thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

state honor twice

in three-year period

For the second time in three years, Blount County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher has been recognized as Outstanding State Court Clerk of the Year in Tennessee.

It is quite an honor to be recognized by one"s peers once. Twice in quick succession reflects the outstanding job Hatcher is doing.

And Hatcher will be the first to give much of the credit to his staff.

Elected Blount County Circuit Court Clerk in 1994, he began his public service career in the Blount County Sheriff's Office where he served as patrolman, criminal investigator and director of the 5th Judicial District Drug Task Force.

In his current office, he and his staff have initiated a computer system that makes the office fully automated and provides a computer in the office for public access. A web site is being developed to allow the public to learn more about the Circuit Court clerk's office and the operation of the courts.

The computer system allows access to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, the District Attorney General's office and collections agencies about cases without leaving their own offices.

Hatcher has placed clerks in all courtrooms to assist the judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys. He has also been instrumental in installing a video arraignment system to allow those arrested to be arraigned without having a magistrate go into the secure areas of the Blount County Jail.

He has also installed a pneumatic tube system connecting the civil process division and the jail's master control area. This is a time saver for clerks, getting documents back and forth from separate areas of the Justice Center without someone having to walk back and forth.

His office has also created a cost collection department responsible for collecting court costs, fines and restitution.

Hatcher has been active in numerous professional groups related to his work. He has served as president of the East Tennessee Clerks Association, was named East Tennessee State Court Clerk of the Year in 2000 and was president of the State Court Clerks Association the following year.

He has been nominated for a second four-year term on the Tennessee Judicial Council which reviews all legislation concerning the court system and law enforcement, pointing out potential problems and offering suggestions to avoid problems.

Blount County is fortunate to have an officeholder of Hatcher's ability and energies aimed at improving the administrative handling of court system records in Blount County and serving to help see that current and future legislation is in keeping with the best, most logical systems available.