Local attorney Mike Dumitru announced he will run to be the next Division II Circuit Court judge in Hamilton County.
"After years of thoughtful deliberation and prayer, I am truly excited to announce my candidacy for Division II Circuit Court Judge in the 11th Judicial District," Dumitru said in a statement. "As a first-generation American, I understand firsthand the importance of a strong judiciary - one of the cornerstones of our democratic republic - that strives to properly apply the law for the benefit of the community."
Dumitru is a partner at Miller & Martin, where he has spent the majority of his career litigating in the state and federal courts of Hamilton County. He received his undergraduate degree with honors from Fordham University, his master's degree in global studies from New York University and his law degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Dumitru is a current board member of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is an active member of both the Chattanooga and Tennessee bar associations. In 2019, Dumitru was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a bar examiner, assisting with the important task of grading hundreds of bar exams every year, according to his campaign announcement.
In 2019, Dumitru was recognized by his peers as a Mid-South Rising Star Attorney.
Dumitru joins Jim Exum, a Chattanooga attorney with Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, for the race that will culminate on May 3, 2022.
Exum is a Chattanooga native who graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and has spent his entire law career of almost 15 years within the Hamilton County court system.
In July, Hamilton County Circuit Court Division II Judge Jeff Hollingsworth announced he was retiring and will not run again for his seat.
Hollingsworth was elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2014. In a statement announcing his decision, Hollingsworth said it was a great honor to serve as a circuit judge.
"I am sincerely grateful for the continued support of my staff, fellow judges and lawyers who practice in this court for making my time as judge the highlight of my career," Hollingsworth said in a statement. "I am also grateful to the citizens of Hamilton County for allowing me to serve in this capacity. Serving on the bench has exceeded my expectations. It has been great, but it is time to move on to the next stage of life and see what the Lord has in store for me."
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.