Steve Blount of Sewanee, a senior assistant district attorney for the 12th Judicial District, announced this week that he is seeking to serve the people of the district in the position of Circuit Court Judge Part III.
“I am excited for the potential opportunity to serve the citizens of the 12th Judicial District in a new capacity. I have served in the position of assistant district attorney for over 20 years, and I look forward to continuing my service from the bench,” Blount said.
Judge Buddy Perry just announced that he would not seek re-election to the position, thereby leaving an open seat in the circuit court system. There are three circuit judges and one chancellor serving the district, with one vacancy needing to be filled in the 2014 election. The 12th Judicial District is comprised of Bledsoe, Grundy, Franklin, Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.
“A trial judge should be experienced, fair, honest, just, firm, respectful, able to show compassion and hard working,” Blount said. “I believe I have the experience and attributes that would serve and benefit the citizens of our district. It has been nearly 45 years since we have had a circuit judge in our judicial district who had experience as a prosecutor. ”
Blount is a graduate of the University of the South; he earned his law degree at Florida State University.
After representing the citizens of the district in private law practice for 10 years and with more than 20 years serving the citizens while in the district attorney’s office, Blount said he believes he has the experience and knowledge required to handle the responsibilities of the judgeship.
“Judge Perry has honorably served as one of our trial judges since 1986. It would be an honor to carry forward the strong tradition of experience and devotion to justice that Judge Perry provided,” he said.
In 2012, Blount was honored by being elected as a Distinguished Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. Only 3.5 percent of all Tennessee attorneys have been elected as Fellows of the Tennessee Bar Foundation.
Blount was a founding member of the Drug Court TEAM of the 12th Judicial District. He holds the position of chairman of the Drug Court TEAM and serves as the vice-president of the 12th Judicial District Drug Court Foundation.
He said, “Judge Perry has spent the last eight years establishing one of the strongest and most successful drug court programs in the state of Tennessee. It is imperative that this program continues in our Judicial District and I will strive to carry out Judge Perry’s legacy in this area.
“As a circuit judge, I will always honor and uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee,” Blount said. “I believe the roll of a judge is to rule and adjudicate following the laws passed by the legislature. A trial judge should not legislate from the bench nor attempt to write law.
“Justice can and will result if a judge follows the laws on the books, applies logic and reason, draws on ample legal and life experiences, adds compassion where deserved, understanding when needed, sternness where appropriate, and uses good old-fashioned common sense,” Blount said.
“That’s my pledge to the citizens of the 12th Judicial District when I am elected to this judgeship.”
Married to his college sweetheart, Mary, for almost 30 years, they have two children, Zachary, a rising sophomore in college and, Emily, a rising senior in high school.
He is a lay leader at Otey Memorial Parish, and is a member of the Winchester Rotary Club.
For more information, visit <www.steveblount4judge.com> or go to his Facebook page, “steveblount4judge.”
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