The County Commission on Wednesday morning voted eight to one to appoint attorney Gerald Webb as the replacement for General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck.
He will be the first black to serve on the General Sessions bench in its long history.
County Attorney Rheubin Taylor, who was the first black member of the County Commission, said, "I want to thank the commission for making this appointment after 46 years to this countywide position."
The only other candidate to get a nomination was Cris Helton, the judge for East Ridge.
Attorney Webb will serve until August of next year when there will be a general election.
Judge Shattuck had retired effective April 1 after 36 years on the bench.
Some 200 attorneys participated in a poll sponsored by the Chattanooga Bar Association and had attorney Joseph Hollis Jr. as the front-runner.
There were 19 applicants, and the commission interviewed 17 of them last Wednesday afternoon.
Attorney Webb came to the podium and told the commissioners, "I will not let you down."