Judicial Election Circuit Court Candidates

KNOX COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

Circuit Court Judge Division I
 

Jerome Melson

Education/Schools Attended
University of Tennessee – B.A., 1985;University of Tennessee College of Law – J.D., 1988 

Legal Experience
2003 – 2021 Gentry, Tipton & McLemore, P.C., Knoxville, TN; 2015 – 2021 Delinquent Tax Attorney, Monroe County, TN; 2013 – 2021 Examination Assistant, Tennessee Board of Law Examiners; 2010 – 2013 Adjunct Faculty, University of Tennessee College of Law; 2008 – 2021 County Attorney, Monroe County, TN; 2005 – 2021 Counsel, Industrial Development Board of the County of Monroe, Inc., Monroe County, TN; 2004 – 2014 City Attorney, Town of Vonore, TN; 1991 – 2003 and 2004 – 2021 City Attorney, City of Rocky Top, TN; 1991 – 2003 Watson, Hollow & Reeves, PLC, Knoxville, TN; 1988 – 1990 and 2002 – 2021 City Attorney, City of Madisonville, TN; 1987 – 1991 Law Clerk/Associate, McCampbell and Young, P.C., Knoxville, TN 

Legal Affiliations
Knoxville Bar Association

Circuit Court Judge Division II
 

William (Bill) T. Ailor

Education/Schools Attended
University of Tennessee - 1980; National School for Paralegal Training - 1984; Nashville School of Law - 1989; National Judicial College - 2014, 2015

Legal Experience
Private Practice 1989-2014; State of TN. Department of Ed. Administrative Law Judge 1990-2007; State of TN. Department of Ed. Mediator; State of TN. Department of Labor Administrative Law Judge

Civic Involvement
Board Member UT Knoxville Alumni Board; Board Member Holston Methodist Federal Credit Union

Circuit Court Judge Division III
 

Deborah C. Stevens

Education/Schools Attended 
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. 1977-1980; Virginia Tech, B.A., 1972-1976

Legal Experience
2013-present: Knox County Circuit Court Judge, Division III; 1984-2013: Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, PC (now known as Lewis Thomason); 1982-1984: Private practice, Morgan County, TN; 1980-1982: Private practice, Knoxville, TN

Legal Affiliations
Tennessee Bar Association (past chair of the Task Force on Women in the Profession; current member of the Committee on the Judiciary); Tennessee Bar Foundation; Knoxville Bar Association (past chair of committee on Diversity in the Profession); Knoxville Bar Foundation (board member); Hamilton Burnett Inn of Court (former President); Tennessee Trial Judges Association and Tennessee Judicial Conference

Civic Involvement
YWCA of East Tennessee (former board member and former board chair); Pellissippi State Foundation (former board chair); Knoxville Area Urban League (former board member); Leadership Knoxville Class of 2007; Executive Women's Association of Knoxville

How many contested cases have you tried as lead counsel or presided over as judge?
I tried more than one hundred multi-day trials as lead counsel while I was in private practice.  As a judge there are between 400-800 cases filed per year. My court has a disposition rate of between 95-100% (cases filed divided by cases resolved).    

Describe the nature and frequency of your work in the court for which you are seeking election
The civil divisions of the circuit court are courts of record hearing general jurisdiction cases such as motor vehicle accidents, health care liability claims, property and business disputes and appeals from general sessions court and adoptions.  Most of our trials our conducted with a jury.  I set two week jury panels for jury trials once a month and we set 3-5 cases a day because many cases are resolved and by setting multiple cases, I try to keep our cases moving so there is not a backlog of cases.  When I am not on the bench, I am often reading briefs on procedural or evidentiary issues and issuing written opinions.  I try to be as available as possible for the lawyers and litigants and strive to keep our docket moving.  Based upon my experience prior to coming to the bench and as a judge, I am often asked to conduct judicial mediations of cases that are not pending in my court.  

What attributes do you possess that make you qualified for this position?
My 30+ years in private practice have given me the experience to handle complex evidentiary and procedural issues.  I also think my years of experience have taught me that lawyers have tough jobs and their clients are often in an unfamiliar setting in the courtroom and, as a result, I try to be as patient and fair as possible.   I work hard to be well-prepared for all hearings . When jurors are called to serve, I try to make their experience with the court a good experience by keeping them informed on what to expect and by being respectful of their time.  

Circuit Court Judge Division IV
 

Gregory S. McMillan

Education/Schools Attended
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, B.A. 1984-88; University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. 1989-1992

Legal Experience
Sheppeard, Swanson, Mynatt & McMillan, 1992-2005; Lewis Thomason, 2005-2014

Legal Affiliations
Knoxville Bar Association: Member since 1992, Board of Governors, 2002 to 2005, Barristers’ Executive Committee, 1999 - 2004, Barristers President, 2003, Family Law Section, 1992 - present; Knoxville Bar Foundation – Inducted as a Fellow in 2014; Tennessee Bar Association: Member since 1992, Family Law Section Officer from 1998 - 2001, Chair 1999-2001, Young Lawyers’ Division, District Representative 2000, Chair of Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2001 - 2003, Inaugural Class of Leadership Law Program, 2004, Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers’ Division; Hamilton Burnett American Inns of Court, Student Member, 1991-1992; Barrister 1997 - 2000; Master 2003 – Present, President of the Inn 2015-2016

Civic Involvement
Domestic Violence State Coordinating Council member since 2020; Leadership Knoxville – Class of 2016; Pro Bono - Engaged in pro bono representation of disadvantaged individuals through private practice, volunteering with Knoxville Legal Aid Society and Volunteer Legal Aid Program; Habitat for Humanity - Volunteered with organization since 1994, Volunteer Crew Leader since 2000.  Member of the Board of Directors for six years; Laura Cansler Boys & Girls Club - Member of the club’s advisory board 1999 – 2004.  

How many contested cases have you tried as lead counsel or presided over as judge?
At this point, I cannot determine the number of cases tried as a lawyer.  In 2022, I have completed three trials and have two trials in progress.  That does not include the approximately 40-70 Orders of Protection heard each week. 

Describe the nature and frequency of your work in the court for which you are seeking election
I dispose of approximately 1,00 cases per year (these include divorce, child custody, child support matters, and appeals from juvenile court). I also dispose of between 1,500 to 2,000 orders of protection a year. Cases are set for trial on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of each week.  Usually three to five cases are set for trial each of those days.  Thursdays are reserved for hearing Orders of Protection.  Fridays are generally reserved for motions, although I hold open one or two Fridays a month to allow special settings of emergency matters, continuations of trial, and for administrative tasks such as writing opinions.  I frequently hear motions by special setting between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. This year, trials have occurred on approximately forty percent of the days they were set.  The remainder have settled or been continued by the parties and counsel.  On the days that cases were not heard, I frequently had approvals of agreed divorces for hearing at 9:00  for as few as one or as many as ten cases Monday through Wednesday.  I have held a number of hearings for attorneys on days where trial was cancelled concerning discovery and/or other procedural motions as well.  I do not believe there have been more than two days when I did not go into the courtroom, have court called to order, and conduct business in the courtroom.  I use the time not in court to review upcoming cases, conduct legal research, write opinions, and handle other administrative matters.  

What attributes do you possess that make you qualified for this position?
For the twenty-two years I practiced law, the largest percentage of my practice was in the court where I  now preside and/or involved the types of matters over which my court has jurisdiction.  Eight years ago when I was elected, I brought that knowledge and experience to the bench.  Over the past eight years, I have done my best each day to decide impartially and fairly the cases I hear, determining what the facts are based upon the evidence, and applying the law to the facts.