Tennessee Court of Appeals judge and former Hamilton County Juvenile Court referee John McClarty was unanimously recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission, according to a Tennessee Supreme Court news release.
The commission released its formal evaluations today and recommended to retain Mr. McClarty and Supreme Justice Sharon Lee, who both are up for re-election in August, the release states.
Lawyers, state trial court judges and non-lawyers make up the commission, which is charged with evaluating the performance of appellate judges seeking election, said state Supreme Court spokeswoman Laura Click.
The process aims to inform the public about the performance of appellate court judges prior to the election and to encourage self-improvement on the parts of the judges, she said.
Mr. McClarty's evaluation states that he "has a history of service to the community" and "has completed his work in a timely manner, a fact that demonstrates his impressive work ethic."
After graduating from law school in 1976, he worked in private practice in Chattanooga and served as a part-time Juvenile Court referee for Hamilton County in 1990.
He was appointed to the state Court of Appeals in January 2009.