Jill Ayers
2021 - Present
2030
4
Jill Ayers is a judge of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section. She assumed office on August 30, 2021. Her current term ends on September 1, 2030.
Ayers ran for re-election for judge of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section. She won in the retention election on August 4, 2022.
Ayers was appointed to the court by Gov. Bill Lee (R) on January 12, 2021, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Thomas T. Woodall. Ayers was confirmed in April 2021.[1][2]
Ayers previously served as a Part IV judge on the Nineteenth Circuit Court in Montgomery County, Tennessee. She was appointed to the seat by Gov. Bill Haslam (R) on October 21, 2015. The Part IV seat was newly created in 2015, expanding the courts bench from three to four judges.[3] Because of this was a new seat creation, the initial appointment ran until an election was held in 2016. The election was for a six-year term that would bring the seat's election cycle into alignment with the next regular judicial election in 2022. Ayers won the Republican primary on March 1, 2016, advancing to an unopposed general election on August 4, 2016. She resigned when she was appointed to the appeals court.
Biography
Jill Ayers earned a B.A. from Belmont University in 1989 and a J.D. from University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1992.[3] Ayers served as the school board attorney for Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. She previously worked as an attorney at Batson Nolan in Clarksville from 1997 to 2015.[3]
Elections
2022
See also: Tennessee intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section, Jill Ayers' seat
Jill Ayers was retained to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section on August 4, 2022 with 73.9% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
73.9
|
441,622 | ||
No |
26.1
|
156,214 | |||
Total Votes |
597,836 | ||||
|
|
2016
General election
General elections for unexpired local judicial terms and newly created judicial seats in Tennessee were held on August 4, 2016. Incumbent Jill Ayers ran unopposed in the general election for the unexpired term in Part IV of the Tennessee 19th Circuit Court.
| Tennessee 19th Circuit Court Part IV, General Election (Unexpired Term), 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Jill Ayers Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 10,270 | |
| Total Votes | 10,270 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Election Results, "August 4, 2016 Unofficial Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016 | ||||
Primary election
Primary elections for partisan judicial seats in Tennessee were held on March 1, 2016. The top vote recipient in each party's primary advanced to the general election on August 4, 2016. No Democrats filed for any of the local judicial seats up for election in 2016, meaning only Republican primaries were necessary. Independent candidates did not face primary elections. While the court serves both Montgomery and Robertson counties, Robertson did not hold a primary. Only Montgomery County voters were able to participate in the primary selection. Incumbent Jill Ayers defeated Robert Bateman in the Republican primary for the unexpired term in Part IV of the Tennessee 19th Circuit Court.[4]
| Tennessee 19th Circuit Court Part IV, Republican Primary (Unexpired Term), 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Jill Ayers Incumbent |
57.96% | 8,595 | |
| Republican | Robert Bateman | 41.90% | 6,213 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.13% | 20 | ||
| Total Votes (100) | 14,828 | |||
| Source: Montgomery County Election Commission, "Montgomery County 2016 Presidential Primary & County Republican Primary Election Results," accessed March 1, 2016 | ||||
Polls
A straw poll conducted prior to the primary election by the Montgomery County Bar Association found Roger Nell and Jill Ayers as the leading candidates in their respective Place III and IV races for the 19th Circuit Court. Fifty-two percent of poll participants favored Nell, while 37 percent favored Ted Crozier Jr. and 10 percent favored Herb Patrick. Ayers, meanwhile, polled at 62 percent in the Part IV race; her challenger, Robert Bateman, followed with 37 percent. The results were published in The Leaf-Chronicle on January 15, 2016.[5]
Selection method
Judges of the circuit court are elected in partisan elections. Each county may opt to hold nonpartisan elections instead. Judges serve eight-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[6][7]
The presiding judge of each court is elected to a one-year term by peer vote.[8]
Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:[6]
- authorized to practice law in state;
- a district resident for at least one year;
- a state resident five years; and
- at least 30 years old.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jill Ayers did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
The Leaf-Chronicle profiled the candidates for the 19th Circuit Court. The paper asked the candidates, "Why did you decide to run for this office? What is your top goal if you are elected? What are your top platform issues?" Ayers responded:
| “ | I was honored to have earned the appointment as Circuit Court Judge by Gov. (Bill) Haslam in October 2015. An appointee serves until the next general election and I am running for election to retain my seat on the bench. There were nine applicants for the position, narrowed to three by the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments. After an extensive TBI background check, interviews with the governor’s legal team and with the governor, I earned the appointment.
I decided to run for the position because our community needs this judicial position to continue to be filled with a conservative, qualified person who will respect all those who come to court, both the litigants and the attorneys. I have the work ethic, experience and temperament, and the desire to serve. I was encouraged by many community members to apply for the position based on their experiences with me as an attorney and community leader, and the need for diversity on the bench. Prior to serving as judge, I practiced law for 23 years. I have represented individuals and business clients from pro bono work to highly complex transactions and litigation. I am rated “AV Preeminant” by Martindale Hubble, the highest peer review rating for professional and ethical excellence. I have the professionalism and experience to manage the courtroom and docket and to listen to facts and apply the law to make sound decisions. We need consistency on the bench. I am already serving as Circuit Court judge; I have presided over criminal and civil trials and handled numerous motions, and am providing that stability and consistency. My goal is to ensure the courts are accessible and to hold court as often as possible, to work as many hours as needed to serve the public.[9] |
” |
| —Jill Ayers (2016)[10] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Middle Section |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Gov. Bill Lee Announces Judicial Appointments," January 12, 2021
- ↑ Tennessee Courts, "TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONFIRMS AYERS AS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS JUDGE," April 12, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Clarksville Online, "Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam Appoints Clarksville’s Jill Ayers as Circuit Court Judge for 19th Judicial District," October 21, 2015
- ↑ The Tennessean, "What's on the March 1 ballot in Tennessee," February 9, 2016
- ↑ The Leaf-Chronicle, "Jill Bartee Ayers, Roger Nell favorites in poll of judicial races," January 15, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
- ↑ Justia - Tennessee Code, "16-15-202. Election Term," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "Understanding Your Court System: A Guide to the Judicial Branch," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Leaf-Chronicle, "Ayers: Circuit Judge Part IV candidate," January 14, 2016
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
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