Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan announced the appointment today of John Medearis of Chattanooga as Clerk of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, effective Feb. 13.
Medearis has served as chief deputy clerk of the district for the past 17 years. The Eastern District of Tennessee covers 41 counties in this region of the state.
He succeeds Debbie Poplin, who has been appointed a U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, also effective Feb. 13. She succeeds the retiring Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley.
Medearis has been active in the Chattanooga chapter of the Federal Bar Association and formerly served as president of the organization and as a member of its board of directors. He received the chapter's Outstanding Service Award in 2013 and us a frequent speaker on federal practice and procedure.