As Knox County welcomes Judge Emily Abbott to its Criminal Court, Governor Bill Lee's recent appointment seeks to fill the void left since March. Abbott, taking the bench just three days after her appointment on August 15, expressed her eagerness to get to work: "I wanted to go ahead and get sworn in immediately to be able to start hearing cases because Knox County had been without a judge since March," she shared, according to reports from Tennessee Courts.
The ceremony was a testament to support and continuity within the judiciary, with a judge, a justice, and her predecessor welcoming Abbott into the fold. “It was overwhelming, the welcome I received. Judge Sword swore me in. Judge Sanchez robed me. Justice Sharon Lee brought me her robe to wear on the bench until I can get mine ordered. She was at my swearing in, and it was amazing,” Judge Abbott said in the statement obtained by Tennessee Courts. She dons the robe as only the second woman in history to serve in this capacity at the Knox County Criminal Court.
Judge Abbott arrives at her new role with significant legal tenure, having served previously as District Attorney for the Seventh Judicial District. Her journey to the bench was marked by encouragement and collegial support, particularly from Judge Sanchez, and she outlines a reciprocal mentorship ethos within her workspace: “He’s been a really big help, and we share office space. He’s been a good mentor to have, as well as Judge Greene and Judge Sword,” Abbott recounted in an interview with Tennessee Courts.
Reflecting on her career trajectory, Abbott credits her choices to a blend of inheritance and academic affirmation. Coming from a family legal background and receiving strong grades in law school served as catalysts in her path toward the judiciary. During an interview, she recollected, “Ultimately, my father was a lawyer, and he thought I would have a knack for it, so I did go to law school. I went to the University of Tennessee. I had the highest grade in my criminal law class. Joseph Cook, he just recently passed away. He gave me an A+, and I thought well, goodness, and so the rest is history,” Judge Abbott told Tennessee Courts.
Abbott's tenure will be watched closely as she aims to impact Knox County's legal landscape, carrying the expectations that come with her role and the precedence of her position as a woman on the bench. Echoing a sentiment of merit and dedication, she emphasized her objective, "But I will tell you regardless of gender, all the judges here in Knox County are just ready to work for the people. While I am a woman, I’m a judge first," she insisted, as reported by Tennessee Courts.
