A Hamilton County General Sessions judge is running for a seat in Circuit Court, according to a news release Thursday.
Judge Alex McVeagh has presided over the General Sessions court’s second division since being appointed in 2017. He was elected to keep the post in 2022, as the lone candidate in the general election.
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McVeagh said Thursday he will run to replace Circuit Court Judge Marie Williams in the county’s third division, since Williams announced she would retire in January after 28 years on the bench.
McVeagh will seek a Republican nomination for the seat, Thursday’s release said, in a primary election set for March 5. His current post is nonpartisan. The general election is set for Aug. 1.
In General Sessions court, McVeagh founded the misdemeanor drug recovery court and helped start an online dispute resolution program for people with medical debt. In 2022, he applied to fill an open seat in Hamilton County’s Criminal Court, which went to attorney Amanda Dunn.
If elected, McVeagh would finish Williams’ current term, set to end in 2030.
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He would also vacate his General Sessions seat six years before his eight-year term is set to expire. A replacement would be nominated by the County Commission.
Circuit courts deal primarily with civil cases including divorces, child custody and commercial disputes, while General Sessions judges see both small-claims, civil and misdemeanor criminal cases.
McVeagh said his time as an attorney and judge has prepared him to handle complex civil litigation.
“This court is so important to our community,” McVeagh said by phone Thursday. “Not only does it deal with the obviously sensitive domestic and divorce situations, but also complex business litigation. I think an experienced judge in this seat would be crucial.”
Contact Ellen Gerst at egerst@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6319.