TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jun 23, 2026

James W. “Jim” Bell died May 15 at age 91. Originally from Lawrenceburg, Bell graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and practiced law in Knoxville until retirement. He also served on the Knox County Board of Education and became known as “School Board Bell” to distinguish himself from a lawyer with a similar name. According to his obituary, Bell obtained his pilot’s license in his 50s, learned Mandarin in his 70s and returned to Germany and found his old Army base at age 81. Bell will be interred Aug. 28 at 12:30 p.m. EDT at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, 2200 E. Gov. John Sevier Hwy., Knoxville, TN 37920. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the KREST Foundation at The Knoxville Racquet Club, 5535 Lonas Dr., Knoxville, TN 37909, “so kids in need can learn to play the sport Jim loved.”