Judge Adgent has served as an Administrative Judge since 2003. Prior to becoming an Administrative Law Judge he had extensive experience as a litigate in various Tennessee courts. He received his J.D. from The Nashville School of Law and his B.A. in Philosophy and Sociology from Saint Ambrose College. He has completed all class requirements for his M.S. in Educational Psychology from Tennessee State University.

Judge Adgent has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator. He has received extensive training in judicial practice from The National Judicial College and The National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ). Judge Adgent has received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) and Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 49-40-60 I et. Seq. Judge Adgent also serves as a panelist for the Harvard Law School Ames Moot Court Program.

Judge Ball has served as an Administrative Law Judge since 2004.  She received her J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law and a B.A. in psychology from Hampton University.

Judge Carter-Ball is licensed to practice law by the Tennessee Supreme Court.  In 1999, she began her service with the State of Tennessee as an Assistant General Counsel with the Department of Children’s Services.  In 2000, she began working with the Bureau of TennCare as an Assistant General Counsel.

Judge Carter-Ball has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator.  She has received training in judicial practice from the National Judicial College.  Judge Carter-Ball has received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) and Tenn. Code Ann. Sec.49-40-601 et. seq.

In April 2008, Judge Carter-Ball was invited by the National Judicial College to serve as a Group Facilitator for Mediation for Administrative Law Judges. 

Judge Carter-Ball’s first novel, “As Soft As Cotton,” was recently published.

 

Judge Collier has served as an Administrative Judge since 2004.  She received her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1991, and her B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1988 (Major:  Mathematics; Minor:  Business Administration).  She has received extensive training in judicial practice from the National Judicial College, having completed the following courses:  Mediation for ALJs, Administrative Law:  Fair Hearing, Administrative Law:  High Volume, Traffic Adjudication for ALJs, Advanced Evidence, and Evidence Challenges for ALJs.  Judge Collier has also served as a Group Facilitator for the Administrative Law:  Fair Hearing course.  In addition, she has been trained to hear cases brought pursuant to the IDEA and as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator.

In 1996, Ms. Collier began her service with the State of Tennessee in the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General.  As an Assistant Attorney General and Senior Counsel with the Civil Litigation and State Services Division, she gained State and federal trial and appellate court experience in a variety of subjects.  Such subjects include employment law, ADA access, bid protest and contract litigation, and state administrative review.  Prior to joining the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General, Ms. Collier was in private practice in Nashville, Tennessee, for five years.

Judge Collier is licensed to practice law by the Tennessee Supreme Court and has been admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Third, and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee.

Judge Darnell has served as an Administrative Judge since 2003. He is an alumna of the National Judicial College having completed the following courses: Mediation for ALJs, Administrative Law: Fair Hearing, Administrative Law: High Volume, Advanced Evidence, Evidence Challenges for ALJs, Traffic Adjudication for ALJs, Logic and Opinion Writing, and Dispute Resolution Skills. The National Judicial College has awarded him The Certificate in Judicial Development: Administrative Law Adjudication Skills.

He has fulfilled training requirements in compliance with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31, General Civil Mediator. He has also completed required training to hear special education cases (IDEA) pursuant to T.C.A. §49-10-606 (b) and specialized mediation training for IDEA cases.

From 1991 to 2003 he was engaged in the practice of law specializing in civil litigation. He was certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy from 1996 to 2006. From 1996 to 2006 he was also certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Commission on Continuing Education and Specialization. He is a former partner in the AV rated firms of Welker and Darnell and Bateman, Bateman & Darnell, P.C. He received his B.B.A. from Austin Peay State University in 1988, and his J.D. from The University of Memphis in 1990.

Judge England received her B.A. degree in English from Middle Tennessee State University and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Nashville School of Law.  She was licensed to practice law in 1988.

Judge England began her career as a state employee with the Tennessee General Assembly while attending law school.  In 1993 she became a Mediator with the Department of Labor. She also conducted mediations for the Department of Education Special Ed Division.  She is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Dual Trained Civil and Family Mediator.

She was appointed as an Administrative Judge in September 2001.  Prior to that time she also served as an Administrative Judge for the Nashville Electric Service.

Judge England has recently been added to the faculty of the Nashville School of law where she is an instructor in Administrative Law.

Judge England is married to Neil Alexander. Together they have a 24 year old son and a 17 year old daughter.

Judge Hicks has served as an Administrative Law Judge since 1995. Judge Hicks is an alumna of the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative Judiciary. He has completed training in compliance with Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31, General Civil Mediator.  He has completed required training to hear special education cases (IDEA) pursuant to T.C.A. §49-10-606 (b) and specialized mediation training for IDEA cases.

Judge Hicks is a 27-year career employee of the State of Tennessee.  Prior to coming to the Department of State he worked for the Department of Health, the Law Enforcement Planning Agency, The University of Tennessee, and the Department of Employment Security.  He also spent four years with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. as legal counsel to the Chairman and one year with Metro Nashville Department of the Law. 

 

Judge Johnson has served as an Administrative Judge since 2000.  She received her J.D. degree from Oklahoma City University in 1994, graduating first in a class of 131 and receiving the Outstanding Graduate faculty award.  Additional schooling includes an M.A. in English from the University of Tennessee and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Abilene Christian University.

Prior employment includes the position of Legal Consultant with the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service.  In this capacity she worked extensively on the Tennessee Growth Policy Law, conducting statewide training of county and municipal officials and Administrative Judges.  Ms. Johnson has also held associate positions in private practice dealing primarily with litigation and commercial law.  She served as Managing Editor of the Oklahoma City University Law Review and Instructor of English at the University of Tennessee.

Judge Johnson has received extensive training in judicial practice from the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ), has completed intensive training in the IDEA, and has satisfied the training requirements for the Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator.

 

Judge LaFevor has served as an Administrative Judge since 1999.  He received his J.D. from the University of Tennessee in 1976, following his undergraduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University and active military duty as a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.  He has completed additional legal training at the Criminal Trial Practice Institute and the National Judicial College, and is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator.  Before joining the Administrative Procedures Division, Judge LaFevor was a Senior Assistant Public Defender in Davidson County until 1984, was engaged in the private practice of law in Nashville for eight years, and served as a Senior Referee of the Davidson County Juvenile Court from 1992 through 1998.

Judge Loesch a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1970), and the Vanderbilt University School of Law (J.D., 1973), has been employed by the state of Tennessee as an Administrative Judge for some 18 years.  Originally appointed to that position by the State Board of Equalization in 1990, he and its two other administrative judges were transferred to the Administrative Procedures Division (APD) of the Secretary of State’s Office in November, 2003.  Stationed in APD’s branch office in the James K. Polk Building since then, Judge Loesch has continued to handle appeals related to the assessment of real and personal property for tax purposes.

Previously, Judge Loesch worked in various legal capacities for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.  As its Legal Services Director from 1984 to 1988, he supervised the agency’s staff attorneys and acted as its liaison with the Governor’s Office on legislative matters.  He has also toiled in the Office of Legal Services of the Tennessee General Assembly.  

The National Judicial College has awarded to Judge Loesch certificates of successful completion of its courses entitled “Administrative Law: High Volume” and “Mediation for Administrative Law Judges.”  Judge Loesch has also participated in the annual meetings of the National Conference of State Tax Judges (sponsored by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a nonprofit educational institution).

Judge Minsky has served as an Administrative Judge since 1984.  During that time, he has exclusively heard property tax appeals for the State Board of Equalization.  Judge Minsky was employed directly by the State Board for approximately twenty years and held the position of Senior Administrative Judge for much of that time.  He joined the Administrative Procedures Division in 2003 when all of the State Board’s administrative judges were transferred to the Department of State.

Judge Minsky earned his B.A. with high distinction from the University of Michigan in 1978.  He received his J.D. degree with honors from Ohio State University in 1982.  Judge Minsky has received extensive training in appraising real and personal property from the Appraisal Institute and International Association of Assessing Officers.

In addition to hearing property tax appeals for the State Board of Equalization, Judge Minsky has served as vice president and general counsel for a national property tax consulting firm.  In this capacity, he represented taxpayers before boards of equalization as an attorney and registered agent pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. Section 67-5-1514.  During this time, Judge Minsky oversaw the firm’s Nashville office and was responsible for filing appeals on behalf of taxpayers in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.

Judge Minsky has been active over his career in matters related to continuing education.  He is the primary author of Practitioner’s Manual for Appealing Property Taxes in Tennessee.  Judge Minsky has spoken on property tax related matters at continuing legal education seminars and other forums attended by lawyers, appraisers, registered agents, assessors and equalization board members.

Judge Pogue began serving as an Administrative Judge in 2005. Prior to this, he was engaged in the practice of law in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee for 17 years. He has completed the training to serve as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator as well as training in special education due process hearings and mediations pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act.

He completed his undergraduate education at the University of the South (Sewanee) in 1980 and earned his J.D. in 1987 from the University of Tennessee.

 

Judge Robertson has served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Department of State since 1996.  She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University, an M.A. in Special Education and additional graduate work in research in mental retardation and intellectual development at Peabody College, and a B.A. from Baylor University.

Judge Robertson is a 26-year employee of the State of Tennessee.  Judge Robertson first served as an Administrative Law Judge at the State Board of Education, beginning in 1988.  In 1996, Judge Robertson was transferred to the Central Panel of administrative law judges in the Administrative Procedures Division of the Department of State.  Prior to being an administrative law judge, Judge Robertson served as Division of Consumer Affairs attorney with the Department of Commerce and Insurance for four years.

Judge Robertson has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator and has received specialized mediation training for special education (IDEA) cases.  She has received training in judicial practice from the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ).

Judge Robertson has been trained to hear IDEA cases, including training at the Seattle School of Law in Special Education Law Issues.

 

Judge Safley received her B.S.N. degree in 1977 from Vanderbilt University, her M.S.N. degree in 1983 from Vanderbilt University, and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1989 from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Judge Safley was licensed as a registered nurse in 1977. Prior to attending law school, Judge Safley worked in various areas of health care, including working as a RN in critical care, in nursing management, and in hospital administration.  She was co-owner of a mobile imaging company for several years. 

Judge Safley was licensed to practice law in Tennessee in October 1989. After completing a year’s judicial clerkship, she practiced law with Ortale, Kelley, Herbert & Crawford for five years, and was a principal with Lackey, Rodgers, Price and Snedeker for six years. She practiced civil litigation in state and federal courts.  She has been listed as a Rule 31 Mediator with the Tennessee Supreme Court since 2000.

She received her appointment as an Administrative Judge in September 2001.  Since that time she has attended the National Judicial College, and has presented CLE’s on administrative law and mediation.

Judge Safley is married to attorney Mike Safley, Deputy Director of Law, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.  They have three children.

Judge Springfield has serves as an Administrative Judge since 2000. She received her J.D. from the Nashville School of Law and her B.S. from Tennessee State University. Judge Springfield has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator and has received training from the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative law Judiciary (NAALJ). She has also received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations.

Judge Springfield served as Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General, from 1984 until 1998. She was Assistant General Counsel with the Tennessee Board of Regents for eight years prior to joining the Secretary of State’s Office. Judge Springfield is licensed to practice law by the Tennessee Supreme Court, and has also been admitted to practice law before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee.

Director, Chief Administrative Judge, Administrative Procedures Division, Office of the Tennessee Secretary of State.  B.A. Earlham College; J.D. University of Tennessee.  Judge Stovall manages the office of administrative judges who preside over contested case hearings on behalf of Tennessee state and local administrative agencies.  He has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator and has received extensive training in judicial management and practice from the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ).  Judge Stovall has also received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) and Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 49-40-601 et. seq.  Judge Stovall is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Central Panel Directors Conference and NAALJ. Judge Stovall is the current chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) and is also currently a member of the TBA Task Force on Judicial Conduct Rules.  He is a former member of the Board of Governors of the NAALJ.  Judge Stovall has spoken on administrative law and special education topics before the TBA, Nashville Bar Association, and Tennessee Attorney General’s continuing legal education seminars, and the Tennessee Association of Administrators of Special Education.  He has also been a panelist at numerous NAALJ national conferences.  Judge Stovall is a former instructor of administrative law at the Southeastern Paralegal Institute and is the author of Alternative Dispute Resolution of County-Urban Growth in Tennessee, Spectrum, Vol. 75, No. 1, Winter 2002.

 

Judge Wall has served as an Administrative Judge since 1988.  He was a Morehead Scholar and received a Bachelor’s degree in English and Mathematics, with Honors in English from the University of North Carolina in 1976.  He received his J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University in 1980.  After clerking for the Hon. Kent Sandidge, United States Magistrate, he entered private practice in Nashville, where he engaged in a general litigation practice, with particular emphasis on administrative practice.

Judge Wall has attended the National Judicial College, and has received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act .In addition, he has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil Mediator.

Judge Wall is licensed to practice law by the Tennessee Supreme Court and has been admitted to practice law before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Judge Wall is a frequent lecturer on Administrative Practice and Procedure, Evidence, and Ethics.

 

Judge Williams has served as an Administrative Judge since February 1996.  She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University, in 1982, and B.A. in Psychology from Yale University, in 1979.

Judge Williams has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator and is an alumna of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.  Judge Williams has received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediation, brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) and Tenn. Code Ann. Section 49-40-601 et seq.

Judge Williams began her career in State government with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, working with Geier desegregation lawsuit matters, as well as staffing a host of enrichment programs, from Eisenhower Mathematics and Science grants to the Minority Teacher Education Fellowship Program. 

Judge Williams is a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, Napier-Looby (affiliate of National Bar Association.) Bar Association, Lawyers Association for Women, and NAALJ.  Judge Williams is the first African-American and first State-employee member of the Editorial Board for the Tennessee Bar Association Journal.  Judge Williams has served as a panelist at Nashville Bar Association CLE and NAALJ programs.

Judge Wilson has served as an Administrative Judge since 2001. He received his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law and his B.A. from Temple University.

Judge Wilson has been trained as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator. He has received extensive training in high volume administrative hearings from the National Judicial College and the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ). Judge Wilson has received the required training in special education law to conduct special education due process hearings and mediations brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) and Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 49-40-601 et. seq.

Judge Wilson is a member of the American Bar Association, American Health Lawyers Association, and the National Association of Administrative Law Judges.