{"county":"shelby","description":"","district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","id":83,"key":"general_sessions_civil_court_judge_div_6","lastchangeby":null,"name":"Lonnie Thompson","next_election":"2022-11-08","notes":"93","officegroup":"general_sessions_civil_court","partisan":0,"party":"","qualities":"- General-Sessions civil-court judge: hears civil claims under the statutory cap (currently $25,000), landlord-tenant cases, and small claims \u2014 high volume, often pro se litigants.\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 assigned court (cited per court below) and the published precedent that controls.\n- Docket management \u2014 moving cases efficiently while honoring due process and the time pressures that fall on litigants and witnesses.\n- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","term_years":8,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-08-04","name":"Lonnie Thompson","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nLonnie Thompson is a nonpartisan judge serving on the Shelby County General Sessions Court for Division 6 [1]. He has held this position since 1998, with his current term scheduled to end in 2030 [1]. The Administrative Office of the Courts lists him as a judge within the General Sessions Courts system [2]. His judicial staff directory identifies him as presiding over both the Criminal Division, which handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings, and the Civil Division, which manages civil law suits and forcible entry detainers [3].\n\nThompson is running for an unexpired term on the Shelby County Chancellory Court (Part 2) in the 2026 election. As of May 11, 2026, the outcome of this race remains unknown. Thompson has self-described his background as a musician, noting that he loves both music and law [4].\n\n## Background and education\n\nLonnie Thompson was born in 1956 [1]. He attended Memphis State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and a Master of Music degree [4]. Thompson also received his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law [4].\n\n## Career\n\nLonnie Thompson has served as a judge on the Shelby County General Sessions Court for Division 6 since 1998 [1]. He is a nonpartisan officeholder whose current term is scheduled to end in 2030 [1]. In this capacity, he presides over cases within both the criminal and civil divisions of the court [3]. His judicial responsibilities include handling misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, traffic tickets, civil law suits, forcible entry detainers, and interpleaders [3].\n\nPrior to his judicial career, Thompson worked as a musician, specifically playing the piano [4]. He holds professional qualifications in both music and law, reflecting a background that spans these two distinct fields [4].\n\n## Office history\n\nLonnie Thompson has served as a judge on the Shelby County General Sessions Court, Division 6, since 1998 [1]. He is a nonpartisan officeholder whose current term is scheduled to end in 2030 [1]. As of 2026, he has held this position for 28 years [1].\n\nIn his capacity as a judge, Thompson presides over both the Criminal and Civil divisions of the court [3]. His judicial responsibilities include handling misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, traffic tickets, civil law suits, forcible entry detainers, and interpleaders [3]. He is listed on the staff directory for Division 6 and maintains a professional presence through the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts [2][3].\n\nThe provided sources do not contain information regarding other elected or appointed offices held by Thompson, nor do they detail any races he has run but lost.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Lonnie Thompson - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Lonnie_Thompson)\n[2] [Lonnie Thompson | Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts](https://tncourts.gov/courts/general-sessions-courts/judges/lonnie-thompson)\n[3] [Staff Directory \u2022 Lonnie Thompson](https://www.shelbygeneralsessions.com/directory.aspx?EID=7)\n[4] [From Piano Bench to Judicial Bench, Judge Thompson Loves Music and Law - Articles](https://tba.org/?blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=134803&pg=Articles)","firstname":"Lonnie","lastname":"Thompson","token":"KVp0C31zU3"},"term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}],"title":"General Sessions Civil Court Judge Div 6","type":"judicial","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-04-25 19:49:19"}