellate courts has 12 members, who normallysit in panels of three in Jackson, Knoxville and Nashville. They may also meet in other places asnecessary.

Court of Appeals judges are (from left, front row) W. Frank Crawford, Houston Goddard, Ben H. Cantrell,Charles D. Susano, Jr., (from left, back row) Patricia J. Cottrell, William B. Cain, David R. Farmer, BillKoch, D. Michael Swiney, Alan E. Highers, Herschel P. Franks and Holly K. Lillard.

Court of Criminal Appeals judges are (from left, front row) David G. Hayes, Joseph M. Tipton, Gary R. Wade,David H. Welles, Jerry Smith, (from left, back row) Alan E. Glenn, John Everett Williams, Thomas Woodall,Joe Riley, James Curwood Witt, Jr., Norma McGee Ogle and Robert W. Wedemeyer.

9

1st JUDICIAL DISTRICTCarter, Johnson, Unicoi,Washington counties

CHANCERY COURTG. Richard Johnson

CIRCUIT COURTThomas J. Seeley, Jr. (Part I)Jean A. Stanley (Part II)

CRIMINAL COURTLynn W. BrownRobert E. Cupp

2nd JUDICIAL DISTRICTSullivan County

CHANCERY COURTRichard E. Ladd

CIRCUIT COURTJohn S. McLellan, III (Part l)R. Jerry Beck (Part II)

CRIMINAL COURTPhyllis H. Miller

3rd JUDICIAL DISTRICTGreene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins counties

CHANCERY COURTThomas R. Frierson, II

CIRCUIT COURTJohn K. Wilson (Part I)Ben K. Wexler (Part II)Kindall T. Lawson (Part III)

CRIMINAL COURTJames E. Beckner

4th JUDICIAL DISTRICTCocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier counties

CHANCERY COURTTelford E. Forgety, Jr.

CIRCUIT COURTBen W. Hooper, II (Part I)Richard Robert Vance (Part II)Rex Henry Ogle (Part III)O. Duane Slone (Part IV)

5th JUDICIAL DISTRICTBlount County

CHANCERY COURTTelford E. Forgety, Jr.

CIRCUIT COURTW. Dale Young (Part I)D. Kelly Thomas, Jr. (Part II)

6th JUDICIAL DISTRICTKnox County

CHANCERY COURTJohn F. Weaver (Part I)Daryl R. Fansler (Part II)Sharon J. Bell (Part III)

CIRCUIT COURTDale Workman (Division l)Harold Wimberly, Jr. (Division II)Wheeler A. Rosenbalm (Division III)Bill Swann (Division IV)

CRIMINAL COURTRichard R. Baumgartner, (Division I)Ray L. Jenkins, (Division II)Mary Beth Leibowitz, (Division III)

7th JUDICIAL DISTRICTAnderson County

CHANCERY COURTWilliam E. Lantrip

CIRCUIT COURTJames B. Scott, Jr.

Trial Judges by Judicial District

10

8th JUDICIAL DISTRICTCampbell, Claiborne, Fentress,Scott, Union counties

CHANCERY COURTBilly Joe White

CIRCUIT COURTConrad Troutman, Jr.

CRIMINAL COURTE. Shayne Sexton

9th JUDICIAL DISTRICTLoudon, Meigs, Morgan, Roane counties

CHANCERY COURTFrank V. Williams, III

CIRCUIT COURTRussell E. Simmons, Jr.

CRIMINAL COURTE. Eugene Eblen

10th JUDICIAL DISTRICTBradley, McMinn, Monroe, Polk counties

CHANCERY COURTJerri Bryant

CIRCUIT COURTLarry H. Puckett (Part I)John B. Hagler, Jr. (Part II)Carroll Lee Ross (Part III)

CRIMINAL COURTRobert Steven Bebb

11th JUDICIAL DISTRICTHamilton County

CHANCERY COURTW. Frank Brown, III (Part I)Howell N. Peoples (Part II)

CIRCUIT COURTJackie Schulten (Division I)Samuel H. Payne (Division II)L. Marie Williams (Division III)W. Neil Thomas, III (Division IV)

CRIMINAL COURTDouglas A. Meyer (Division I)Rebecca J. Stern (Division II)Steve M. Bevil (Division III)

12th JUDICIAL DISTRICT Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, Rhea, Sequatchie counties

CHANCERY COURTJeffrey Stewart

CIRCUIT COURTThomas W. (Rusty) Graham (Part I)J. Curtis Smith (Part II)Buddy D. Perry (Part III)

13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTClay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton,

Pickett, Putnam, White counties

CHANCERY COURTVernon Neal

CIRCUIT COURTJohn A. Turnbull (Part I)John J. Maddux, Jr. (Part II)

CRIMINAL COURTLeon C. Burns, Jr. (Division I)Lillie Ann Sells (Division II)

14th JUDICIAL DISTRICTCoffee County

CIRCUIT COURTL. Craig Johnson (Part I)John Rollins (Part II)

11

15th JUDICIAL DISTRICTJackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale,Wilson counties

CHANCERY COURTC. K. Smith

CIRCUIT COURTClara W. Byrd (Division I)John D. Wootten, Jr. (Division II)

CRIMINAL COURTJames O. Bond

16th JUDICIAL DISTRICTCannon, Rutherford counties

CHANCERY COURTRobert E. Corlew, III

CIRCUIT COURTSteve Daniel (Part I)James K. Clayton, Jr. (Part II)Don R. Ash (Part III)Royce Taylor (Part IV)

17th JUDICIAL DISTRICTBedford, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore counties

CHANCERY COURTJames B. (J. B.) Cox

CIRCUIT COURTCharles Lee (Part I)Lee Russell (Part II)

18th JUDICIAL DISTRICTSumner County

CHANCERY COURTThomas E. Gray

CIRCUIT COURTC. L. “Buck” Rogers

CRIMINAL COURTJane W. Wheatcraft

19th JUDICIAL DISTRICTMontgomery, Robertson counties

CHANCERY COURTCarol Catalano

CIRCUIT COURTRoss H. Hicks (Part I)Mike Jones (Part II)John H. Gasaway, III (Part III)

20th JUDICIAL DISTRICTDavidson County

CHANCERY COURTIrvin H. Kilcrease, Jr. (Part I)Carol McCoy (Part II)Ellen Hobbs Lyle (Part III)

CIRCUIT COURTHamilton Gayden, Jr. (Division l)Marietta M. Shipley (Division ll)Barbara N. Haynes (Division lll)Muriel Robinson (Division lV)Walter C. Kurtz (Division V)Thomas W. Brothers (Division Vl)Frank G. Clement, Jr. (Division Vll)Carol Soloman (Division Vlll)

CRIMINAL COURTSteve R. Dozier (Division I)J. Randall Wyatt, Jr. (Division II)Cheryl A. Blackburn (Division III)Seth Norman (Division IV)

21st JUDICIAL DISTRICTHickman, Lewis, Perry,Williamson counties

CIRCUIT COURTRuss Heldman (Division I)Robert E. Lee Davies (Division II)Donald P. Harris (Division III)Timothy Easter (Division IV)

12

22nd JUDICIAL DISTRICTGiles, Lawrence, Maury, Wayne counties

CIRCUIT COURTJim T. Hamilton (Part I)Robert Holloway (Part II)Robert L. (Bob) Jones (Part III)Stella Hargrove (Part IV)

23rd JUDICIAL DISTRICTCheatham, Dickson, Houston,Humphreys, Stewart counties

CIRCUIT COURTRobert E. Burch (Division I)Leonard Martin (Division II)Allen W. Wallace (Division III) (retired 1/31/03)

24th JUDICIAL DISTRICTBenton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin,Henry counties

CHANCERY COURTRon E. Harmon

CIRCUIT COURTCharles Creed McGinley (Part I)Julian P. Guinn (Part II)

25th JUDICIAL DISTRICTFayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale,McNairy, Tipton counties

CHANCERY COURTDewey C. Whitenton (Part I)Martha Brasfield (Part II)

CIRCUIT COURTJon Kerry Blackwood (Part I)Joseph H. Walker, III (Part II)

26th JUDICIAL DISTRICTChester, Henderson, Madison counties

CHANCERY COURTJoe C. Morris

CIRCUIT COURTRoy B. Morgan, Jr. (Division I)Donald H. Allen (Division II)Roger A. Page (Division III)

27th JUDICIAL DISTRICTObion,Weakley counties

CHANCERY COURTW. Michael Maloan

CIRCUIT COURTWilliam B. Acree, Jr.

28th JUDICIAL DISTRICTCrockett, Gibson, Haywood counties

CHANCERY COURTGeorge R. Ellis

CIRCUIT COURTClayburn Peeples

29th JUDICIAL DISTRICTDyer, Lake counties

CHANCERY COURTJ. Steven Stafford

CIRCUIT COURTRussell Lee Moore, Jr.

30th JUDICIAL DISTRICTShelby County

CHANCERY COURTWalter L. Evans (Part I)Arnold Goldin (Part II)D. J. Alissandratos (Part III)

CIRCUIT COURTJohn R. McCarroll, Jr. (Division I)James F. Russell (Division II)Karen R. Williams (Division III)Rita L. Stotts (Division IV)Kay S. Robilio (Division V)George H. Brown, Jr. (Division VI)Robert A. Lanier (Division VII)D’Army Bailey (Division VIII)Robert L. Childers (Division IX)

13

Senior judges are appointed by theTennessee Supreme Court to two orfour-year terms. The retired trial orappellate court judges may be assignedon a temporary basis to any state court.

John K. ByersWilliam Inman

James L. WeatherfordAllen Wallace*

(*effective February 1, 2003)

CRIMINAL COURTBernie Weinman (Division I)W. Otis Higgs, Jr. (Division II)John P. Colton, Jr. (Division III)Carolyn Wade Blackett (Division IV)Joseph B. Dailey (Division V)W. Fred Axley (Division VI)Arthur T. Bennett (Division VII)Chris Craft (Division VIII)J. C. McLin (Division IX)James C. Beasley, Jr. (Division X)

PROBATE COURTDonn SouthernRobert Benham

31st JUDICIAL DISTRICTVan Buren, Warren counties

CIRCUIT and CHANCERY COURTLarry Barton Stanley, Jr.

Anderson CountyDon A. LaytonRonald N. Murch

Bedford CountyCharles L. Rich

Benton CountyClyde W. Watson

Bledsoe CountyHoward L. Upchurch

Blount CountyHugh Edward Delozier, Jr.William R. Brewer, Jr.William Terry Denton

Bradley CountyAndrew F. Bennett, Jr.Carrell Van Deacon, Jr.

Campbell CountyJoseph M. Ayers

Cannon CountySusan Melton

Carroll CountyLarry J. Logan

Carter CountyJohn W. Walton

Cheatham CountyPhillip A. Maxey

Chester CountyLarry F. McKenzie

Claiborne CountyJohn D. McAfee

Clay CountyJames D. White, Jr.

Cocke CountyJohn A. Bell

Coffee CountyJere LedsingerTimothy R. Brock

Crockett CountyShannon A. Jones

Senior Judges

General Sessions Court Judges By County

14

Johnson CountyWilliam Bliss Hawkins

Knox CountyBobby Ray McGeeBrenda J. WaggonerChuck Cerny, Jr.Geoffrey P. EmeryTony W. Stansberry

Lake CountyDanny Goodman, Jr.

Lauderdale CountyJanice C. Craig

Lawrence CountyLee A. England

Lewis CountyBilly W. Townsend

Lincoln CountyCharles Crawford

Loudon CountyWilliam H. Russell

Macon CountyKen Witcher, Jr.

Madison CountyChristy R. LittleHugh H. Harvey, Jr.

Marion CountyJ. Clifford Layne

Marshall CountySteve Bowden

Maury CountyGeorge Logan LovellJ. Lee Bailey , IIIJimmy E. Matthews

McMinn CountyJames F. Watson

Cumberland CountySteven C. Douglas

Davidson CountyCasey MorelandGale B. RobinsonGloria A. DumasJohn Aaron HoltJohn P. BrownLeon RubenMark J. FishburnMichael F. MondelliSue Mcknight EvansWilliam Edward HigginsWilliam Joseph Faimon

Decatur CountyRicky L. Wood

DeKalb CountyBratten Hale Cook, II

Dickson CountyDurwood G. Moore

Dyer CountyCharles V. Moore

Fayette CountyJ. Weber McCraw

Fentress CountyPaul Crouch

Franklin CountyFloyd Don Davis

Gibson CountyJames Webb

Giles CountyJohn P. Damron

Grainger CountyJoe WayneWolfenbarger

Greene CountyThomas J. Wright

Grundy CountyEarlene Y. Speer

Hamblen CountyHerbert M. BaconJoyce Mills Ward

Hamilton CountyClarence E. Shattuck, JrO. Michael CarterRobert L. Moon, Jr.Ronald W. DurbyS. Richard Holcomb

Hancock CountyFloyd W. (Bill) Rhea

Hardeman CountySteven C. Hornsby

Hardin CountyDaniel L. Smith

Hawkins CountyDavid L. Brand

Haywood CountyJ. Roland Reid

Henderson CountyRobert Steve Beal

Henry CountyHansel J. McCadams

Hickman CountySamuel Herbert Smith

Houston CountySidney Vinson

Humphreys CountyDan R. Bradley

Jackson CountySteven Cassetty

Jefferson CountyAlfred Ben Strand, Jr.

15

McNairy CountyBob G. Gray

Meigs CountyJayne Johnston-Crowley

Monroe CountyEdwin Cyrus Harris

Montgomery CountyJack HestleRay GrimesWayne C. Shelton

Moore CountyDonald J. Ray

Morgan CountyMichael A. Davis

Obion CountyRaymond Morris

Overton CountyJohn R. Officer

Perry CountyClovis Parnell

Pickett CountyRonnie Zachary

Polk CountyBilly D. Baliles

Putnam CountyJohn P. HudsonNolan R. Goolsby

Rhea CountyJames W. McKenzie

Roane CountyDennis W. HumphreyThomas A. Austin

Robertson CountyMax D. Fagan

Rutherford CountyBen Hall McFarlin, Jr.David Loughry

Scott CountyJames L. Cotton, Jr.

Sequatchie CountyL. Thomas Austin

Sevier CountyDwight E. StokesJeff D. Rader

Shelby CountyAnn Lucas PughAnthony JohnsonBetty Thomas MoorePhyllis B. GardnerJohn A. DonaldJoyce BroffittLarry E. PotterLonnie ThompsonLouis J. Montesi, Jr.Loyce Lambert RyanLynn CobbMischelle Alexander-BestRussell B. Sugarmon, Jr.Tim James DwyerGwen Rooks

Smith CountyMose Jackie Preston

Stewart CountyGeorge C. Sexton

Sullivan CountyDuane S. SnodgrassJ. Klyne LauderbackSteven Hal JonesW.A. (Bill) Watson

Sumner CountyBarry R. BrownJohn Wesley Jones

Tipton CountyWilliam A. Peeler

Trousdale CountyKenny Linville

Unicoi CountyDavid R. Shults

Union CountyDarryl W. Edmondson

Warren CountyLarry G. Ross

Washington CountyJohn L. KienerRobert Lincoln

Wayne CountyJames Yeiser Ross

Weakley CountyThomas L. Moore, Jr.

White & Van Buren countiesSam Benningfield

Williamson CountyAlfred L. NationsLonnie R. Hoover

Wilson CountyBarry TatumRobert P. Hamilton

16

17

Appellate and trial court clerks are responsible for maintainingdockets and records and handling administrative matters in theircourts. The clerks also serve as judicial system goodwillambassadors since they have day-to-day interaction with the public.

Circuit Court clerks, elected in each county for four-year terms,also serve as General Sessions Court clerks in counties withoutdesignated General Sessions Court clerks. Clerks also are electedin counties with Probate and Criminal Courts. Each Chancery Courtis served by a clerk and master who is appointed by the ChanceryCourt judge for a six-year term.

The Office of the Appellate Court Clerk is responsible for filingappellate papers submitted by the parties with cases on appeal.The division where a case originates controls where the parties filetheir appeals. In capital cases where all appeals have been exhausted and where the execution date

has been set, all papers submitted to theSupreme Court are filed in the Middle Division.

In addition to cases on appeal, the MiddleDivision is where all Rules of Court are filed,matters before the Court of the Judiciary, Boardof Law Examiners, Board of ProfessionalResponsibility and certified questions of lawfrom federal courts. Also any petition for publicresponse altering or amending the Rules is filedin the Middle Division, as are all Supreme Courtopinions.

The clerk of the appellate courts isappointed by the Supreme Court for a six-yearterm and is based in Nashville, the MiddleDivision. Chief deputy clerks oversee the officesin Knoxville and Jackson.

Offices of the Appellate & Trial Court Clerks

Cecil Crowson Susan Turner Frankie HoltAppellate Court Clerk Chief Deputy Clerk Chief Deputy ClerkJanice Rawls P.O. Box 909 719 Locust StreetChief Deputy Clerk Jackson, TN 38302-0909 P.O. Box 444401 7th Avenue North 901-423-5840 Knoxville, TN 37901Nashville, TN 37219-1407 865-594-6700615-741-2681

Deputy clerk Fay Hicks handles one of the dozens ofcalls the three appellate court clerk’s offices receiveevery day. The offices are in Nashville, Knoxville andJackson.

18

Carroll CountyCircuit Court ClerkPaul NewmonClerk and MasterKenneth Todd

Carter CountyCircuit Court ClerkJohn Paul MathesClerk and MasterCharlotte McKeehan

Cheatham CountyCircuit Court ClerkJulie WomackClerk and MasterDoris Sanders

Chester CountyCircuit Court ClerkKeith FryeClerk and MasterCornelia Hall

Claiborne CountyCircuit Court ClerkBilly Ray CheekClerk and MasterThomas O. Shumate

Clay CountyCircuit Court ClerkPeggy BallardClerk and MasterCorrinne McLerran

Cocke CountyCircuit Court ClerkPeggy LaneClerk and MasterCraig WildGeneral Sessions Court ClerkFrankie Cody

Coffee CountyCircuit Court ClerkHeather DuncanClerk and MasterCharlotte V. Broyles

Anderson CountyCircuit Court ClerkBarry PelizzariClerk and MasterSteve Queener

Bedford CountyCircuit Court ClerkThomas A. SmithClerk and MasterPatricia Finney

Benton CountyCircuit Court ClerkTerry HudsonClerk and MasterTim Burrus

Bledsoe CountyCircuit Court ClerkJamey RobersonClerk and MasterGreg Forgey

Blount CountyCircuit Court ClerkTom HatcherClerk and MasterJames A. Carroll

Bradley CountyCircuit Court ClerkPam D. MullClerk and MasterReginald Hyberger

Campbell CountyCircuit Court ClerkBrenda BoshearsClerk and MasterBill Archer

Cannon CountyCircuit Court ClerkRobert DavenportClerk and MasterHarold Patrick

19

Crockett CountyCircuit Court ClerkKim KailClerk and MasterBetty Johnson

Cumberland CountyCircuit Court ClerkLarry SherrillClerk and MasterSue Tollett

Davidson CountyCircuit/Probate Court ClerkRichard R. RookerClerk and MasterClaudia BonnymanCriminal Court ClerkDavid Torrence

Decatur CountyCircuit Court ClerkDanny TannerClerk and MasterElizabeth J. Carpenter

DeKalb CountyCircuit Court ClerkKatherine PackClerk and MasterDebra Malone

Dickson CountyCircuit Court ClerkPam MyattClerk and MasterNancy MillerGeneral Sessions Court ClerkBarbara Spann

Dyer CountyCircuit Court ClerkTom T. J. JonesClerk and MasterJohn H. Hoff

Fayette CountyCircuit Court ClerkJimmie GermanClerk and MasterBarbara Walls

Fentress CountyCircuit Court ClerkW. Frank SmithClerk and MasterKathryn T. Robbins

Franklin CountyCircuit Court ClerkNancy SilvertoothClerk and MasterBrenda Clark

Gibson CountyClerk and MasterWanda BrownCircuit Court ClerkJanice JonesClerk and MasterLois Lockhart

Giles CountyCircuit Court ClerkCrystal GreeneClerk and MasterMerry B. Sigmon

Grainger CountyCircuit Court ClerkRhonda ReaganClerk and MasterVickie B. Greenlee

Greene CountyCircuit Court ClerkGail JeffersClerk and MasterKay Armstrong

Grundy CountyCircuit Court ClerkMarcia BessClerk and MasterPhyllis Dent

20

Hamblen CountyCircuit Court ClerkKathy Trent-MullinsClerk and MasterKathy Jones-Terry

Hamilton CountyCircuit Court ClerkPaula ThompsonClerk and MasterS. Lee AkersCriminal Court ClerkGwen Tidwell

Hancock CountyCircuit Court ClerkBill McMurrayClerk and MasterScott Collins

Hardeman CountyCircuit Court ClerkLinda K. FulghumClerk and MasterJanice Bodiford

Hardin CountyCircuit Court ClerkDiane B. PolkClerk and MasterMartha Smith

Hawkins CountyCircuit Court ClerkHolly H. JaynesClerk and MasterShirley Graham

Haywood CountyCircuit Court ClerkJoe MooreClerk and MasterJudy Hardister

Henderson CountyCircuit Court ClerkKenny CavnessClerk and MasterLeigh Milam

Henry CountyCircuit Court ClerkRondall MyersClerk and MasterMary Burns

Hickman CountyCircuit Court ClerkDana Dotson NicholsonClerk and MasterSue Smith

Houston CountyCircuit Court ClerkCora Sue McMillanClerk and MasterPatsy Brooks

Humphreys CountyCircuit Court ClerkElaine ChoateClerk and MasterMike Bullion

Jackson CountyCircuit Court ClerkAaron L. ThomasClerk and MasterGarry W. Jones

Jefferson CountyCircuit Court ClerkKathy Bunch CarpenterClerk and MasterNancy C. Humbard

Johnson CountyCircuit Court ClerkCarolyn Wilson HawkinsClerk and MasterLinda Morefield

Knox CountyCircuit Court ClerkCatherine F. QuistClerk and MasterHoward G. HoganCriminal Court ClerkMartha Phillips

21

Lake CountyCircuit Court ClerkDebbie BeasleyClerk and MasterNanette Cook

Lauderdale CountyCircuit Court ClerkRichard JenningsClerk and MasterSandra Burnham

Lawrence CountyCircuit Court ClerkLeon ClantonClerk and MasterKristy Gang

Lewis CountyCircuit Court ClerkDonna CouchClerk and MasterJanet Williams

Lincoln CountyCircuit Court ClerkGail CorderClerk and MasterElizabeth Capshaw

Loudon CountyCircuit Court ClerkLisa NilesClerk and MasterFred Chaney

Macon CountyCircuit Court ClerkJennifer HudsonClerk and MasterGwen Linville

Madison CountyCircuit Court ClerkJudy BarnhillClerk and MasterPam Carter

Marion CountyCircuit Court ClerkEvelyn GriffithClerk and MasterLevoy Gudger

Marshall CountyCircuit Court ClerkElinor FosterClerk and MasterTommy Higdon

Maury CountyCircuit Court ClerkKathy KelleyClerk and MasterCheryl Church

McMinn CountyCircuit Court ClerkNorma Corn WhiteClerk and MasterPatty Gaines

McNairy CountyCircuit Court ClerkRonnie BrooksClerk and MasterFairy R. Hunter

Meigs CountyCircuit Court ClerkDebbie SmithClerk and MasterJim Mercer

Monroe CountyCircuit Court ClerkMartha CookClerk and MasterRobert J. Pennington

Montgomery CountyCircuit Court ClerkCheryl J. CastleClerk and MasterEdward Davis

22

Moore CountyCircuit Court ClerkTrixie HarrisonClerk and MasterTammy Roberts

Morgan CountyCircuit Court ClerkRachel SmithClerk and MasterAngela Anderson

Obion CountyCircuit Court ClerkHarry JohnsonClerk and MasterPaula Rice

Overton CountyCircuit Court ClerkJohnny BrownClerk and MasterDorothy Stanton

Perry CountyCircuit Court ClerkRobert O’GuinClerk and MasterJoyce Marshall

Pickett CountyCircuit Court ClerkLarry BrownClerk and MasterSue Whited

Polk CountyCircuit Court ClerkConnie H. ClarkClerk and MasterKim Ingram

Putnam CountyCircuit Court ClerkMarcia BorysClerk and MasterLinda F. Reeder

Rhea CountyCircuit Court ClerkJohn E. FineClerk and MasterBarry Harrison

Roane CountyCircuit Court ClerkAngela RandolphClerk and MasterShannon Conley

Robertson CountyCircuit Court ClerkLisa CavendarClerk and MasterKenneth Hudgens

Rutherford CountyCircuit Court ClerkEloise GaitherClerk and MasterJohn A. W. Bratcher

Scott CountyCircuit Court ClerkJan BurressClerk and MasterBetty Phillips

Sequatchie CountyCircuit Court ClerkKaren MilsapsClerk and MasterThomas Goins

Sevier CountyCircuit Court ClerkJanette Layman-BallardClerk and MasterCarolyn McMahanGeneral Sessions ClerkConnie Holt

Shelby CountyCircuit Court ClerkJimmy MooreClerk and MasterKenny W. ArmstrongCriminal Court ClerkWilliam R. KeyGeneral Sessions Court ClerkChris TurnerProbate Court ClerkChris Thomas

23

Smith CountyCircuit Court ClerkRobert LancasterClerk and MasterDianna Dillehay

Stewart CountyCircuit Court ClerkBarbara WallaceClerk and MasterJane C. Link

Sullivan CountyCircuit Court ClerkRaymond WintersClerk and MasterSara Housewright

Sumner CountyCircuit Court ClerkMahailiah HughesClerk and MasterBrenda Page

Tipton CountyCircuit Court ClerkMike ForbessClerk and MasterJudy Billings

Trousdale CountyCircuit Court ClerkKim TaylorClerk and MasterShelly Brown

Unicoi CountyCircuit Court ClerkGregory MastersClerk and MasterTeresa W. Simerly

Union CountyCircuit Court ClerkBarbara WilliamsClerk and MasterDoris Seymour

Van Buren CountyCircuit Court ClerkTeresa Simmons-DeLongClerk and MasterSharon Guy

Warren CountyCircuit Court ClerkBernie MorrisClerk and MasterRichard McGregor

Washington CountyCircuit Court ClerkKaren GuinnClerk and MasterDianna Boarman

Wayne CountyCircuit Court ClerkBilly G. CrewsClerk and MasterCarolyn Mathis

Weakley CountyCircuit Court ClerkPam BelewClerk and MasterPatricia Taylor

White CountyCircuit Court ClerkHenry E. FosterClerk and MasterLinda McCoy

Williamson CountyCircuit Court ClerkDebbie McMillan BarrettClerk and MasterElaine Beeler

Wilson CountyCircuit Court ClerkLinda NealClerk and MasterBarbara Webb

24

The Year In Headlines

25

Longtime judge on AppealsCourt, Henry Todd, diesBy CHRISTIAN BOTTORFFStaff WriterHenry F. Todd, 87, a retired judge for the TennesseeCourt of Appeals, died early yesterday morning..

2002

26

Jury Reform

As 2002 wound down, the Supreme Courtfinalized proposed amendments to the Tennes-see Rules of Civil Procedure and the TennesseeRules of Criminal Procedure designed to improveconditions for Tennessee jurors.

The rules, presented to the General Assem-bly for approval in 2003, were part of a jury re-form pilot project started during 2001 in 10 court-rooms across the state. The project assessed14 recommendations of the Tennessee Bar As-sociation Jury Reform Commission.

Significant changes presented to the Gen-eral Assembly would allow jurors in Tennesseeto take notes during a trial and use the notesduring deliberations. Judges also would have thediscretion of allowing jurors to present questionsin written form for witnesses.

Other jury reform proposals include permit-ting judges to change the order of expert testi-mony to help jurors understand and evaluate itand permitting lawyers to address jurors duringa trial to explain evidence. Others require the trialjudge to give basic instructions on proceduresand law at the beginning of a trial and also givejudges the option of presenting the bulk of finaljury instructions before closing argument.

Paper Size

Tennessee joined a growing number ofstates in 2002 with the adoption of a rule requir-ing the use of letter-size paper for court docu-ments. The rule, effective July 1, 2003, will virtu-ally eliminate filings on legal-size, or 11 X 14inches paper.

The change mandated by the SupremeCourt applies to all state courts, including gen-eral sessions, juvenile, probate, circuit, chancery,criminal and appellate.

Interpreters Achieve Certification

During the final month of 2002, foreign lan-guage court interpreters were certified for the firsttime in Tennessee. The first seven to become

Sampling of 2002 Judicial System Initiatives certified successfully completed oral and written ex-aminations and a criminal background check as re-quired by Supreme Court Rules 41 and 42 adoptedearlier in the year. The two rules set out proficiencyand ethics standards for interpreters working in Ten-nessee courts.

Under the rules, judges are required to attemptto appoint an interpreter who is certified if one isavailable. In addition to the seven certified interpret-ers, another 18 had qualified as registered interpret-ers, meaning they had passed the written examina-tion and criminal background check, but had notcompleted the oral examination requirement.

At the end of the year, written tests had beengiven to 150 applicants and 39 also had taken theoral examination. Prospective interpreters had beentested in Arabic, Vietnamese, Lao and Spanish.

CASE and SCALES Projects

Students across the state continued to benefitfrom court system outreach programs. The SupremeCourt conducted two SCALES Projects, bringing thenumber of participating students to more than 10,000since the program started in 1995. SCALES is anacronym for the Supreme Court Advancing LegalEducation for Students.

In April 2002, the Eastern Section of the Courtof Appeals launched a similar program - the CASEProject. CASE is an acronym for Court of AppealsAffecting Student Education.

Both court programs make it possible for stu-dents to hear oral argument in actual cases heardin their own or a nearby community. Students alsoreceive materials and instruction about the courtsystem as part of the programs.

Workers Comp Mediation

Supreme Court Provisional Rule 37, adoptedin 2002, continues a pilot program started in 1998for mediating workers’ compensation cases at theappellate level. The rule envisions “the use of me-diation to make the resolution of workers’ compen-sation appeals more efficient, economical and fair.”Rule 37 provides for the extension of the pilot pro-gram on a statewide basis.

27

Administrative Office of the Courts511 Union Street

Suite 600Nashville, TN 37219

615-741-2687Cornelia A. Clark

DirectorElizabeth SykesDeputy Director

The Administrative Office of theCourts (AOC) provides support servicesto the state court system. The director,appointed by the Supreme Court, is chiefadministrative officer for the courts andoversees the AOC. Duties of the officeinclude preparing the court system’sannual budget; providing judicialeducation, law libraries, computers, otherequipment, training and technical supportfor judges and other court personnel;

assisting judges with case assignments; administering payroll accounts for the court system; conductingorientation for new judges; administering the official state criminal court reporters system; providingassistance to judicial committees; compiling data; and reviewing and disbursing funds to court-appointedattorneys representing indigents.

Fiscal Services Division

The Fiscal Services Division is primarily responsible for maintaining financial integrity for theJudicial Branch of state government. This is accomplished by providing timely support to the variousprograms through the four major sections comprising the fiscal services division. These four groupsare accounting management, facilities management, office management and grants/contracts man-agement. The actions of these four groups affect all of the employees of the court system.

The court system’s budget compared to other departments/agencies is shown in the graph below.

Total State Budget Fiscal Year 2001-02

0.39%

11.25%

4.79%

9.63%

3.13%

16.35%

3.21%

45.39%

1.24% 1.15%

3.48%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

Court System 0.39%Higher Education 11.25%Law, Safety & Correction 4.79%Transportation, Business & Economic Development 9.63%General Government 3.13%K-12 Education 16.35%Resources/Regulations 3.21%Health & Social Services 45.39%Debt Service 1.24%Capital Outlay/Facilities Revolving Fund 1.15%Counties and Cities 3.48%

28

The budget administered for fiscal year 2001-2002 was $77,053,800, before supplementalappropriations, with total expenditures of $77,332,384.26. The court system expended the followingamounts for fiscal year 2001-2002:

Appellate and Trial Courts $40,300,488.54 52.11%Supreme Court Buildings 2,497,384.47 3.23%Child Support Referees 934,160.83 1.21%Guardian Ad Litem 977,355.74 1.26%Indigent Defendants Counsel 14,897,665.34 19.26%Civil Legal Representation Fund 3,128,741.57 4.05%Verbatim Transcripts 3,293,061.34 4.26%Law Libraries 579,956.31 0.75%Judicial Conference 179,649.41 0.23%Judicial Programs and Commissions 632,511.16 0.82%State Court Clerks’ Conference 179,406.15 0.23%Administrative Office of the Courts 7,625,956.81 9.86%Appellate Court Clerk’s Office 1,603,521.57 2.07%Board of Law Examiners 502,525.02 0.65%Total Expenditures $77,332,384.26

The Indigent Defense Fund expended $14,897,665.34 for fiscal year 2001-2002 and $3,014,000was expended for capital cases. Listed below are the expenditures for the Indigent Defense Fund andfor capital cases for fiscal years 1997-98 through 2001-2002:

Total Expenditures from the Indigent Defense Fund:

Fiscal Year 2001-2002 $14,897,665Fiscal Year 2000-2001 12,877,960Fiscal Year 1999-2000 12,878,170Fiscal Year 1998-1999 11,288,119Fiscal Year 1997-1998 9,628,384

Indigent Defense Fund capital case expenditures:

Fiscal Year 2001-2002 $3,014,000Fiscal Year 2000-2001 2,719,636Fiscal Year 1999-2000 3,234,723Fiscal Year 1998-1999 2,574,955Fiscal Year 1997-1998 2,189,110

Human Resources Division

The Human Resources Division addressesthe human resource needs of nearly 700 courtsystem employees statewide, including trial andappellate court judges and AOC staff. The division works with judges and AOC management in devel-oping position descriptions, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, employee evaluations and em-ployee separation. Other responsibilities include approving salary adjustments, overseeing employeebenefits, monitoring Workers’ Compensation claims and leave under the Family Medical Leave Act(FMLA) and consulting with management regarding a wide variety of employment issues. The divisionalso is responsible for Affirmative Action and Title VI compliance.

Finance director Tim Townsend and accounting technicianDebbie Hill

29

Technology Services Division

The Technology Services Division provides computer support for more than 1,400 court systempersonnel, maintains 74 local area networks and oversees the wide area communications that tietogether all appellate court sites, the TnCIS project site and the AOC. The staff also provides classeson court-supplied software and the help desk assists court personnel with support issues.

The division has several large projects underway, including development of the Tennessee CourtInformation System (TnCIS).

The Judicial Information Tracking System (JITS) is performing well, a vast improvement over itspredecessor. Efforts continue to enhance and refine the software. In the past year, several changeshave taken place to allow for fax filing and improve the collection of state litigation taxes.

The division continues to work with the TJIS (Tennessee Judicial Information System) to improvedata collection and reporting. Since the passage of 2001 Public Chapter 408 and amendment toSupreme Court Rule 11 added additional notification and enforcement duties to the TJIS system,case information reporting has drastically improved.

Over the coming year, Technology Services will be working to update software for the court reportertracking database, enhance and redesign the indigent defense payment system, continue improvementsto the JITS software and work toward implementation of TJIS data reporting for courts with general

sessions jurisdiction to meet the July 1, 2003,legislative mandate.

Tennessee Court Information System

The Tennessee Court Information System(TnCIS) is a statutorily-authorized trial court casemanagement software system integrating casetracking and accounting functions for courtclerks, including circuit, criminal, chancery,probate, juvenile, and general sessions. TnCISsoftware will provide participating clerks with anautomated case management system toimprove record keeping, reduce paperwork,improve timeliness, enhance fee collection,allow for better sharing and transfer of data, aidin the efficient management of the court’s timeand provide better service to the public.

The TnCIS business plan was presentedto the legislative oversight committee, which

approved and adopted it as the guide for TnCIS going forward. The hardware replacement subcommitteerecommended creation of a fund to provide no-interest or low-interest loans to counties to fund hardwarereplacement. This fund was created through legislation in 2001 Public Chapter 451 with no actualdollars allocated.

The TnCIS team members for both the AOC and Local Government Data Processing have been verybusy in 2002. The majority of the detail design work for the first wave of functionality was completed andapproved in 2002. This included the user interface prototype, which was demonstrated for the TJISAC(Tennessee Judicial Information Systems Advisory Committee) and the TnCIS Steering Committee aswell. The final piece of the detail design phase should be completed in early 2003. The rest of 2003 will bespent preparing for and testing the TnCIS software prior to implementation in late 2003/early 2004.

Stan WallsCourt Technology Assistant

30

Active Boards and Commissions Created by the Tennessee Supreme Court

Advisory Commission on Rules of Practice and ProcedureAlternative Dispute Resolution Commission

Board of Law ExaminersBoard of Professional Responsibility

Commission on Continuing Legal EducationCourt of the Judiciary

Judicial CouncilJudicial Ethics Committee

Judicial Evaluation CommissionJudicial Performance Program Committee

Judicial Selection CommissionLawyer Assistance Program

Lawyers Fund for Client ProtectionState Law Library Commission

Supreme Court Building Commissions: Nashville, Knoxville, JacksonTennessee Code Commission

Tennessee Judicial Conference CommitteesTennessee Judicial Information System Advisory Committee

Tennessee Court Information System Steering Committee

The AOC’s Judicial Education and ProgramServices Division and the Legal and Public In-formation Division were merged during 2002into the Court and Public Services Division(CAPS). The new division includes the pro-grams, education, public information and legalsections. In addition, the Court ImprovementProgram, the Court Interpreters Program, theCourt Reporters Program and the Judicial Evalu-ation Program are administered by the division.

The programs section includes the alter-native dispute resolution program, the VORPproject, the parenting plan program and drugcourts. The education section plans and pre-sents educational seminars for the TennesseeJudicial Conference, General Sessions JudgesConference and Clerks of Court, and coordi-

nates the SCALES project for high school students. Education also administers judicial out-of-statetravel for educational seminars and conferences and all continuing education for judicial law clerks.The Court Improvement Program is part of the division. Staff train Foster Care Review Boards, attor-neys and judges on child dependency laws to address barriers to permanency within the judicial pro-cess. The division also includes public information, the court system website and publications.

The legal section is also included in the Court and Public Services Division. The legal staff servesas reporters for the Pattern Jury Instruction Committees, draft and track legislation, work with theAdvisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure and publishers on the rules of court,track capital cases in the trial and appellate courts, and advise judges and personnel on legal issues.The Court Interpreter Program is also administered by the CAPS division.

Court and Public Services Division

Joann WatlingtonPublications Coordinator

31

Board of Professional Responsibility1101 Kermit Drive, Suite 730

Nashville, TN 37217615-361-7500

The Board of Professional Responsibility investigates complaints against attorneys and disciplinesthose who violate professional rules. The program also publishes ethics opinions, operates an ethicshotline, conducts seminars and oversees an attorney trust fund program. Tennessee attorneys havepaid nearly $18 million in court assessments to finance the program, including $1.6 million in 2002. Theboard, an arm of the Supreme Court, received 1,171 complaints from Nov. 1, 2001, through Oct. 31,2002, resulting in nine disbarments, 13 suspensions, 13 public censures, 50 private reprimands and82 private admonitions. Another four attorneys opted to take disability inactive status. The number ofcomplaints against attorneys dropped from the previous 12 month period, when the total was 1,397.

Tennessee Board of Law Examiners706 Church Street, Suite 100

Nashville, TN 37243-0740615-741-3234

www.state.tn.us/lawexaminersThe Board of Law Examiners governs the examination and admission of attorneys applying to

practice law in Tennessee. The office, with a staff of three, admits attorneys previously licensed formore than five years in other jurisdictions and administers the bar examination to recent law schoolgraduates. The two-day exam is given each year in February and July. During 2002, 712 law schoolgraduates took the exam and 67 percent passed.

Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization221 Fourth Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37219615-741-3096 (CLE)

www.cletn.orgThe commission oversees the mandatory continuing legal education requirements and

certification of attorneys as specialists in 11 areas of the law. Attorneys in the state have earned morethan 235,000 hours of CLE credit at over 5,400 programs nationwide accredited by the commission.More than 240 Tennessee attorneys are certified specialists.

Tennessee Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection615-741-3097

TLFCP manages a fund of approximately $1 million from which it reimburses clients whoseattorneys have stolen from them. During 2002, the fund paid out over $40,000 to claimants. The fundis administered by the same staff and uses the same office space as the Tennessee Commission onContinuing Legal Education and Specialization.

Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program1- 877- 424-8527

email: tnlap@aol.comwww.tlap.org

TLAP provides confidential free referrals and other support services to attorneys, judges, barapplicants and law students with health and personal issues such as substance abuse, stress, familyproblems, depression and eating disorders. The program was created by the Tennessee SupremeCourt and is supported by attorneys. Since September 1999, the program has had more than 660 inquiriesand referrals and averages 18 new service calls per month.

Message from the Chief Justice and Administrative DirectorEarly Court HistoryCourthouse Fires and DisastersHistorical Society InitiativeTennessee CourtsSupreme CourtIntermediate Appellate CourtsTrial JudgesGeneral Sessions Court Judges By County

Tennessee Judicial SystemOffices of the Appellate & Trial Court ClerksThe Year In Headlines2002 Judicial System InitiativesAdministrative Office of the CourtsFiscal Services DivisionHuman Resources DivisionTechnology Services DivisionCourt and Public Services Division

Active Boards and Commissions Created by the Tennessee Supreme CourtStatisticsStatewide SummariesChancery Court SummaryCircuit Court SummaryCriminal Court

Supreme Court Caseload DataCourt of Appeals Caseload DataCourt of Criminal Appeals Caseload Data

District Filings & DispositionsDISTRICT 1 CHANCERYDISTRICT 1 CIRCUITDISTRICT 1 CRIMINALDISTRICT 2 CHANCERYDISTRICT 2 CIRCUITDISTRICT 2 CRIMINALDISTRICT 3 CHANCERYDISTRICT 3 CIRCUITDISTRICT 3 CRIMINALDISTRICT 4 CHANCERYDISTRICT 4 CRIMINALDISTRICT 5 CHANCERYDISTRICT 5 CIRCUITDISTRICT 5 CRIMINALDISTRICT 6 CHANCERYDISTRICT 6 CIRCUITDISTRICT 6 CRIMINALDISTRICT 7 CHANCERYDISTRICT 7 CIRCUITDISTRICT 7 CRIMINALDISTRICT 8 CHANCERYDISTRICT 8 CIRCUITDISTRICT 8 CRIMINALDISTRICT 9 CHANCERYDISTRICT 9 CIRCUITDISTRICT 9 CRIMINALDISTRICT 10 CHANCERYDISTRICT 10 CIRCUITDISTRICT 10 CRIMINALDISTRICT 11 CHANCERYDISTRICT 11 CIRCUITDISTRICT 11 CRIMINALDISTRICT 12 CHANCERYDISTRICT 12 CIRCUITDISTRICT 12 CRIMINALDISTRICT 13 CHANCERYDISTRICT 13 CIRCUITDISTRICT 13 CRIMINALDISTRICT 14 CHANCERYDISTRICT 14 CIRCUITDISTRICT 14 CRIMINALDISTRICT 15 CHANCERYDISTRICT 15 CIRCUITDISTRICT 15 CRIMINALDISTRICT 16 CHANCERYDISTRICT 16 CIRCUITDISTRICT 16 CRIMINALDISTRICT 17 CHANCERYDISTRICT 17 CIRCUITDISTRICT 17 CRIMINALDISTRICT 18 CHANCERYDISTRICT 18 CIRCUITDISTRICT 18 CRIMINALDISTRICT 19 CHANCERYDISTRICT 19 CIRCUITDISTRICT 19 CRIMINALDISTRICT 20 CHANCERYDISTRICT 20 CIRCUITDISTRICT 20 CRIMINALDISTRICT 21 CHANCERYDISTRICT 21 CIRCUITDISTRICT 21 CRIMINALDISTRICT 22 CHANCERYDISTRICT 22 CIRCUITDISTRICT 22 CRIMINALDISTRICT 23 CHANCERYDISTRICT 23 CIRCUITDISTRICT 23 CRIMINALDISTRICT 24 CHANCERYDISTRICT 24 CIRCUITDISTRICT 24 CRIMINALDISTRICT 25 CHANCERYDISTRICT 25 CIRCUITDISTRICT 25 CRIMINALDISTRICT 26 CHANCERYDISTRICT 26 CIRCUITDISTRICT 26 CRIMINALDISTRICT 27 CHANCERYDISTRICT 27 CIRCUITDISTRICT 27 CRIMINALDISTRICT 28 CHANCERYDISTRICT 28 CIRCUITDISTRICT 28 CRIMINALDISTRICT 29 CHANCERYDISTRICT 29 CIRCUITDISTRICT 29 CRIMINALDISTRICT 30 CHANCERYDISTRICT 30 PROBATEDISTRICT 30 CIRCUITDISTRICT 30 CRIMINALDISTRICT 31 CHANCERYDISTRICT 31 CIRCUITDISTRICT 31 CRIMINAL

Damages & Torts