TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Paul Burch on Apr 25, 2023

The Hamilton County Criminal Court Division II unveiled a new portrait of Judge Rebecca Stern in honor of her 18 years of service and for initiating the county’s drug court program. The painting was commissioned by former Criminal Court Judge Tom Greenholtz. "There are a lot of attributes to her legacy here in Hamilton County -- in my view, the creation and running...the drug recovery has to be at the very top," Greenholtz said as reported by the Chattanooga Free Press. Stern, who is now in private practice, was the first woman to preside over a criminal court in Hamilton County. The drug court was first started as a pilot program in 2005 before becoming permanent. “It was probably my proudest accomplishment and the thing that gave me the most hope,” said Stern.