← Back to Davidson County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for General Sessions Judge Division Vi
general - Partisan - General Sessions Judge
About this office
A general-sessions judge presides over a high-volume lower court — misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters. Many litigants appear without lawyers.
Term length: 8 years.
This role calls for
- Judge of a high-volume general-sessions court — misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters, often with unrepresented parties.
- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.
- Impartiality and ethics under the Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct, including disqualification when conflicts arise.
- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law applied in the court and the precedent that controls.
- Efficient management of a heavy docket while honoring due process.
- Accessibility and clarity for the many who appear without counsel.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Jodie Ann Bell's thirty-year litigation career as a defense attorney and current service on the Davidson County bench demonstrate relevant experience in criminal law and courtroom procedure for General Sessions Court. Her election by the Metro Council and primary victory confirm voter selection without documented controversy or disciplinary records. Bio does not indicate prior civil mediation experience or specific landlord-tenant adjudication experience.
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