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