TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Aug 1, 2025

Following a public hearing, the Trial Court Vacancy Commission announced the selection of three candidates to send to Gov. Bill Lee to replace Judge Cheryl Blackburn, who retired at the end of May. The three candidates are James Harwell Todd, Dominic J. Leonardo and Ronald Dowdy. Todd is currently the Division VI Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge. Dowdy has been working as an assistant district attorney in District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office, where he is the team leader of the Crimes Against Children Division, since 2017. Leonardo was selected by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a Davidson County General Sessions Court special judge in 2018 and serves as a legal analyst for NewsChannel 5. The Nashville Banner newsletter reports on the three candidates.