A reprise of the 2014 Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge election is underway, with incumbent Judge Dan Michael running for reelection against his primary opponent, Memphis City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon. Both recently spoke to the Commercial Appeal about why they want to preside over juvenile court.

East Ridge News Online posed a series of questions to municipal court judge candidates Tracy Cox, Chris Dixon, Rich Heinsman and Kevin Wilson. Read responses about their background, why voters should support them and what they hope to accomplish if elected.

Dickson County Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Michael Meise has announced he will run for reelection, the Dickson Post reports. Meise was elected to the court in 2014 after serving as an assistant public defender in the 23rd Judicial District and as a public school teacher. Meise says he is devoted to trauma-informed approaches to cases in his court. He also touts his work creating a Safe Baby Court and utilizing Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to provide insights into cases. Meise is a member of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

William Slater has announced he is running in the Republican primary to represent the 35th District of the state House of Representatives, which serves Sumner and Trousdale counties. Slater says he has worked in education for his entire professional career. He also has been involved with a number of ministries and non-profit organizations. Slater is past chair of the Republican Party of Sumner County and the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as president of Improve Hendersonville, which operates a camp each summer to help elementary students improve reading skills. Read his campaign statement on Gallatin News.com.

The Tennessee Democratic Party held its final gubernatorial debate last night in Memphis, ABC 24 reports. The candidates — Dr. Carnita Atwater, a Memphis neighborhood leader, Nashville-area doctor Jason Martin and Memphis City Council member JB Smiley — spoke about their views on Medicaid expansion, whether to legalize recreational use of marijuana, and the best approach to economic development. They also touched on education funding priorities and how they would work with local district attorneys. Whoever wins the August primary will face Republican incumbent Gov. Bill Lee.

Early voting for the Aug. 4 election begins Friday and runs through July 30. This year’s ballot will be longer than usual, featuring four constitutional amendments, as well as judicial and other court races. The Secretary of State’s office in a statement urged people to take advantage of the early voting period. Tennesseans can find early voting and Election Day polling locations and sample ballots through the GoVoteTN app or online at GoVoteTN.gov. Learn more from WPLN.  

Larry Ables, a current Hamilton County prosecutor, has launched a campaign to oust Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Gerald Webb, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. Ables previously worked as a defense attorney and chief magistrate judge. If elected, he says he hopes to address gang issues in the county and restore pre-pandemic court processes. 

Murfreesboro lawyer Mike Jones has announced his candidacy for circuit court judge in the 16th Judicial District, Division 1, the Murfreesboro Post reports. Jones is a founding partner of Perkins and Jones, where he primarily practices criminal defense, civil litigation and family law. Prior to earning his law degree from the Nashville School of Law, he was employed with the State of Tennessee. Jones is running as an independent. He is challenging incumbent Mark Rogers for the seat, which serves Rutherford and Cannon counties.

Nashville lawyers strongly recommend retaining all appellate court judges up for election this year, a new survey from the Nashville Bar Association shows. Results of the member poll released today also recommend the reelection of General Sessions Judge Lynda F. Jones. NBA President Martesha L. Johnson said the group regularly polls its members regarding judicial elections because they “have firsthand knowledge of the candidates and issues facing Nashville’s legal system” and their assessment “will be useful to the public and help to ensure that the Nashville judiciary is highly qualified and dedicated to a fair and equitable legal system.” Four hundred eighteen responses were received.

The Memphis Bar Association has released the results from its Judicial Qualification Poll for Shelby County’s contested judicial and court clerks’ races on the Aug. 4 ballot. All licensed, practicing attorneys in the county were polled and 1,199 participated in the survey. “The work of our judges ranks at the very top of importance for the stability of the American System of Justice. Lawyers appear every day in our courts and are best able to determine who is most qualified to preside over the cases brought by citizens seeking justice,” added David Wade, chair of the Judicial Practice & Procedures Committee which oversaw the poll. Read results of the poll.