Chattanooga City Court Judge Sherry Paty has announced she will seek re-election for another term in the May 2022 election.
"It is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Chattanooga. I respectfully ask again for your vote on May 3, 2022," Judge Paty, who was first elected in 2006 and now serves in Division I of City Court, said in her announcement. "When someone has to appear in City Court, they should expect fairness. I will continue to be dedicated to fairness and upholding the integrity of City Court."
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The Chattanooga City Council voted to suspend Division II of City Court after Judge Russell Bean announced his retirement at the end of his term next year, which means Division I will take on that work load. Paty said it is something she has the experience to tackle after spending 17 years as a judge in the local area.
"Because of this change, experience and reputation matter more than ever," the Paty campaign said. "Judge Paty has the experience necessary to take on the responsibility of two combined courts to maintain a smooth transition and uphold the integrity of the Court. City Court primarily deals with traffic violations, animal cases and environmental cases."
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Paty, a native of Chattanooga, attended Hixson High School. She received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville. She serves on the advisory boards of the Salvation Army and the Hosanna Community. She is also involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Among her proudest accomplishments is a payment plan option she implemented with Judge Russell Bean in 2015 to help people who have had driver's licenses suspended due to unpaid fines get them reinstated.
"We have helped over 1,000 people since the inception of this plan to get their licenses reinstated and drive legally," Paty said. "It is so rewarding to see the excitement from someone who has not had a license in many years to finally be able to get a license and drive without fear of getting pulled over."
Paty is a member of the Tennessee Municipal Judges Conference and served as the group's president from 2016-2018. She is also a member of the Chattanooga and Tennessee bar associations.
She is married to Matthew Fearing. Between them, they have four adult children and two grandchildren.
John Henegar with West Ridge Group will serve as treasurer for Paty in the May election.
Contact Kelcey Caulder at kcaulder@timesfreepress.com.