The Tennessee Judicial Conference recently announced the new members of its Executive Committee for the coming year and Rutherford County Chancellor Howard W. Wilson made the list.

Taking over as president of the TJC is 7th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Donald R. Elledge. Elledge has been on the bench since 2005, when he was first appointed to his seat by Gov. Phil Bredesen. He was elected to full terms in 2006 and 2014. He is a graduate of the Nashville School of Law.

Elledge replaces Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Timothy Easter as president. Easter is now designated past president on the Executive Committee.

Filling the role of president-elect of the TJC is 26th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Roy B. Morgan Jr. He served on the Madison County General Sessions Court for 8 years before moving to his current position in 1998. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

The TJC's new vice-president is 6th Judicial District Chancellor John F. Weaver. He was first elected to that position in 1998 and has won reelection twice. Judge Weaver received his law degree from Emory University.

Fourteenth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge L. Craig Johnson has been named the TJC's new moving vice-president. He has been on the 14th Judicial District Circuit Court since 1998. Judge Johnson received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Judge Johnson also serves as the Commanding General of the Tennessee State Guard.

Ninth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Mike Pemberton will step into the role of TJC secretary for the next year. Judge Pemberton was first elected to the 9th Judicial District Circuit Court in 2014. He is a graduate of the Mercer University School of Law.

Tenth Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Sandra N.C. Donaghy will be the new treasurer of the TJC. She was elected to the bench in 2014. She received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Serving as convention co-chairs for the coming year are 6th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Deborah C. Stevens and 6th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Kristi M. Davis.

The new hospitality co-chairs for the TJC are 4th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge James L. Gass and 20th Judicial District Chancellor Anne Martin.

Other members of the Executive Committee include:

From West Tennessee

30th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Valerie L. Smith
25th Judicial District Chancellor William C. Cole
30th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge J. Robert Carter Jr.

From Middle Tennessee

23rd Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Larry J. Wallace
16th Judicial District Chancellor Howard W. Wilson
21st Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Deanna Bell Johnson

From East Tennessee

4th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge James L. Gass
1st Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Lisa Nidiffer Rice
11th Judicial District Chancellor Pamela A. Fleenor

The Executive Committee also includes the following ex officio members:

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeff Bivins
Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate
Tennessee State Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III
Tennessee Bar Association President Sarah Sheppeard
Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association President Matt Hardin
Tennessee Trial Judges Association President Judge J.B. Cox
Retired Judges Committee member Judge Eddie Beckner