Brian Horowitz

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Brian Horowitz

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 4, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Tennessee, 2007

Graduate

Belmont University, 2011

Law

Nashville School of Law, 2019

Personal

Birthplace

Nashville, Tenn.

Religion

Judaism

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Brian Horowitz (Republican Party) ran for election for the Division IX judge of the Davidson County General Sessions Court in Tennessee. He lost in the general election on August 4, 2022.

Horowitz completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Brian Horowitz was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee in 2007, a graduate degree from Belmont University in 2011, and a law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 2019.

Elections

2022

See also: City elections in Nashville, Tennessee (2022)

General election

General election for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX

Incumbent Lynda Jones defeated Brian Horowitz in the general election for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX on August 4, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lynda Jones (D)	71.5	42,285
		Brian Horowitz (R)	28.5	16,845

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 59,130
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX

Incumbent Lynda Jones advanced from the Democratic primary for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lynda Jones	99.5	34,203
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	162

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 34,365
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX

Brian Horowitz advanced from the Republican primary for Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Horowitz	99.1	3,849
		Other/Write-in votes	0.9	33

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,882
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Brian Horowitz completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Horowitz's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Brian Horowitz, a Nashville Native, is running for Davidson County General Sessions Judge - Division 9 on August 4th. Brian is Nashville’s ONLY Republican candidate for judge.

Brian is more Nashville than hot chicken! His father, David, graduated from one the first integrated classes at Meharry Medical College in the 1960’s, and his mother, Shirley, graduated from Lipscomb. Brian’s unique upbringing allows him to connect to all four corners of Davidson County. He values his Jewish faith, he obeys the law, and he believes that everyone should be heard in the courtroom.

After graduating from Battle Ground Academy, Brian attended The University of Tennessee where he earned a degree in finance. His educational journey did not end there. He received his MBA from Belmont in 2011 and graduated 8th in his class from Nashville School of Law.

Brian is running for judge because he does not believe the court system is adequately addressing recidivism, addiction, and poverty. Courts often favor jail and fines without addressing underlying causes, such as addiction and mental health.

Brian will not be a rubber stamp on the bench, and he believes the state must prove their burden.

Lastly, Brian promises to smile every once in a while. A vote for Brian will be a vote for positive change within the judiciary!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• A judge who can smile -
• Fresh ideas -
• Fiscal responsibility -

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Driver's License Reform - Too many non-driving sentences result in the revocation of a Defendant's driver's license. The likelihood of someone continuing to drive without a license is high. However, the likelihood for them to maintain insurance without a license is low. Uninsured drivers negatively affect all drivers.

Mental Health - When you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Our general sessions courts must utilize many different tools in order to address the root causes of the criminal activity and not simply focus on the activity itself. Our jails are not equipped to address mental health issues, yet this is where mentally vulnerable individuals often end up.

Asset Forfeiture - Far too often, police seize assets first and force the Defendant to prove its origin later. This is backwards. In order to seize assets, the State should have to prove its burden first.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The characteristics and principles most important for an elected official are honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect. Elected officials serve the people plain and simple. They are elected and placed in office with the trust of the people. I don't take this lightly. Yes, I have a jovial personality and can make people laugh --- but I know how serious this job is. I just believe that one can serve the public with a smile on one's face. But, honesty is vital.

Integrity is also important. No judge is above the law. Judges are role models in a sense to the community. They have an obligation to conduct themselves accordingly. If elected judge, I will never disgrace the office but treat it with reverence.

Finally, an important characteristic for an elected official is treating people well. A judge must treat all persons in his or her court with respect and dignity. This is my nature and I will treat everyone fairly and impartially.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was in chemistry class at BGA upper school when the World Trade Centers were destroyed. It had a special impact on me because my folks were out of the country at the time. I felt alone and scared because America had just been attacked and my heroes were abroad. My fear

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I made $7.50 per hour as a life guard at the YMCA pool. Still today, I think in terms of, "How many hours would I have to work in order to pay for that?" This fiscally conservative thought process will help me relate to the community in my courtroom. Court fines and fees are often prohibitive and have negative impacts on individuals and families.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

I admire Judge Mark Fishburn, a Criminal Court Circuit Judge in Nashville, Tennessee, very much. Judge Fishburn is a judge who runs an efficient courtroom and treats everyone with respect. He cares about the people in his courtroom. He not only is an excellent judge but also is an educator. I was fortunate enough to take his criminal law practicum class at the Nashville School of Law. He taught me about opening arguments, closing arguments, presenting evidence, direct and cross-examination, and the ability to think on your feet as a judge.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Yes, empathy is a vitally important quality for a judge. Life can be quite difficult -- it can present you with challenges and stresses at any time. Many people facing difficult legal circumstances have had serious difficulties in life. We as judges need to take the time to listen and try to understand human behavior. Judging others and ruling on important issues in people's lives is an awesome responsibility. I can't imagine doing that without showing empathy.

Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?

My passion is in General Sessions Court. I am a General Sessions attorney and I am seeking to be a General Sessions Judge. It is in a very real sense the People's Court -- where most people go in our community if they have legal problems. Other so-called "higher courts" may receive more attention, or greater glory -- but that is not what is important in life.

What is important in life is making the world a better place. I truly believe that General Sessions Court is where I can make the world better. I will not seek "higher" courts. To me General Sessions Court is The Court.

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Candidate

Davidson County General Sessions Court Division IX

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Footnotes

Tennessee courts

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Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee

State courts:

Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Appeals • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Tennessee Circuit Court • Tennessee Chancery Courts • Tennessee Criminal Court • Tennessee Probate Court • Tennessee General Sessions Court • Tennessee Juvenile Court • Tennessee Municipal Court

State resources:

Courts in Tennessee • Tennessee judicial elections • Judicial selection in Tennessee