← Back to Hawkins County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for Circuit Court Judge Part Ii District 3
Judicial District 3rd Judicial District
general - Partisan - Circuit Court Judge, Part II, 3rd Judicial District
About this office
A circuit court judge presides over the general civil and criminal trial court — jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and sentencing. Decisions are subject to appellate review.
Term length: 8 years.
This role calls for
- Trial-court judge of general civil and criminal jurisdiction — presides over jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and sentencing.
- 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 published precedent that controls.
- Docket management: moving cases efficiently while honoring due process.
- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Crystal Jessee's biography shows twenty years of Tennessee legal practice, licensure in all state courts, and prior service as a Child Support Magistrate for the Third Judicial District. The record documents two public censures by the Board of Professional Responsibility regarding wiretap violations and frivolous statements about a judge, alongside a pending civil lawsuit alleging mishandling of trust funds. Bio does not indicate experience presiding over jury trials or managing complex criminal sentencing dockets.
Mark S. Stapleton's thirty-five-year practice as a civil trial specialist and criminal defense attorney demonstrates relevant litigation experience for presiding over jury trials and motions. His current interim service in the Third Judicial District provides direct exposure to local docket management and judicial administration. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or ethical controversies. Bio does not indicate prior appellate court experience or formal administrative leadership experience.
Aaron J. Chapman's fifteen-year legal career includes family law practice, mediation certification, and leadership in bar associations, demonstrating relevant procedural knowledge and community engagement for a trial judge role. He previously served as City Attorney for Rutledge and chaired a county party committee. Bio does not indicate prior judicial experience or specific experience presiding over criminal trials.
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