General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes said fellow Judge David Bales apparently has not yet signed a letter to the governor saying he plans to take medical disability.
Judge Starnes said, "We can't reach him. He does not answer any of our calls or texts."
He added, "We are concerned about his well-being."
Judge Bales last Friday, after a sit-down meeting with the other four General Sessions Court judges, agreed that a press release be issued saying he had tried to come back too early after treatment for throat cancer.
He said in the statement that he hoped to eventually return, but he would take medical disability until then - opening the process of the governor appointing a replacement judge.
Judge Starnes said the meeting of the judges on Friday was called due to "a pattern of behavior" by Judge Bales since his brief return after being out for a number of months.
Asked what he meant by a pattern of behavior, Judge Starnes said, "Ask the attorneys who were in his courtroom."
Judge Starnes said Judge Bales was at the courthouse on Monday and was given the letter to the governor. He said, "I asked him four different times if he would sign it and let me have it back." He said Judge Bales kept putting him off and left without giving him the letter.
He said the office of Judge Bales is locked. He said, "The letter may still be on his desk. Or he may have mailed it. We just don't know because he is not responding to us."
Judge Starnes, early Wednesday afternoon, said, "There was a sighting of Judge Bales just 10 minutes ago. He was in suit and tie on Cherry Street across from Milligan-Reynolds. That's just down from the Courts Building."
He said being short one judge "puts a burden on all of us."
He noted that the County Commission earlier authorized paying for fill-in judges, including attorneys and municipal judges.
Judge Starnes said once the medical disability process starts "it still would be 3-4 months before we have a judge in place."
A call to Judge Bales by Chattanoogan.com was not answered. It said his mail box was full.