The People's Chancellor

GET ON BOARD

Campaign Kick Off

Thursday, September 30, 2021
Calhouns On the Tennessee River

We had a great time at the campaign kickoff greeting supporters and friends!

Check out more photos from the kickoff!

About Me

ABOUT ME

Putting My Experience
to Work

I am happy to announce that I will be a candidate in next year’s Republican primary for Chancellor, Part II in May, 2022.

Many Knoxvillians may not be familiar with the Chancery Court, but it is an office of great importance in the legal community. The Chancery Court hears any number of issues including lawsuits, contract disputes, applications for injunctions and name changes. The Chancery Court can also hear worker’s compensation cases and divorces. Chancery Courts are the courts of equity in Tennessee, which are based on the system in England where the chancellor was called the “King’s conscience” and rendered decisions in the monarch’s name. According to the State of Tennessee, “A chancellor, the judge who presides over the Chancery Courts, may modify the application of strict legal rules and adapt relief to the circumstances of individual cases.”

I will be contesting the seat in the Chancery Court for Part II, which is held currently by Clarence E. Pridemore, Jr.

I believe it is so important to have competent and impartial jurists on the bench. Our legal system isn’t perfect, nor are human beings, but Lady Justice is blindfolded for a reason. Justice should always be rendered without favor, with impartiality, and in accordance with the law. I believe judges need to follow the law as set by the state legislatures, not interpret the law as they think it should be.

I was raised in East Knox County and am proud to be a Tennessean! I attended Carter schools and the University of Tennessee before achieving my EdD in Education from Columbia University, then obtaining my law degree from the Nashville School of Law.

I worked at TVA and in private practice for many years before entering public life. I was honored to serve on Knox County Commission representing the 8th District before I became Law Director for Knox County.

I've been married to my wife, Patti Jo for 44 years. We have always been very involved in our community and are so thankful for friends and neighbors who have been supporters over the years.

I am proud of my achievements during my eight years as Law Director and my first priority was always to serve for the good of the people of Knox County. I was the first Law Director hired by the Knox County Trustee to be the delinquent tax attorney, which bought those services in-house, saving over $8 million in administrative costs and adding over $20 million to Knox County's coffers. We saved Knox County taxpayers over $4 million through reworking the administrative costs of the Worker’s Compensation program. Altogether, we saved Knox County taxpayers over $30 million in litigation and administrative costs over an eight-year period.

I hope you will support my candidacy and I pledge to be a fair and impartial Chancellor.