8 seek appointment to replace judge who resigned in Davidson County

NASHVILLE - The Metro Council is tasked with choosing between one of its own and seven other attorneys in the special appointment to replace recently resigned Davidson County General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland.

Antioch-area Councilman Sam Coleman, among eight attorneys vying for the position, is in the unique position of relying on council colleagues for votes.

Other nominations for the judgeship are Michael Clemons, Adam Dread, Ana Escobar, Barry Gearon, Martesha Johnson, Nick McGregor and Tillman Payne.

The council will vote at its May 16 meeting on an individual to replace Moreland, who was last re-elected in 2014.

Moreland’s replacement will serve as an interim until next year. The Democratic and Republican primary elections for a full term for Moreland’s seat will take place in May 2018, followed by a general election in August 2018.

Here’s more on each nominee:

Clemons is a partner at Clemmons & Clemons PLLC, the law firm also founded by Tennessee Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville. According to the firm’s website, Clemons practices civil litigation and has experience in jury and non-jury litigation.

Sam Coleman

Coleman, chairman of the council’s Codes, Fair and Farmer’s Market Committee, is in the first term of his second stint on the council. He represents District 33. He ran in the past unsuccessfully as a Democrat for state representative and was passed up for Davidson County clerk in 2012 after the resignation of John Arriola.

Adam Dread

Dread, a partner at Durham and Dread PLC, served on the Metro Council from 2002 to 2007. He said about half his cases are in General Sessions Court. He lost as a Republican for General Sessions judge in 2014 to Democrat Lynda Jones. He had tried to run as a Democrat, but the Davidson County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee questioned his party credentials and blocked him from running in the party’s primary.

Ana Escobar

Escobar is an assistant prosecutor at the District Attorney’s Office, where she heads the DA’s domestic violence unit. She previously worked as deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts and as the Metro clerk.

Barry Gearon

Gearon, who heads Gearon Law, works in criminal and civil law, according to his firm’s website. He’s practiced in all General Sessions courts.

Martesha Johnson

Johnson, a Nashville native and graduate of Tennessee State University, has worked in the Davidson County Public Defender’s Office for more than eight years. She said she’s “not a politician” but is instead seeking the judgeship because she’s passionate about criminal justice for all people.

Nick McGregor

McGregor, a criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Nick McGregor, has represented defendants in more than 1,500 cases since 2012, according to his resume. He’s advocated in 20 felony jury trials during that time and assisted defendants with the Drug Court and Mental Health Court.

Tillman Payne

Payne has practiced family law, personal injury and criminal law in the Nashville area for more than 10 years. Payne said he previously worked as an attorney in the military before working as a public defender in Wilson County. He opened a private practice in 2009 that has offices in Nashville and Carthage.