Tennessee Governor Bill HaslamNASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday named Appeals Judge Holly M. Kirby to join the state Supreme Court after Justice Janice Holder retires next year.
Kirby has served on the Court of Appeals since 1995 and was previously a partner in the Memphis law firm Burch, Porter & Johnson. Her appointment means the state’s highest court will keep its current makeup of three women and two men.
“We are fortunate to have someone with Judge Kirby’s depth of experience to serve on the Tennessee Supreme Court,” Haslam said in a news release. “Her impressive record of service will benefit Tennesseans.”
Kirby said in her application that she is “committed to rigorous adherence to legislative intent, even where I disagree.” She said she draws heavily on her life experiences to understand the circumstances of those who appear before her in court.
“Like many litigants, I have spent years caring for aging parents, have been the divorced mother of young children, and have struggled to care for a child with a disability,” she wrote in the application.