The race to fill the seat on the Court of Appeals Western Section is heating up as the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments gears up to review seven applicants. The vacancy was announced following Judge Kenny Armstrong's decision to retire on February 9, 2026. Those vying for the position include a varied roster of legal minds: Lori R. Holyfield, Eileen Kuo, Steven Wayne Maroney, Jeffrey E. Nicoson, Gadson William Perry, Monica Rae Rejaei, and John B. Turner, Jr.
On December 10, 2025, the Council will conduct public interviews with the applicants at 9 a.m. CST. Significantly, these are slated to take place in Jackson at the Chambers of the Jackson City Council, according to a press release from the Tennessee Courts. After diligent questioning and discussion, a voting process will ensue, culminating in three candidates being recommended to the governor.
Transparency and public opinion are vital in these proceedings, and as such, the hearing is open to any member of the community. Concerned citizens are welcome to voice their opinions on the applicants, be it orally or in writing, exemplifying an active judiciary's responsiveness to the populace it serves. Anyone needing special accommodations due to a qualifying disability or requiring further information about the Council should reach out to AOC Assistant General Counsel Laura Blount.
The three successful nominees will mark their names in the annals of Tennessee's legal framework, embarking on a tenure of interpreting law and dispensing justice. The addition of a new judge to the Court of Appeals Western Section not only shapes the bench's legal philosophies but resonates through the lives touched by their judgments. With the Governor's eventual appointment, a new chapter will commence for the state's judiciary system.
