Special Called meeting to fill vacancy of City Court Judge, Sept. 15

The Consideration of a Resolution Establishing the Application, Review, Interview, and Appointment Process to Fill the Vacancy in the Office of City Court Judge will be held at City Hall, 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 15.

WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Jackson provides for a popularly elected City Court Judge pursuant to Tennessee law; and

WHEREAS, the Honorable J. Blake Anderson, City Court Judge for the City of Jackson, passed away on September 5, 2026, creating a vacancy in the office of City Court Judge; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-18-204 provides that a vacancy in the office of a popularly elected city judge shall be filled by appointment by the governing body, and that the person appointed may serve only until the next regular August general state election; and

WHEREAS, the governing body of the City of Jackson is the Jackson City Council, consisting of nine (9) members, and the authority to fill a vacancy in the office of City Court Judge rests with the City Council;

and

WHEREAS, Tennessee law does not prescribe a particular application, nominating committee, or interview procedure for filling such a vacancy, and the City Council desires to establish a fair, orderly, transparent, and publicly accessible process for receiving and considering qualified applicants; and

WHEREAS, any person appointed must satisfy all qualifications applicable to the office under the Charter of the City of Jackson, Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-18-202, the Tennessee Constitution,

and

other applicable law, including the requirement that the appointee be a resident of the City of Jackson; and

The Consideration of a Resolution Establishing the Application, Review, Interview, and Appointment Process to Fill the Vacancy in the Office of City Court Judge

WHEREAS, meetings and collective deliberations of the City Council concerning the appointment shall be conducted in accordance with the Tennessee Open Meetings Act and other applicable law; and

WHEREAS, the City Council intends to consider and make the appointment at its regular meeting on November 3, 2026.