Still no judge to preside over Elizabethton Municipal Court

Elizabethton Municipal Court made do without a judge in November due to freshly re-elected Judge Jason Holly’s continued lack of a valid law license. The Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility temporarily suspended Holly’s license in late October after he failed to respond to the board regarding complaints filed by clients. A week later, Holly won re-election to a four-year term. In Tennessee, judges must have valid law licenses in order to hold court. The action rendered Holly ineligible to sit on the bench his license is reinstated. Municipal judges typically hear traffic cases, code violations and other non-criminal matters. Media reports say that City Attorney Roger Day has negotiated plea agreements with some defendants who had court scheduled in November with other to be heard on future court dates. Upcoming scheduled court dates in December and January won’t include a judge on the bench unless Holly is re-licensed or some other change occurs. The city acknowledged that the plea agreements won’t be official until the municipal judge signs off on them. A spokesperson said if Holly isn’t eligible to preside in December or January, the same approach will be taken as was used on the November court dates.