Faculty Profile: John Turnbull

John A. Turnbull received his legal education at the University of Tennessee College of Law, graduating in 1966. He practiced law in Livingston for 22 1/2 years. During that time, he served for approximately 14 years on the Board of Governors of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. He served as president in 1984. At the same time, he represented Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in five counties as well as other insurance companies. He is a member of ABOTA and Tennessee Bar Foundation. He was a founding member of the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society and is a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. Turnbull was appointed Circuit Judge of the 13th Judicial District in August of 1989, and became active in judicial conference activities. Judge Turnbull was selected Tennessee Judge of the Year in 1997 by ABOTA. He was on of three applicants for Supreme Court Justice submitted to the governor by the Judicial Selection Committee in 2005 to replace Justice Drowota. He retired as Circuit Judge in 2009 after serving 20 years. Judge Turnbull has conducted a total of approximately 2300 judicial settlement conferences and private mediations and has maintained a settlement rate in excess of 90%.