Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals

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Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Established1967
JurisdictionTennessee, United States
LocationKnoxville, Nashville, and Jackson
Composition methodExecutive selection plus non-partisan retention (see Tennessee Plan)
Authorized byTennessee General Assembly
Appeals toTennessee Supreme Court
Number of positions12 - panels of 3 justices
Websitehttp://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-criminal-appeals

The Court of Criminal Appeals is one of Tennessee's two intermediate appellate courts. It hears trial court appeals in felony and misdemeanor cases, as well as post-conviction petitions. Appeals in civil cases are heard by the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

The Court of Criminal Appeals was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1967. At that time, the court had nine members. Its membership was increased from nine to twelve on September 1, 1996, as a result of action by the General Assembly.

Proceedings

The court's judges sit monthly in panels of three in Jackson, Knoxville and Nashville. The court may meet in other locations as necessary. As an appellate court, there are no juries and the court does not hear testimony from witnesses. Rather, attorneys present oral and written arguments for the court's consideration.

Decisions of the Court of Criminal Appeals decisions may be appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court by permission. All decisions in capital cases are, however, appealed automatically.

Judges

The judges are elected to eight-year terms. If a vacancy occurs during a judge's term, the governor appoints a new judge to serve until the next August of an even-numbered year, when a state general election is held. The names of incumbent judges up for reelection, including judges appointed to fill vacancies, are listed on the ballot without opposition. They are retained or rejected based on a "yes-no" vote. (See Tennessee Plan.)

The twelve judges sitting on the Court as of May 2024 are:[1]

Section Judge Joined Law school
Middle Jill Bartee Ayers 2015 Tennessee
Western John W. Campbell 2022 Memphis
Western J. Ross Dyer 2016 Samford
Middle Timothy L. Easter 2014 Nashville
Eastern Tom Greenholtz 2022 Tennessee
Eastern Kyle A Hixson 2022 Tennessee
Middle Robert L. Holloway, Jr. 2014 Tennessee
Western Camille R. McMullen 2008 Tennessee
Eastern Robert H. Montgomery, Jr. 2014 Tennessee
Middle Robert W. Wedemeyer 2000 Memphis
Western Matthew Wilson 2023 Florida State
Eastern Vacant

References

  1. ^ "Court of Criminal Appeals Judges". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved Feb 13, 2014.