Governor Phil Bredesen:  Democrat Governor of Tennessee who hopes for changes to the system, including greater clarity and openness in the process. Bredesen wants the House and Senate leaders to reach a compromise. Bredesen legally fought the Judicial Selection Commission after, according to The Wall Street Journal (May 2008), “The commission has sent [Bredesen] the same nominee repeatedly in an effort to shoehorn a favorite son onto the state’s highest courts.”

 

Former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh:  A Covington Democrat who attempted to reach an agreement on changes with Ramsey.

 

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey:  Republican Senate Speaker from Blountville who wants to reform how members of the Judicial Selection Commission are selected by reducing the control legal groups, including criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors and trial lawyers, have in the selection process. He had hoped to amend Wilder’s bill to push through an overhaul of the Judicial Selection Commission. His goal was to make the changes in 2008, although he’s said that many Republicans would be happy to have a return to elected judges under the Federal Model.

 

Senator Wilder:  Retired 40-year Senate veteran and former lieutenant governor, is an architect of the Tennessee Plan. He drafted a bill that would have revamped the judicial selection system to prevent the Tennessee Plan from expiring. The proposal stalled in the Senate in May 2008 and Wilder retired shortly after.

 

For more information on these and other key players in the debate over reforming or renewing the current Tennessee Plan for choosing state Supreme Court judges, please visit: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/.