Gary W. Starnes
Age: 55 years old
Occupation: Judge of the General Sessions Court of Hamilton County, Div. V, Elected in August, 2012
Residence: Signal Mountain
Years Lived in Hamilton County: 42 years
Family: Married, three children, five grandchildren
Education: 1981, B.S. Degree in Education from UTC; 1986, Doctorate of Law Degree from UTK
Previous Public Office Experience: N/A
Church or civic involvement: Stuart Heights Baptist Church - actively involved in various areas of the
church and volunteer service. American Red Cross: Former Board member for three years and chairman
of the audit committee; Actively involved in and support the Children’s Advocacy Center, Shepherd Arms
Rescue Mission, & Chambliss Children’s Home; member of Harrison Ruitan Club; former member of Red
Bank Lions Club; 2004-Vice President of Hamilton County Republican Pachyderm Club; 2005-President of
the Hamilton County Republican Pachyderm Club frequently deliver food to the homeless
Achievements: 2012, Tennessee Registered Civil Mediator & Arbitrator; 2012, Georgia Certified Rule 31
General Civil Mediator & Arbitrator; Steering Committee for Establishing a Veterans Court in Hamilton
County General Sessions Court; Co-working on the possibility of having a drug court and mental health
court in Hamilton County General Sessions Court; Instrumental in revising and updating the Hamilton
County General Sessions Local Rules of Court effective 4/1/14; Speaker at more than 150 organizations,
clubs, and events, over the last two years, discussing the court system as a whole, crimes, sentencing,
probation, etc.
What is the biggest challenge facing the office you are seeking and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge facing the office is increasing criminal cases involving the misuse and abuse of
drugs, including prescription drugs, and mental health issues. These problems cross all economic lines.
I have already addressed these problems head on. I am already using blood and urine tests to identify
the exact drugs used by a criminal defendant and the level of said drugs in his or her system. I am also
ordering mental health evaluations at various public and private organizations to determine mental
diagnosis and whether or not mental health issues are a contributing factor to criminal conduct. I
am using “alternative” sentencing, to include intensive outpatient treatment and intensive inpatient
treatment, if necessary, to try and rehabilitate these criminal offenders with drug and/or mental health
issues.
Why should the voters choose you?
I have the past business experience of operating my own law firm for 20 years with cases in several
different states. I also have the day to day judicial experience of hearing thousands of criminal and civil
cases, as a General Sessions Judge in Hamilton County, over the past two years after being elected in
August, 2012.
I also have the life experiences necessary to deal with these criminal and civil cases. I also treat each
and every person appearing before me in a courteous, thoughtful, and judicial manner. I make sure that
all parties are heard and make a ruling based upon the evidence and case law applicable to the case. I
also have a 90% plus approval rating from my peers in the local bar association.
I also am available to anyone who wishes to ask questions before and after my work day. I also make
myself available to speak at groups, clubs, and organizations, including youth groups. This community
involvement is instrumental to the public because the public wants to know about the judicial system,
particularly the criminal justice system.