Rogersville Circuit Court Judge William E. Phillips II made it to the final three for a seat on the Tennessee Court of Appeals Eastern Section but ultimately did not get the nod in Governor Bill Lee’s latest round of judicial appointments. Instead, the governor selected Knoxville attorney Rachel Park Hurt to fill the vacancy created by Chief Judge D. Michael Swiney’s retirement.
The outcome was first detailed for local readers by the Rogersville Review, which reported that Phillips “was not chosen” and that Hurt would step into the appellate role. The coverage also notes Phillips’ deep family and professional roots in the Rogersville area.
The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts later made it official on Jan. 22, confirming Gov. Lee’s picks and naming Hurt to the Eastern Section. She is a partner at Arnett, Baker, Draper & Hagood and a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, according to Tennessee Courts. That announcement formalized Lee’s choice following the council’s earlier recommendation.
Public Interviews And The Shortlist
Before the governor made his decision, the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments held public interviews in Knoxville and put forward three names for the opening: Rachel Park Hurt, William Erwin Phillips II, and Melissa Thomas Willis. The session, which was designed to let residents weigh in on the contenders, resulted in a three-nominee shortlist that landed on Lee’s desk.
Phillips' Local Record
Phillips has served as a circuit court judge in Tennessee’s 3rd Judicial District since 2021, when Gov. Lee appointed him to the bench after his work in private practice at Phillips & Hale in Rogersville, according to The Tennessee Star. The Rogersville Review notes that he previously served as city attorney for Church Hill (2017–2022) and Rogersville (2021–2022), and that his father, Bill Phillips, was a longtime local attorney.
What Comes Next
Under Tennessee’s post‑2014 system for filling appellate vacancies, a governor’s appointee is subject to confirmation by the General Assembly and then faces a retention election later on. Those requirements are laid out in the state’s governing document; for the constitutional language on appointments, confirmation, and retention, see the Tennessee Constitution.
For now, Phillips remains on the 3rd Judicial District bench while Hurt prepares to head to Nashville for the confirmation process. The appointment caps a short and very public selection cycle that drew attention across East Tennessee as the appellate court adjusts to life after Chief Judge Swiney’s retirement.
