Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Rob. Philyaw has been elected to the office of president of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (TCFCJ) by its members from across the state. His term is for two years.
Judge Philyaw has previously served the council as a member of its Executive and Legislative Committees, serving as treasurer and as vice-president and has been active in TCFCJ’s work.
Judge Philyaw said, “This kind of service was engrained in me in my first year of practicing law and has never left me. I look forward to the opportunities that the next two years will bring to further our work locally and across Tennessee. We have the best professional staff in Hamilton County and the broader work helps me do a better job for our families here every day. I especially look forward to hosting the 2025 Joint Conference of the judges’ Council and the Tennessee Juvenile Court Services Association in Chattanooga next August.”
TCFCJ was created by the Tennessee General Assembly through legislation in 1982. TCJFCJ is the official conference of Tennessee judges having juvenile court jurisdiction. For over 40 years prior to enactment of that legislation the Council existed as an informal association of juvenile court judges. Throughout its history the Council has represented juvenile court judges and court staff, providing an independent voice regarding issues affecting children, youth, families and communities.
To ensure the efficient and prompt administration of justice in the juvenile courts of Tennessee, the Council promotes best court practices and a better understanding of the problems and needs of the dependent and neglected, unruly and delinquent children coming before the courts. The Council strives to maximize and enhance the court’s resources and legal options in meeting the needs of children and families and providing protection to the community.
Mr. Philyaw is judge of the Hamilton County Juvenile Court where he has served since 2013. With seven full-time courtrooms, the court has exclusive original jurisdiction for proceedings in which a child is alleged to be delinquent, unruly or dependent and neglected and hears custody, visitation, child support, and other types of matters. The court employs 96 dedicated professionals and relies heavily on volunteers and support agencies who work to make the lives of children in Hamilton County better.
Judge Philyaw obtained his B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Christian Brothers University where in 2022 he was named one of 150 Notable Alumni in celebration of the University’s 150th Anniversary, and his J.D. degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Journal of Practice & Procedure and where he received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award.
Judge Philyaw is a former adjunct professor at the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at The University of Memphis. He is often a guest lecturer at several high schools and local colleges and universities and loves to read to younger students and answer questions about the judiciary. He formerly served as a municipal judge, on the Tennessee Bar Association’s Access to Justice Committee, and on the boards of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the Mountain Education Foundation.
In 2015, Judge Philyaw was awarded the Chief Justice William M. Barker Equal Access to Justice Award by Legal Aid of East Tennessee. In 2019, he received the McCain-Abernathy Memorial Award from the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Law Judges. In 2022, he received a Humanitarian Award from the Alton Park Development Corporation, an inner-city youth services organization. Governor Lee appointed him to serve on the Tennessee Commission for Children and Youth (TCCY) in 2020 and appointed him to serve as Chair of TCCY in 2022. Judge Philyaw serves as the Immediate-Past President of the Chattanooga Bar Association.
He has been married to pediatrician Dr. Kathy Philyaw for 35 years. They have two children, Ben and Katie. Ben is a graduate of UTC, a Marine and was named Officer of the Year by the Chattanooga Police Department earlier this year. Katie is a recent graduate of the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and currently serves as a judicial clerk for Judge Curtis L. Collier in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.