June 13, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Five people have applied for a newly created criminal court judge position in the 13th judicial district which includes DeKalb and six other counties.
The Tennessee Trial Court Vacancy Commission will consider the five applicants when it meets on July 18 in Crossville to select nominees for the judgeship.
The 13th judicial district is made up of Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White counties. The new judicial position was created by the Tennessee General Assembly this year and is effective September 1, 2023.
The applicants are:
William Nicholas Blaylock of Sparta
Rebecca Brady of Baxter
Shawn C. Fry of Cookeville
Brandon Scott Griffin of Sparta
Benjamin Marsee of Cookeville
*Blaylock, age 43, currently serves as an administrative law judge (hearing officer) with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. He was licensed to practice law in 2004.
*Brady, age 53, is an assistant district attorney general for the 13th judicial district. She was licensed to practice law in 2007
*Fry, age 54, is an attorney at Fry, Fry, Knight & Looper, Attorneys at Law in Cookeville. Fry was licensed to practice law in 1996.
*Griffin, age 34, is in the private practice of law as owner of Griffin Law Group, PLLC in Sparta. He was licensed to practice law in 2013
*Marsee, age 40, is an assistant public defender for the 13th judicial district and works part time as an adjunct professor of law in the Business Department at Tennessee Tech University. He was licensed to practice law in 2008.
The public hearing for this position is scheduled to be held at the Stone Memorial High School located at 2800 Cook Road, Crossville, TN 38571, on July 18, 2023, at 9 a.m. CDT.
Any member of the public may attend the public hearing and can express, orally or in writing, objections concerning applicant(s) for the judicial vacancy. If you require an accommodation and/or have special needs because of a qualified disability, or have questions about the Commission, please contact John Jefferson at the Administrative Office of the Courts at John.Jefferson@tncourts.gov or 615-741-2687.
The Commission is expected to vote immediately following the interviews and forward three names to Governor Bill Lee for his consideration.
The governor shall appoint a person to serve as judge and the person so appointed shall serve in that capacity until September 1, 2024, or until the person’s successor is elected and qualified. At the August 2024 general election, the qualified voters of the thirteenth judicial district shall elect, in accordance with § 16-2-505, one (1) person to serve as judge of part III of the circuit court created by this section. The person so elected at the August 2024 election shall hold office until September 1, 2030, or until the person’s successor is elected and qualified. Thereafter, the judge of part III of the circuit court shall be elected for a full eight-year term.