Judge Carl Colloms addresses a courtroom filled with people who came Thursday to applaud his legal and judicial career and wish him well as he retired on Friday.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Friday marked the end of an era in Bradley County courtrooms.
Carl E. Colloms retired from a legal career he began as a young lawyer in 1966. Since then his courtroom career has ranged from Bradley County attorney to Charleston city judge, six years as a trial lawyer and, finally, many years as the child support master for family courts in Bradley, Polk, Monroe and McMinn counties.
Colloms took a political break during that career and served as Bradley County judge from September 1974 to September 1982 before that office was renamed county mayor.
On Thursday, after a working day in court, Colloms received applause from many attorneys, judges, relatives, staff members and others.
In 1974 Colloms was the only Republican elected in Bradley County.