4 candidates are vying to be Knoxville's municipal judge. What does the position entail?

Liz Kellar, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·3 min read

One of the more hotly contested elections in Knoxville this year is for municipal judge, a position that has been held by the same man for 36 years.

Tennessee's court system has been described as "a confusing patchwork of specialized courts" by University of Tennessee professor Joe Jarret, and it's likely not too many people know what a municipal court judge actually does.

But the person elected as municipal judge plays an important role in hearing about unfair tickets and whether city codes were violated, plus what fines and penalties, such as suspending a driver's license, are issued.

What is a municipal court?

Municipal courts are also known as city courts and, simply put, only have geographical jurisdiction within the city. Knoxville is one of about 300 Tennessee cities that have municipal courts.

These courts are created by city charters that determine the qualifications for the judges.

Knoxville's city charter sets the term for a judge at four years. The judge must be at least 30 years old and have been a resident of the city for three years immediately prior to the election, and must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

What kind of cases are handled in city court?

Municipal courts handle violations of city ordinances, and most commonly that means they deal with parking and traffic violations. The judges also deal with city ordinances that include alcohol violations such as underage drinking (but not DUI cases), animal control, building and zoning codes, business regulations, environmental issues and noise.

  • Alcohol violations include having an open beer, selling to an intoxicated person and stocking alcohol without a permit

  • Animal violations include using animals to fight or race, stray or vicious animals, poisoning or trapping, selling puppies and keeping livestock

  • Environmental violations include dirty or overgrown lots, burning solid waste, littering and illegal dumping

  • Personal behavior violations include disorderly conduct, loitering, discharge of a firearm and fortune-telling

A municipal judge may assess fines of up to $50, which provides a revenue stream for the city. Parking tickets range from $11 to $50.

When you add on the court costs, the amount owed for a citation can go up substantially. Most violations will end up costing a total of $114.50, with some more serious driving violations at $146.50, with demerit points added to your driving record.

Who are the candidates for municipal judge?

John Rosson, 75, has served as the municipal judge since 1986. There are no term limits for the position and he is running for reelection this fall. There are three challengers on the ballot: Andrew Beamer, 38, an attorney with a private practice since 2010: Tyler Caviness, 31, a former public defender in Knox County; and Mary Ward, 56, a defense attorney.

Important election dates to know

Liz Kellar is a public safety reporter. Email lkellar@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville's municipal judge seat is on ballot. What does job entail?