Chief Justice William M. "Mickey" Barker will remain on the state Supreme Court until Sept. 15, two weeks later than his original retirement date, so the court will have its full five members for a Knoxville docket on Sept. 3, he said.
“When I notified the governor in early May of my intended retirement on Sept. 1, I had hoped that would allow enough time for the selection process to be completed before the court heard cases in Knoxville,” he said. “However, the Judicial Selection Commission will not be able to meet until Aug. 18 to evaluate applicants for the Supreme Court and recommend three names to the governor. That close time frame, coupled with the Labor Day holiday, convinced me that I need to be available to sit with the court.”
Chief Justice Barker said he discussed the decision with the governor’s office and “he agrees with my decision to postpone my retirement for two weeks.”
The chief justice is stepping down after a quarter-century of judicial service.
Chief Justice Barker, 66, is a native of Chattanooga.