NEWS SUMMARY

	Justice Cornelia A. Clark was sworn in as chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court today, making her the second woman in the state’s history to hold the position. Click here to read more.
	Judge Don Ash has been re-elected presiding judge of the Court of the Judiciary. To learn more, click here.
	Tim Townsend, deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), announced that he is leaving the position to join the Davidson County trial courts. For more information, click here.
	The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission has sent out surveys to judges, attorneys and court personnel as part of the mid-term evaluations of appellate judges. For more information, click here.
More News:	The Administrative Office of the Courts will have funds available through the Access and Visitation Grant for the development or continuation of initiatives that will aid self-represented litigants in accessing the Tennessee court system regarding child support issues. For information, click here. The AOC has continued funding for scholarships for those interested in becoming credentialed court interpreters and for those registered interpreters working on becoming certified interpreters. For information, click here. Click here to view previous press releases

Cornelia Clark Sworn in as Chief Justice
September 1, 2010


Chief Justice Janice Holder administers the oath of office to incoming Chief
Justice Cornelia Clark. Clark is accompanied by her sister, Cathy Hardcastle,
and her brother, William H. (Bill) Clark, Jr.

Justice Cornelia A. Clark was sworn in as chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court today, making her the second woman in the state’s history to hold the position.

More than 300 members of the public attended the swearing in ceremony, which was held at the historic Williamson County courthouse in Franklin. Outgoing Chief Justice Janice Holder administered the oath of office to Clark, who was elected by the Court to serve a two-year term as chief justice.

“I am honored and humbled to be chosen by my colleagues on the Court to serve as chief justice,” Clark said. “I consider it a privilege to serve on the Supreme Court with such talented members who are dedicated to the law and public service. I look forward to working with the Court as we continue our efforts to improve access to justice and strengthen the public’s confidence in the judiciary.”

The swearing ceremony included remarks by members of the Supreme Court, representatives from the intermediate appellate courts, and judges and clerks from all levels of the judicial branch.

Clark was appointed to the Supreme Court in September 2005 and was elected a full eight-year term in August 2006. Prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court, Clark was appointed director of the Administrative Office of the Courts in May 1999. She held this position until she was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Clark was appointed circuit court judge of the 21st Judicial District in October 1989 after practicing law for 10 years at Farris, Warfield & Kanaday, now Stites & Harbison. She was elected to a full eight-year term in 1990, and was re-elected in 1998.

The incoming chief justice earned her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and her Master of Arts in Teaching from Harvard University in 1972. Before attending law school, Clark taught high school history and government for four years. In 1979, Clark received her juris doctorate from Vanderbilt University School of Law, where she served as a member of the editorial board for Vanderbilt Law Review.

On June 24, Clark was announced as one of seven Nashville women who will be inducted into the YWCA’s Academy for Women of Achievement. Earlier this year, she was named Appellate Judge of the Year by the Southeastern Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates.  In 2005, Clark received the Williamson County Bar Association’s inaugural Liberty Bell Award for promoting a better understanding for the rule of law and encouraging civic responsibility.

Clark is a former board member of the Marion Griffith Chapter of Lawyers’ Association for Women, the Nashville Bar Association and Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee. She is a past president of the YWCA of Nashville and founding member of the Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women. Clark currently serves on the board of directors of the United Methodist Publishing House.

Clark is a native of Franklin, where her family has lived for eight generations. An active member of the community, Clark served as Franklin City Attorney and as a board member of the Williamson County-Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Clark is a life-long member of First United Methodist Church in Franklin, where she has previously served on the Board of Trustees and as chair of the Administrative Board and the Site Selection and Building Committee.

Don Ash Re-Elected Presiding Judge
of the Court of the Judiciary

Nashville, Tenn. – Circuit Court Judge Don Ash of the 16th Judicial District has been elected to a fourth term as presiding judge of the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary. The 16-member panel receives complaints against judges and imposes sanctions for violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Janice M. Holder congratulated Ash on his reelection and thanked him for his service.

“I commend Judge Ash and the members of the Court of the Judiciary for their ongoing efforts to ensure that all Tennesseans who enter our courtrooms are treated fairly and with the respect they deserve,” Holder said.

Ash, whose judicial district includes Rutherford and Cannon counties, said he is “truly honored that the members of the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary continue to have faith in my work as presiding judge.”

“Maintaining a high standard of judicial ethics is essential to the administration of justice and I am committed to ensuring that Tennessee judges meet these standards,” Ash said. “I also want to thank my staff and the other judges of the 16th Judicial District for their support and for allowing me to assume this additional responsibility."

Ash, of Murfreesboro, has been a Circuit Court judge since 1994. He previously served as city judge in LaVergne and was in the private practice of law. He is a past-president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference, which includes all of the state’s appellate and trial judges, and has been a member of the Court of the Judiciary since his 2003 appointment by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1980 from Memphis State School of Law. In 2000, he became the first Tennessee judge to obtain a Masters Degree in Judicial Studies from the University of Nevada in Reno.

He is married to Rita Ash and has four children.

Tim Townsend to Leave AOC, Join Davidson County Trial Courts

Tim Townsend, deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), is leaving the AOC after 21 years to become the Davidson County trial court administrator.  Townsend leaves the AOC after 30 years of service to the state and he will start his new position on October 1.

Prior to joining the AOC, Townsend worked as an auditor at the Comptroller of the Treasury and also served on the staff of both finance committees in the legislature.

“Tim has been a valued member of our team for many years and it has truly been an honor and pleasure to work with him,” said Libby Sykes, AOC director. “His commitment to the judiciary is unmatched, which is evidenced by his willingness to continue serving the judiciary by joining the Davidson County trial courts. We wish Tim all the best in his new endeavor.”

Mid-Term Evaluations of Appellate Judges Underway

The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission is conducting mid-term evaluations of appellate judges. Surveys have been sent electronically, via email, to attorneys who have had a case heard by appellate judges, as well as to court personnel, trial judges and other appellate judges.

Should you receive an invitation to evaluate one or more appellate judges, please take a few moments to complete the survey. The information provided in the evaluations is completely anonymous and will be used by the Commission as part of the judicial evaluation process. The Commission will also interview the judges this fall before completing the evaluations at the end of the year.

Should you have any questions about the evaluation, please contact Aaron Conklin at aaron.conklin@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687.

Request for Proposals
Access and Visitation Grant
Self-Represented Litigants Initiatives

The Administrative Office of the Courts will have funds available through the Access and Visitation Grant for the development or continuation of initiatives that will aid self-represented litigants in accessing the Tennessee court system regarding child support issues.  The initiatives must address the needs of divorced or never married parents and focus on services to help them resolve any or all issues concerning parenting and visitation in child support cases or cases involving child support issues.   These initiatives may include but are not limited to any of the following: self-help centers, pro se clinics, unbundled legal services, and mediation programs. The AOC will have a total of approximately $200,000 in grant funds to distribute.

Proposals must be submitted and received by September 17, 2010.  Click here to get more information.

Court Interpreter Credentialing Scholarships

The AOC has continued funding for scholarships for those interested in becoming credentialed court interpreters and for those registered interpreters working on becoming certified interpreters. Grant funds have been awarded from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Competitive Grant Program. The AOC received a one time grant award of $24,000 for this two year project. Those interested should submit by mail or in person scholarship applications to the AOC.  Applications will be accepted from August 24, 2010 through December 31, 2010. Click here for additional information.

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