TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jul 6, 2026

Robert DeBusk, a former Knox County assistant district attorney (ADA) who resigned in 2024 after being caught lying under oath, has been shifted from a full-time deputy clerk position paying $100,000 a year to a part-time, seasonal role paying $39,000 for 15 hours weekly. The change was effective July 1. According to Knox News, Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond, who hired DeBusk in June 2025, said the change came after DeBusk expressed interest in returning to courtroom work. DeBusk is barred from practicing in Hammond's jurisdiction. His resignation from the DA's office stemmed from testimony in a hearing where he initially denied, then admitted, that he improperly accessed privileged attorney-client communications between inmates and defense attorneys. The revelations led to his suspension, resignation and an April 2026 censure by the Tennessee Supreme Court.