Faculty Profile: Hon. Kathryn Olita

Katy Olita grew up in Clarksville and after graduating from the University of Tennessee and the University of Memphis School of Law, practiced law in Memphis for three years. In 2006, she had the opportunity to move home to Clarksville to join Batson Nolan law firm. In January 2013, she became a Member/Owner of the firm. While at Batson Nolan, her law practice was primarily in defense of civil suits, with an emphasis in governmental liability, employment law, and business litigation.

In 2018, Katy was selected by Governor Bill Haslam to serve as Circuit Court Judge in the newly created Part V of the 19th Judicial District, which is comprised of Robertson and Montgomery Counties. On August 6, 2020, she was elected by the voters of the 19th Judicial District to finish out the judicial term ending September 1, 2022. She was re-elected on August 4, 2022 to serve an eight-year term. She presides over civil cases as well as the 19th Judicial District Mental Health Court, which serves criminal defendants with behavioral health needs in a judicially-supervised, community-based mental health treatment program as an alternative to incarceration.

Katy was recently elected as President of the Tennessee Trial Judges’ Association and has served as the Presiding Judge for the 19th Judicial District and a delegate to the Tennessee Judicial Conference for the Middle District. Outside of her professional life, Katy is very active in the community and her church. She and her husband Aaron have been married for 21 years and have
two children.