Commission Accepting Applications for Two Vacancies in the 30th Judicial District

Nashville, Tenn- The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is currently accepting applications to fill vacancies in the 30th Judicial District for a Circuit Court judge and a Criminal Court judge following the elevation of the Honorable Valerie L. Smith to the appellate bench and the retirement of the Honorable Paula L. Skahan on June 30th, 2025.

Applicants must be an attorney licensed in Tennessee who is at least 30 years of age, a resident of the state for five years, and must reside in the relevant Judicial District.

The Commission is committed to encouraging a diverse judiciary and welcomes all qualified attorneys to apply. The public hearing for these positions will be held Wednesday, July 16th and Thursday, July 17th, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. local time in the Historic Courtroom, Room 325 at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 North Front St., Memphis, TN 38103.

For an applicant to be considered for the judicial vacancy, the Administrative Office of the Courts must receive an application by Friday, June 13, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. CDT. 

The application and instructions are available here.  A completed application includes: (1) the original signed (unbound) application; and (2) a digital copy of the application.

The Commission encourages applicants to submit applications as soon as possible and communicate with the Administrative Office of the Courts to schedule hand-delivery or provide delivery tracking information for the original application to help ensure timely receipt by the deadline.

For additional information, please contact John Jefferson, assistant general counsel, at john.jefferson@tncourts.gov