BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Juvenile Court Judge Juvenile Courts in Davidson County have exclusive oversight of cases involving minors. These courts also have concurrent jurisdiction with Circuit, Chancery, and Probate Courts in certain areas. To hold the position of juvenile court judge, one has to be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the circuit or district one year. Additionally, a judge has to be licensed to practice law in Tennessee. These judges serve eight-year terms. Juvenile court judges are responsible for making sure that every child and parent who passes through court is met with justice, fairness, and hope. As described by Tennessee Code Annotated Section 37-1-101, the purpose of the juvenile court is: “To provide for the care, protection, and wholesome moral, mental and physical development of the children coming within its provisions.”
SHEILA CALLOWAY
Sheila Calloway is running unopposed for her third consecutive term. A Kentucky-native, Calloway moved to Nashville in 1987. She holds a B.A. in Communications and a Juris Doctorate, both from Vanderbilt University. Prior to her election as Juvenile Court Judge in 2014, Calloway worked at the Metro Nashville Public Defender’s Office, and as a Juvenile Court Magistrate.
Judge Calloway has been recognized for her implementation of a youth justice delivery model that focuses on trauma-informed care. She has spoken publicly about the importance of diverting youth from detention, and her team has created programs to support parents navigating the juvenile justice system. The incumbent judge has received a number of awards including
the ICCA “Doing What Works Judicial Award” from the International C om mu n it y C or re ctions Association, and the “Centennial Legacy Award” from the NAACP. In 2018, Judge Calloway was honored by the Tennessee Justice Center Hall of Fame. She’s a member of numerous community organizations and sits on the advisory council for Tennessee Voices for Victims.
ment for law enforcement. According to his office, the number of incarcerated individuals in Davidson County is 50% lower than it was ten years ago. Hall has been criticized for speaking at an event hosted by a group the Southern Poverty Law Center identifies as a hate group, and for housing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees. In 2019, Hall terminated his office’s contract with ICE,
calling it a “distraction from sheriff ’s office priorities”. Hall is passionate about decriminalizing mental illness. In 2017, he was awarded the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Sam Cochran Award. In 2020, he opened a behavioral care center that offers the mentally ill an alternative to jail. He is seeking his sixth consecutive term.
Public Service. Day began working in the Circuit Court Clerk’s office as an intern in 1997, and rose through the ranks to become Chief Deputy of Public Relations and Employee Development. He’s credited with implementing the office’s electronic filing system, and received the endorsement of departing Circuit Court Clerk Richard Rooker, who wrote that “many of the great
things that have transpired in the clerk’s office over the last few years can be traced back to [Day’s] ideas and vision”. Day defeated two opponents to win the Democratic primary in May and is running unopposed in the general election. His primary objectives are to employ a diverse workforce, utilize technology, and make the office more transparent to the public.
Sheriff The office of sheriff is established by the Tennessee Constitution. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the county and is elected every four years. This office oversees the county’s law enforcement department, including all staff. County sheriffs enforce the law in unincorporated areas within a county and also sometimes provide law enforcement services to municipalities lacking their own police departments. Additionally, county sheriffs are in charge of county jails and are sometimes asked to serve subpoenas, protection orders, and eviction notices. A sheriff candidate must be an American citizen who is at least 25 years old and lived in the county for at least one year. They must have a high school diploma and not have been convicted of any felonies, nor been discharged from the military due to dishonor or court martial. A candidate for sheriff must have at least three years experience as a peace or law enforcement officer in the previous ten years. Candidates must also confirm they have had a psychological evaluation from a certified psychologist or psychiatrist.
DARON HALL
Native Nashvillian Daron Hall is running unopposed for Davidson County Sheriff, an office he’s held since 2002. Hall, a Western Kentucky University graduate, will become Metro Nashville’s longest-serving sheriff at the end of his current term. Hall strives to “arrest the problem, not the person”. He has focused on programming for inmates and community involve-
Circuit Court Clerk Davidson County Circuit Court Clerks serve the needs of the courts, legal community, and the citizens by ensuring the efficient operation of courts. They record and document all steps in the judicial procedure while performing calculating, accounting, and typing duties to process citations and cases for the Court. The responsibilities of Circuit Court clerks include maintaining not only the records of the eight Circuit Courts but also the civil records of the eleven General Sessions Courts. The Circuit Court Clerk also maintains dockets and records, handling administrative matters, and serving as good will ambassadors to the public. Court Clerks are elected to four-year terms.
JOSEPH P. DAY
July 20 - August 3, 2022
Joseph P. Day is a Democrat running for Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk. He was born and raised in Nashville and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Tennessee State University, a Master’s Degree in Public Service Management from Cumberland University, and a Certified Public Administrator Certification from the University of Tennessee Institute of
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19
