Sunday, December 24, 2006

December 24, 2006 Chancellor's Decision Will Be Appealed

Two attorneys, Houston Gordon and Buck Lewis, have asked for an expedited appeal of Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle's decision in regard to Governor Bredesen's selection of a candidate to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Gordon and Lewis were on the first 3-person candidate panel submitted to the Governor by the Judicial Selection Commission. The third individual on the panel, who was the only minority member on the panel, withdrew for personal reasons. The Governor then rejected the first panel.

The Governor asked that a second panel be submitted, and Bredesen maintained that the second panel could not include the names of either Gordon or Lewis since they had been included on the first panel that was rejected.

Chancellor Lyle upheld the Governor's position.

The Judicial Selection Commission recently announced that it would not challenge the ruling.

Two of the individuals who were on the first panel, however, have decided to appeal.

Late on December 22, Houston Gordon and Buck Lewis asked for an expedited appeal of Lyle's decision requiring the Judicial Selection Commission to submit a totally new second panel of Supreme Court candidates to Governor Phil Bredesen.

Gordon and Lewis are also asking the state Supreme Court to exercise its statutory "reach down" jurisdiction and take the appeal directly.

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