NASHVILLE -- Three state appellate judges are among nine applicants seeking appointment to the Tennessee Supreme Court vacancy created by former Chief Justice Gary Wade's departure.
Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Section Judge Thomas Radcliff Frierson II of Morristown; Tennessee Criminal of Appeals, Eastern Section Robert H. Montgomery of Kingsport; and Tennessee Criminal Court of Appeals, Western Section Judge Roger Amos Page of Medina have applied for the post.
The state's Council for Judicial Appointments will select three of the nine applicants during an Oct. 27 meeting in Nashville and forward their recommendations to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. Since Wade was a Democrat, the appointment will hand Haslam the opportunity to appoint a Republican and put the five-member court under GOP control for the first time since Reconstruction.
Wade and the two other Democratic justices won re-election last year despite an organized effort by Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and other conservatives to persuade state voters to oust them in yes/no retention elections. Wade then surprised many earlier this year by choosing on his own to step down. He left in September.
This month's meeting will include a public hearing at 9 a.m. CDT during which members of the public may express their opinions in support or opposition to the applicants. The interview and public hearing is open to the public. The council, which is appointed by the governor, is expected to announce its selections after the interviews and forward the names to Haslam for his consideration.
Other applicants for the Supreme Court slot include Herbert S. Moncier, a Knoxville attorney whose ability to practice in federal court was once suspended for five years. That came after Moncier refused a U.S. district judge's order to remain silent while the judge questioned a Moncier client, according to a Knoxville News Sentinel article.
In his application for the Supreme Court post, Moncier also noted the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2010 suspended his license for 30 days and put him on a year's probation for his conduct in the 2007 federal criminal trial.
While he didn't mention it in his application, Moncier in 2013 sued Haslam seeking to block the governor's executive order establishing a new nominee review panel after GOP legislative critics refused to renew the existing law that established much the same process.
Moncier's complaint was dismissed in 2014.
Other attorneys applying, along with their hometowns, are Matthew P. Cavitch of Eads; Mark A. Fulks of Johnson City; Ted M. Hayden of Gallatin; Robert David Meyers of Memphis; and Larry Scroggs of Germantown.
Contact staff writer Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com, 615-255-0550 or follow him on twitter at AndySher1.