KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Five East Tennesseans have applied to fill the soon-to-be vacated seat of Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, the court announced Monday.
The five are: Kristi M. Davis, an appellate court judge from Knoxville; Dwight Tarwater, a Knoxville attorney with extensive government experience in Nashville including time as general counsel to then-Gov. Bill Haslam; Tom Greenholtz, a Chattanoogan appointed in March to the state Court of Criminal Appeals; Michael Richardson, a Chattanooga trial attorney; and John C. Rambo, a chancellor of the First Judicial District in Washington County.
The Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will conduct a public meeting 9 a.m. Jan. 4 at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy in Knoxville to consider the candidates.
The council, after interviewing the candidates, likely will send along three finalists to Gov. Bill Lee for his consideration. Lee makes the ultimate choice on who will serve.
Sharon Lee, a Democrat from East Tennessee, has announced she will retire at the end of August 2023. Lee's departure means the governor needs to pick someone from East Tennessee to take her place.
The public can attend the Jan. 4 meeting. Members of the public also can offer their opinions, in writing or orally, about the candidates.
