The Daily Times

Blount County Circuit Judge W. Dale Young has retired from the bench after 26 years.

“After accumulating 30 years of credited service and having attained the age of 72, it is time for me to retire and allow another to serve the good people of Blount County and the state of Tennessee,” Young said in a press release.

“Serving as an assistant district attorney general, as chief of staff to Gov. Winfield Dunn, and serving 26 years as a Circuit Judge for Blount County has been most welcomed blessings and a high honors for my life. I am a firm believer that public office is a public trust and I have done my very best to be true to the requirements of a public trustee. I am eternally grateful to all those who have supported me in good times and not so pleasant of times. Our people deserve nothing but the very best, and I have full confidence that Governor Haslam will give us that when he appoints my successor in office.”

Former County Mayor Jerry Cunningham praised Young’s service. “He is just a wonderful public servant who has served this community well in different capacities. I have known him since high school. He served ably as counsel to (former Gov.) Winfield Dunn in Nashville and as judge all those years. He is the epitome of fairness, honesty, courtesy and decency. I wish him well. I’m happy for him. I hope he enjoys his retirement as much as I’m enjoying mine.”

State Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, who practices law, has argued cases before Young. “He is leaving a long and distinguished legacy serving as Circuit Court judge for more than 26 years. During that time, he has been the consummate professional and a dedicated public servant. His time on the bench will be long remembered for the soundness of his decisions and his courtesy to those who have appeared before him.”

Rob Goddard, former county attorney, also had good words for Young: “Certainly, he had a stellar career in the judiciary. He was a very hardworking judge and very honest. His integrity was beyond reproach. I won and lost my share of cases in his court, but I always felt that I received a fair hearing.”

Young garnered worldwide media attention in 1989 when he ruled that “human life begins at the moment of conception” during a custody battle that involved seven frozen embryos. The Tennessee Court of Appeals later overturned his decision to award custody of the embryos to the mother. In 1992, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals decision.

No deadline has been set for Young to be replaced. The state’s Judicial Nominating Commission will accept applications from individuals interested in replacing Young. It will ultimately send a list of three names to the governor, who will make the appointment to fill the vacancy.

Goddard intends to apply for the job. “I intend to submit my name to the Judicial Nominating Commission for consideration,” he said. “They will submit up to three names to the governor. I hope I’m one of the three to be submitted.”

Young was educated in the Maryville school system, graduating Maryville High School in 1956. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Maryville College and Bachelor of Laws and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1963. He attended Security and Exchange schools, several banking schools and was graduated from the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Judicial Academy.

Young engaged in private law practice for about eight years before joining the Winfield Dunn’s gubernatorial campaign as East Tennessee manager in 1969.

While in private practice, he served on several boards and commissions for the City of Maryville, for county government and the Blount Chamber of Commerce. He was a member, called a squire, of the Blount County Commission when it was still called the County Quarterly Court.

After returning home from Nashville, Young served as house counsel for a bank holding company and was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the Hon. James H. Jarvis, who was elevated to the federal bench.

“While I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my work, the favorite part of my job has been to hear and grant probably thousands of adoptions, placing children in good homes where they will thrive and be loved, as every child deserves,” Young said.

You must be logged in to Facebook to comment. If you're not logged in to Facebook, a login window will open when you click "comment". Or you can log in now. You may need to refresh your page after logging in via that link.