JEAN BROCK
Pledging to do everything in her power to reduce crime, former prosecutor Jean Brock has announced her candidacy for General Sessions Judge.
“I will do what I can to reduce crime in this area,” Brock said in announcing her candidacy for both the County Commission appointment and the race in August.
Brock graduated law school from the University of Memphis in 1997 and served as an attorney in Shelbyville and Colorado, a state where she also holds a law license. She has worked as in-house counsel for the Bouldin Corporation and worked in human resources for Yorozu.
In addition to those jobs, Brock worked as assistant district attorney here beginning in 1999 where she prosecuted numerous cases.
After leaving the district attorney’s office, Brock went into private practice here and has worked many cases, both in the criminal and civil areas. She has also served in the juvenile area as a court guardian and has worked many child custody cases.
“Since the judgeship involves Juvenile Court, I think I am really well prepared in that area too,” Brock said, noting she is also a licensed mediator.
Brock believes given her broad range of work in the legal field she has a well-rounded résumé when it comes to the law given her work on both sides of the aisle.
“I don’t think there’s any area of the law I haven’t dealt with, from criminal to civil, juvenile to mediation,” Brock said.
As for changes to the office, Brock said she has one in mind but will know better what areas could need tweaking if she is elected. The change, she said, would be to move up criminal arraignment to Monday instead of Tuesday. In that way, people being held in jail would get to be arraigned and have their bond examined one day earlier.
“That way there’s one less day they would be locked up,” said Brock, noting allowing earlier chance at bond would mean one day less the county would have to pay to house the accused, provided they could make bond.

PHILLIP CLEMONS

Bringing a combination of law, business and law enforcement to the table, Phillip Clemons has cast his hat into the ring for the office of retiring General Sessions Judge Larry Ross. Clemons is asking for the nomination this Monday and will be running in the election this August.
“I am painting with a broad brush given my background in several areas that would be a benefit as judge,” Clemons said.
Clemons has been practicing law for 10 years and has worked in all the local courts, as well as having experience taking cases before the Tennessee Court of Appeals.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Clemons served as operations manager for Nolan Corporation in Florida. Clemons then worked in law enforcement here for several years, serving with both the McMinnville Police Department and Warren County Sheriff’s Department.
“I think I bring a unique mixture of business, law enforcement experience and work in various areas of the legal system,” said Clemons, noting he has also served as Special Judge for Judge Ross and has also served as Special Judge in City Court.
“I have experience as a judge,” Clemons said, noting he knows the responsibility a judge has. “People’s lives are on the line when they come before the court.”
Clemons pointed out the General Sessions judgeship also includes Juvenile Court, noting he has worked in numerous juvenile cases and has experience dealing with the Department of Human Services, as well as working as a guardian in some cases.
“The juvenile judge is making determinations that will affect the rest of their lives,” Clemons said of Juvenile Court, adding he intends to fully support programs like Kids of the Community which was started by Judge Ross.
As for day-to-day duties, Clemons said he will be fair.
“I will listen to all the evidence and follow the law,” Clemons said.
Clemons is a member of Central Church of Christ and Warren County Lodge 125. He plans to seek the nomination of the Democratic Party for the upcoming August election.

JOSHUA CRAIN

As a nationally acclaimed prosecutor now working on the other side of the aisle as a defense attorney, Joshua Crain believes his experience in all phases of the law will benefit the people of Warren County as he asks for the interim appointment and election as General Sessions Judge.
“The judge should be a neutral position and you must be careful of having close relationships with prosecutors or defense attorneys,” Crain said, noting he would take great care to make sure he would be a impartial judge who listens to all sides.
Crain began his prosecutorial duties in 2005 when he began working in the District Attorney’s Child Support office here, serving under both Dale Potter and present DA Lisa Zavogiannis. It was under the latter he was moved to criminal prosecutor where he remained until late last year before a parting of the ways with Zavogiannis. He now maintains a private practice.
While part of the DA’s office Crain prosecuted numerous cases and was honored with a national award for being in the top 10 prosecutors in America when it came to prosecuting animal abuse cases. Crain pointed out his bachelor degree is in animal science.
During his time here as attorney, Crain said he has worked closely with law enforcement and knows the challenges faced by officers and the court system in general.
“We really need to look at some of the root causes of what brings cases before the court in areas such as domestic violence,” Crain said. “What causes victims to come up the day of court and decide not to prosecute? I think we need to look at those underlying causes.”
Crain said he would also not interfere with the prosecutor’s decision whether to proceed with a case.
“It’s the DA’s job to decide what is prosecuted and what is not,” Crain said.
Crain added he will also continue to support Kids of the Community.
“It is a tremendous asset and I intend to foster that,” Crain said.

MARY LITTLE PIRTLE

Seeing the law from both sides and having an understanding of civil and juvenile law that others may not have, Mary Little Pirtle is seeking the appointment Monday and will run in the election in August for General Sessions Judge.
“I think I’m the only candidate who has practiced in all areas the General Sessions Court hears,” Pirtle said, noting she has defended both creditors and debtors, industry and its employees and is very versed on landlord and tenant law. “These are areas some don’t realize are part of the what the judge hears.”
Pirtle has been practicing law since 2000, working in insurance defense until 2003 when she became legal counsel for City Bank/ Regions Bank. She also worked as attorney for numerous local industries and did contract work, workman’s compensation, and real estate law.
Along with those duties, Pirtle noted she is a Supreme Court-licensed family mediator who generally will do one of two mediations a week, something that gives her insight into the effects the court has on children and families, especially in civil and juvenile court.
“My No. 1 focus is how the court affects the lives of children,” Pirtle said, noting she will also continue to support the Kids of the Community program begun by Judge Ross.
In addition to emphasis on families and juvenile court, Pirtle said she will try to find ways to make court less costly to taxpayers.
“It’s not justice when you have to pay a dollar for a nickel’s worth of justice,” Pirtle said, noting one way to reduce costs is to take care of non-felony cases in General Sessions Court instead of sending them up to Circuit Court where they tend to cost more to hear. “I will be listening to ideas of how to better do this and hopefully we can come up with creative ways to reduce costs.”
Pirtle noted she will be impartial on the bench.
“I will continue to hear court as a neutral judge and give an impartial hearing to all the cases,” Pirtle said.

BILL LOCKE

Bringing over 30 years of legal experience to the table, including a quarter-century as a prosecutor, assistant district attorney Bill Locke will seek the interim appointment Monday and election this August to replace retiring General Sessions Judge Larry Ross.
“I bring a lot of experience to the job and I’ve worked as a prosecutor not only here but in other districts,” Locke said.
Locke was the first elected district attorney for the 31st Judicial District, which includes Warren and Van Buren counties, serving as DA from 1990-98. During that time, Ross served with him as an assistant district attorney. Ross was elected judge in 1998, while Locke left the local office and began work as a prosecutor in the 13th District, prosecuting cases in White and DeKalb counties. He served there for 10 years before returning here and working in his present job as assistant prosecutor under DA Lisa Zavogiannis. In addition to those tenures, Locke also served as prosecutor under DA Buck Ramsey prior to the 31st District being formed.
Along with his professional work, Locke found time to coach numerous youth ball teams here and to be active in both Noon Rotary and First United Methodist Church.
“I’ve worked in cases ranging from minor to the most serious,” Locke said of his prosecutorial duties, adding he also worked for a while as a defense attorney at the beginning of his career.
As for his plans, Locke said any changes with the handling of court would come once he gets a chance to see how things are working.
“Right now my plan is to come in and see how things are going before any decision is made as to changing things,” Locke said. “If changes do need to be made then they can be made over time.”
Locke said given the relatively short shelf life of cases before General Sessions Court, which from arraignment through disposition usually takes about a month or less, he should have very limited conflicts with cases he is presently prosecuting. The appointee will take the bench this coming Tuesday.

STEVE ROLLER

Former state Sen. Steve Roller says an expansion of the work of Judge Larry Ross, especially in areas like Kids of the Community, will be high on his agenda if he becomes General Sessions Judge.
“Larry Ross has done an excellent job and I would hope to continue that work especially in areas like Kids of the Community which is near and dear to my heart because it helps a lot of kids,” Roller said in declaring his candidacy for both the Warren County Commission nomination Monday and the general election in August.
Roller has been a licensed attorney since 1978. He worked locally in the law profession until 1988 when he joined the State Department of Commerce and Insurance and also worked as attorney for several boards and commissions. He returned to Warren County in 1998 and has maintained a private practice here ever since.
Roller said he has a lot of experience working in the local court system and could bring that experience to the bench, both in the criminal and civil fields.
Most recently Roller served as interim state senator after the resignation of Jerry Cooper. He was appointed by the Warren County Commission, the same body which will be appointing the interim judge this Monday.
Roller was narrowly defeated in the subsequent election by Eric Stewart. Roller said he will seek the County Commission appointment for judge and will also ask to be the Democratic candidate when the local party caucuses to decide its nominee for the August election.
“I’m a life-long resident and live in the Dibrell area,” said Roller, noting he works for various charitable organizations and is involved in the scholarship fund for Motlow College in McMinnville.
Roller said he will dispense justice fairly if elected.
“I will be fair to everyone,” Roller pledged. “Everybody will be respected, whether they be prosecutors or defendants, and I will ask they return that respect to the court.”