Tennessee Court of Appeals judge and former Hamilton County Juvenile Court referee John McClarty unanimously was recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission, according to a Tennessee Supreme Court news release.
The commission released its formal evaluations Thursday and recommended to retain Mr. McClarty and Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, both of whom are up for re-election in August, the release states.
Lawyers, state trial court judges and nonlawyers 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 before the election and to encourage self-improvement by 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.
Mr. McClarty was appointed to the state Court of Appeals in January 2009.