Nashville – Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Speaker of the House of Representatives Kent Williams today announced their appointees to the new Judicial Nominating Commission.  The commission will review and recommend applicants for vacancies on appellate and state trial courts across Tennessee.

“The members of this commission have the skills, experience and knowledge to ensure that we have qualified and fair-minded judges at every level of the judiciary,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey.  “I am confident they will nominate judges who will interpret the law as it is written.”

"I am glad so many well-qualified applicants are willing to serve. There is a strong interest in seeing that we continue to have one of the best judicial systems in the United States,” said Speaker Williams. “I have worked to appoint a diverse group of individuals that will serve our State well. These appointees bring to the nominating commission a wealth of knowledge and experience from the field."

The 17 member commission includes four individuals from each grand division, four at-large members and one individual appointed jointly by Lt. Governor Ramsey and Speaker Williams.  Members cannot be office holders with political parties or political organizations, lobbyists or employees of lobbyists, or salaried office holders of the state of Tennessee or the United States.