{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"ERIN POLAND NOLDER","chatgptsummary":"Erin Poland Nolder's eighteen-year legal career as a partner and lead counsel in criminal and civil litigation demonstrates relevant experience for managing high-volume dockets involving misdemeanors, family law, and unrepresented parties. Her prior service as a sitting General Sessions Judge confirms familiarity with local procedures and judicial temperament requirements. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or ethical controversies. Bio does not indicate specific experience in small claims mediation or landlord-tenant dispute resolution beyond general civil litigation.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nErin Poland Nolder is the sitting Division V General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge for Montgomery County and the Republican candidate in the Aug. 6, 2026 election for the unexpired term, facing Democrat Merriel Bullock-Neal [1][2]. She was appointed to the newly created Division V seat by the Montgomery County Commission on Dec. 8, 2025, receiving a large majority on the first round of voting [1].\n\n## Background and education\nNolder is from Montgomery County and graduated from law school about 18 years ago [1]. She is a Leadership Clarksville alumna (Class of 2009) [1].\n\n## Career\nBefore her appointment, Nolder was senior attorney and firm partner at Poland and Poland Attorneys at Law, serving as lead counsel in criminal and civil litigation [1]. She has appeared before the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court, and circuit, chancery, general sessions, and juvenile courts across Tennessee and at Fort Campbell, handling Department of Children's Services cases, custody disputes, guardianships, adoptions, estates, divorce, and orders of protection [1]. She is a past president and vice president of the Montgomery Bar Association [1].\n\n## Family\nNolder and her husband, Chris, have one son, John Luke, and are members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Clarksville [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Erin Poland Nolder appointed to new General Sessions, Juvenile Court judge seat](https://clarksvillenow.com/local/erin-poland-nolder-appointed-to-new-general-sessions-juvenile-court-judge-seat/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Who\u2019s on ballot for Montgomery County mayor, sheriff, commission, School Board](https://clarksvillenow.com/local/whos-on-ballot-for-montgomery-county-mayor-sheriff-commission-school-board/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"ERIN","lastname":"NOLDER","middlename":"POLAND","suffix":null,"token":"qbnWn8Hy7Z"},"token":"erin_poland_nolder"},{"candidatename":"MERRIEL BULLOCK-NEAL","chatgptsummary":"Bullock-Neal holds a law degree and litigates in juvenile, general sessions, circuit, chancery, and appellate courts. Her background includes special education and psychology training relevant to unrepresented parties. She previously ran for judicial office in 2010 and 2014. The biography does not indicate prior experience as a presiding judge or specific disciplinary records under Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct.","notes":null,"party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nDr. Merriel Bullock-Neal is the Democratic candidate for the Division V General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge unexpired-term seat in Montgomery County in the Aug. 6, 2026 election, running against appointed incumbent Erin Poland Nolder [1][2]. She was one of three applicants (with Nolder and Samuel Knolton) who sought the December 2025 commission appointment to the seat, which went to Nolder [1].\n\n## Background and education\nBullock-Neal holds a law degree and a Ph.D. in special education, with support fields in clinical child psychology and family therapy, from American University [1].\n\n## Career\nShe is a general practitioner in civil and criminal law who has litigated in juvenile, general sessions, circuit, chancery, and appellate courts and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee [1].\n\n## Office history\nBullock-Neal has run for local judicial office before, including a 2010 bid for General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge, Division I, and a 2014 campaign for Juvenile Court Judge [1][3].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [3 candidates make case for vacant General Sessions, Juvenile Judge seat](https://clarksvillenow.com/local/3-candidates-make-case-for-vacant-general-sessions-juvenile-judge-seat/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Who\u2019s on ballot for Montgomery County mayor, sheriff, commission, School Board](https://clarksvillenow.com/local/whos-on-ballot-for-montgomery-county-mayor-sheriff-commission-school-board/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[3] [Bullock-Neal announces candidacy for juvenile court judge](https://clarksvillenow.com/local/bullock-neal-announces-candidacy-for-juvenile-court-judge/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","firstname":"MERRIEL","lastname":"BULLOCK-NEAL","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"fWnAyEOWYO"},"token":"merriel_bullock_neal"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"general_sessions_judge","o.office":null,"office":"general_sessions_judge","officedescription":"A general-sessions judge presides over a high-volume lower court \u2014 misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters. Many litigants appear without lawyers.","officequalities":"- Judge of a high-volume general-sessions court \u2014 misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small civil claims, and landlord-tenant matters, often with unrepresented parties.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct, including disqualification when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law applied in the court and the precedent that controls.\n- Efficient management of a heavy docket while honoring due process.\n- Accessibility and clarity for the many who appear without counsel.","officeterm":8,"officetitle":"General Sessions Judge","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"montgomery County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://montgomerytn.gov/storage/departments/election/Legal%20%233%20-%20Sample%20Ballot%20AUG%202026.pdf"},"title":"General Sessions And Juvenile Court Judge Division V Unexpired Term"}