{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJim Newsom serves as Chancellor of Part 2 of the Chancery Court for the Thirtieth Judicial District in Tennessee, which covers Shelby County [2]. Governor Bill Lee appointed him to the position in July 2024 as special judge during the disability status of Chancellor Jim Kyle [3].\n\nHe is a candidate in the 2026 election for the unexpired term as Chancellor of Part 2 [1]. As of May 2026, he remains on the ballot, with the contest still pending.\n\n## Background and education\nNewsom grew up in Memphis. He earned his bachelor's degree from Rhodes College in 1976 and his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt Law School in 1979 [4][5].\n\n## Career\nNewsom practiced at the Memphis firm Hanover, Walsh, Jalenak & Blair, PLLC from 1979 to 2004, becoming a member of the firm in 1985 [5]. He then joined the successor firm Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, PLLC in 2005 and remained there until his appointment to the Chancery bench in 2015 [5].\n\nFrom November 2010 through January 2015 he also served as Special Master of the Chancery Court for the 30th Judicial District [5].\n\nAfter leaving Chancery Part III in 2016, then-Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery named him Special Counsel for the Memphis office of the Attorney General [6].\n\nNewsom is an elder and trustee at Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church and a member of the Downtown Memphis Kiwanis Club. He is an Eagle Scout through the Boy Scouts of America [5].\n\n## Office history\nGovernor Bill Haslam appointed Newsom as Chancellor of Part III of the Chancery Court for the Thirtieth Judicial District in September 2015 [5]. He served in that role through 2016 [2].\n\nIn July 2024, Governor Bill Lee appointed him to Chancellor of Part 2 of the same court, the office he currently holds [2][3][7].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [James Newsom III - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/James_Newsom_III)\n[2] [Chancellor James R. Newsom III - Shelby County, TN](https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/3934/Chancellor-James-R-Newsom-III)\n[3] [Gov. Lee Announces Judicial Appointments (July 9, 2024) - TN.gov](https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2024/7/9/gov--lee-announces-judicial-appointments.html)\n[4] [James R. Newsom III '79 appointed chancellor in Tennessee's 30th Judicial District - Vanderbilt Law School](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/james-r-newsom-iii-79-appointed-chancellor-in-tennessees-30th-judicial-district/)\n[5] [Haslam Appoints Newsom Chancellor in 30th Judicial District - Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts](https://tncourts.gov/news/2015/09/03/haslam-appoints-newsom-chancellor-30th-judicial-district)\n[6] [Slatery Announces Newsom as Special Counsel for the Memphis Office - TN.gov](https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2016/11/16/pr16-19.html)\n[7] [Chancellors | Shelby County, TN](https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/327/Chancellors)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"chancellor_part_2_unexpired","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"Chancellor Part 2 (unexpired)"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jim","fullname":"Jim Newsom","lastname":"Newsom","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"chancellor_part_2_unexpired","contest_title":"Chancellor Part 2 (unexpired)","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":"Shelby","office_key":"chancellor_part_2","office_title":"Chancellor Part 2","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":"shelby","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"chancellor_part_2_unexpired","contest_title":"Chancellor Part 2 (unexpired)","county":"shelby","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":"Shelby","office_key":"chancellor_part_2","office_title":"Chancellor Part 2","party":"","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"chancellor_part_2","office_title":"Chancellor Part 2","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"James R. Newsom III is a Chancellor for Part II of the Shelby County Chancery Court in Tennessee, appointed by Governor Bill Lee in July 2024.","terms":[],"token":"cuNrLSCV4r"}