Early voting for the Davidson County primaries wraps up on April 28, with Election Day on May 3. Though it may be hard to believe, there are 80-plus candidates who qualified for this primary. After completing their eight-year terms, Nashville’s sitting judges are up for reelection, many unopposed. Among the incumbents, General Sessions Division V Judge Dianne Turner will face challenger Robin Kimbrough Hayes, a former Fisk University student and Emory Law School graduate.
Turner, a graduate of Lipscomb University and Nashville Law School, is completing her second term, having been elected in 2006. She was a criminal defense attorney for 18 years before her election. While still in law school, she worked for General Sessions Judge Leon Ruben, and before becoming a lawyer, she worked as a public school teacher and basketball coach. Turner once said that her varied background and experiences really helped her during her first term, and I’m sure they have helped during her second term on the bench, as well.
In the 2014 election, Turner and her challenger, Nashville attorney Robb Bigelow, both portrayed the Division V judgeship — which handles both civil and criminal cases and is where many people experience our judicial system in action — as a bridge to the community. Turner has said that when she was first elected in 2006, she saw a wide range of people come before the court without an attorney. In each case, she would make sure everyone knew what was happening, no matter how much time he or she had spent in front of a judge in the past — explaining to them the reasons for her rulings.
Turner has presided over the Cherished HEARTS Human Trafficking Intervention Court and has also acted as presiding judge in the General Sessions Court.
Being a judge is not a job for everyone. It requires a special ability to read people, weigh circumstances, see things from different points of view and exercise discernment. Only someone experienced in those areas is suited for the position.
A judge has to be impartial and fair. They must follow the laws of the state, and adhere to our state constitution as well as the United States Constitution. It’s also beneficial for a judge to be experienced — they must be familiar with the people in their community.
In addition to her 16 years of experience on the General Sessions bench, Turner stays connected with the community by participating in a number of associations. Turner is a member of the Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, the Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Nashville Bar Association and the Napier-Looby Bar Association. She is also a founding member of the Donelson-Hermitage Evening Exchange Club and a board member for the Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce.
You’ve likely heard the expression, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” It’s one Judge Turner takes to heart. She is a busy and committed judge, but she is equally committed to her community and the organizations she chooses to share in. She is committed to continuing her journey and assisting Nashville residents to a better life through her rulings and interactions within the community.
Considering the amount of experience, fair-mindedness and commitment Judge Dianne Turner has, it’s hard to think of anyone else in that position, is it not?
Bill Freeman
Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post, and Home Page Media Group in Williamson County.
