KBA Member Survey Results Released for Appellate Court Retention Election

A poll of Knoxville Bar Association members regarding the retention election of the state Supreme Court justice and six appellate court judges indicates support for all to be retained. The confidential survey seeks to find whether attorneys who know the most about these jurists believe they should continue in their jobs. The retention election is on the ballot in the August 4 general election.

“The Knoxville Bar offers the poll to voters to help them assess jurists on the ballot,” said Knoxville Bar Association President Jason Long. “While voters may be familiar with the chancellors and circuit court judges and judicial candidates in our community, the work of the appeals judges is generally not as well known. So we ask Knoxville Bar members who know them best to give their opinion.”

Tennessee law requires Tennessee Supreme Court justices and appeals court judges to be placed on the ballot every eight years for voters to determine whether they should remain on their courts. These are called “retention” elections. A “Yes” vote means a voter wants the judge or justice to remain on the court for another eight-year term. A “No” vote means a voter wants the judge or justice to be removed from the court. The majority of voters decide.

The candidate survey was emailed on June 13 to each KBA member, asking whether the Supreme Court justices and the Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals jurists should be retained. The survey was voluntary and does not represent a scientific sampling of Bar members. The survey deadline was 5 pm on June 27.

View Results