Year Elected/Appointed
1994
Previous Employment
Managed family farm in Proctor, Arkansas, 1971-1975
Private practice in firm of Craft & Craft, 1978-1982
Assistant District Attorney, 1982- 1994
Senior Trial Prosecutor in Major Violators Unit, 1991-1994
Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Memphis Law School, 2001- present
Education
Graduate work at Memphis Theological Seminary in Law and Religion - 1980-1982
University of Memphis, J.D. 1978
University of Memphis, B.A. in Psychology, Minor in Religion 1975
Vanderbilt University, 1969-1973
Honors
Appointed Shelby County Criminal Court Judge in 1994 and reelected three times, serving as judge in a special prosecution court handling major violators and career felony offenders.
Membership(s)
- Vice-President, Tennessee Judicial Conference
- Chairman, Tennessee Private Probation Services Council
- Dean, Tennessee Judicial Academy - attended by all newly elected and appointed judges (municipal, juvenile, county and state courts) for orientation and training in the law, procedure and ethics concerning their new duties
- Chairman, Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions Committee (for last 10 years)
- Fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation
- Vice-president of Leo Bearman Chapter of the American Inns of Court
- Founding member, Shelby County Domestic Violence Council
- Founding member, Memphis Leadership Foundation - 1986 to present
- Founding member of board of directors of Synergy - an in-house substance abuse treatment program for those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol
Community Involvement
Member of Second Presbyterian Church for 40 years:
- Deacon, 1980-86
- Elder, 1986 to present
- Senior High youth leader and Young Life leader, 1974-1984
- Adult Sunday School teacher, 1984 to present
