Mike Little is running for Hamilton County Criminal Court judge.
The executive assistant at the Public Defender’s Office is up against prosecutor Boyd Patterson and Judge Tom Greenholtz in the primary election race on March 1.
Little, who started practicing criminal law in Chattanooga in 1997, said his life experience qualifies him for the position. From growing up in poverty and making it out of a broken home to supervising 100 employees in the hotel management industry and overseeing a vertical representation system at the Public Defender’s Office, Little said he’s gained the necessary skills to excel at the judgeship.
In the courtroom, Little was the lead attorney on 50 jury trials in state and federal courts. He served as special judge and oversaw the docket in General Sessions Court during select emergencies. And, before he practiced law, Little served as a bailiff in the same courtroom where he’s running for the bench.
“I believe experience in Criminal Court is a requisite to become a Criminal Court judge,” he said.
Through his 16 months at the Public Defender’s Office, Little has learned to manage 14 lawyers who represent indigent clients. Prior to that, he worked in a private practice and raised three children with his wife. Little said he supported the couple through college and started commuting to law school in Nashville after he encountered some fascinating lawyers in the hotel industry.
After Judge Rebecca Stern retired in June 2015, Little, Boyd and prosecutor Leslie Longshore made Gov. Bill Haslam’s short list for the judgeship. But the governor didn’t select any of them. Instead, he asked for a new batch of candidates, which included Greenholtz, the sitting judge.
Outside the courtroom, Little said, “I’ve always been active in my faith and my church. I have attended AA meetings to understand the problems of alcoholics. I’ve also sat in on the Monday Drug Court meetings during Judge Stern’s term.
“I’m familiar with that process and how the alternative sentencing works,” he said.
Dalton Temple, his campaign manager, said Little has a calling to serve.
“This is evident by him leaving his private practice, taking a pay cut, and going to work in the public defender’s office for the citizens of this county,” Temple wrote in a statement. “All to say, when called on, I choose to work with Mike Little. He is clearly the most experienced candidate and the person you should cast your vote for on March 1.”
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