New judicial districts could impact 2014 races for judges, district attorney, pubic defender

In addition to most of the county’s elected offices, all of the county and district judicial positions will be on the ballot in 2014 and there could be extensive changes coming. A proposal in the General Assembly to redraw the lines of judicial districts could change the counties that make up the 23^rd Judicial District, where two judges and the district attorney have already publicly stated they will not be seeking re-election. The change also might result in the addition of a fourth judge to the district. Under a plan circulating in the legislature, the 23^rd Judicial District would drop Cheatham County and add Lewis, Hickman and Perry counties to Dickson, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys counties, growing the district from five to seven counties and stretching from the Kentucky border almost to Alabama. The increase in population could necessitate the addition of a fourth judge. Judges Robert Burch and George Sexton have already announced they are retiring while Larry Wallace is expected to seek another eight-year term. District Attorney Dan Alsobrooks has said he will not run again but Public Defender Jake Lockert is preparing to seek another term, even if the district is changed and he is forced to move out of his home in Cheatham County. General Sessions Judge Durwood Moore and Juvenile and Probate Judge Andy Jackson have not made public commitments about seeking new terms. With possible changes coming to the judicial district, potential candidates are waiting to see what happens in the General Assembly; however, a few names are already being tossed around. Former Dickson Municipal Judge David Wolfe, who narrowly lost in the judicial race in 2006, Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Lockert and attorneys Jerrod Creasy and Jerry Smith are reportedly considering running for one of the judge positions. Assistant District Attorney Ray Crouch is said to be considering a candidacy for district attorney. Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey has said the alignment of Tennessee’s 31 judicial districts is currently outdated and inconsistent, and pledges to bring the matter up for debate this year with elections across the state less than 18 months away.