Gov. Bill Lee appointed a special judge to fill a temporary vacancy left by longtime Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Gary Starnes as he battles cancer, court officials said Thursday.
Samantha Lunn was sworn in at a private courthouse ceremony following her Monday appointment, according to a press release from Hamilton County courts. In May, Starnes announced he was fighting a brain tumor with surgery and chemotherapy.
Starnes served on the General Sessions bench for almost 14 years, he said in a social media post at the time. He called it the honor of a lifetime.
“I am going to fight this tumor to the best of my ability,” Starnes said, “and return to work if healthy enough to do so.”
In a text, Lunn said she is deeply humbled to serve during Starnes’ temporary absence. General Sessions is often where Hamilton County citizens have their first courtroom experience, she said.
“I look forward to showing up to the courthouse each day, ready to work and to serve,” she said, “and to learn from my colleagues on the bench.”
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Lunn earned an accounting degree in 2002 from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles County, California. In 2005, she graduated from Duke University School of Law, and she began her legal career in Dallas.
She later relocated to Chattanooga in 2011. She served as counsel for a family business for roughly four years before returning to private practice in 2015, according to the press release.
From 2022 to 2026, she maintained her own law practice, the press release said. She’s served in leadership for the Tennessee chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.
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In a written statement, Lunn said her thoughts are with Starnes and his family, and she wishes him a speedy recovery. She is honored to serve Hamilton County, she said.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reached out to Starnes via text, and responses will be published online when received.
Contact courts reporter Mason Edwards at medwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6409.