CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Judge Jill B. Ayers, one of the sitting Circuit Court judges serving the 19th Judicial District covering Montgomery and Robertson Counties, has applied to a position on the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals.
The vacancy was created by the retirement of Thomas T. Woodall, who has served on the court since 1996. Eleven judges have applied to fill the position, which will serve the Middle Section of the state’s judicial jurisdiction.
According to a news release, the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments will assemble later this month to review candidates. Once the council decides on a candidate, the group will make a recommendation to the governor for consideration.
Ayers’ competition
There are 12 seats on the Court of Criminal Appeals, and only two women currently sit on the court. The court meets in groups of three in their jurisdictions to hear trial court appeals in both felony and misdemeanor cases. They also hear post-conviction petitions.
All of the judges who have applied have shared their redacted application forms and writing samples with the public. They can be viewed here.
The other applicants for the position are:
- Charles R. Blanton
- Keith M. Davis
- Dustin Faeder
- Kim R. Helper
- I’Ashea L. Myles
- Manuel B. Russ
- Barry R. Tidwell
- David Veile
- Larry J. Wallace
- Jonathan H. Wardle
A closer look at Judge Ayers
Ayers earned her bachelor’s degree from Belmont University and her law degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
She obtained her legal license in 1992, and has lived in Clarksville since 1993. She began practicing law at Batson Nolan, and also served as the School Board attorney for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Ayers was appointed to the 19th Judicial District’s Circuit Court bench in October 2015 by then-Gov. Bill Haslam.
That seat itself was new in 2015, and expanded the Circuit Court bench from three to four judges. Ayers was appointed by Haslam until the next election cycle, which happened to be the following year in 2016. After securing the Republican primary, Ayers ran unopposed for the seat and is not up for reelection until 2022.
Ayers did not have criminal law experience when she took up the Circuit Court position, as she had mainly dealt with real estate and complex estate planning legal services at Batson Nolan.
Her application
In her application for the position on the Court of Criminal Appeals, Ayers states that she and other Montgomery County colleagues developed, “the first plan for limited (court) reopening approved by the Supreme Court.”
She also submitted legal writing samples, one of which was her 2019 refusal of a motion to suppress evidence in the Christopher Conway case, in which he pleaded guilty to raping and murdering his infant daughter.
Ayers also writes of her community involvement, which includes serving on committees of the First Presbyterian Church, Sunrise Rotary Club, and the Montgomery County Republican Women’s club.
In her application, Ayers wrote, “I enjoy analyzing the law and applying the facts of each case to the law. I am committed to public service and want to use my experience and skills to contribute to the Court of Criminal Appeals and to serve the State of Tennessee.”
