Sharon G. Lee

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee has notified Governor Bill Lee that she will retire on Aug. 31, 2023. At the time of her retirement, Justice Lee will have served 15 years on the Supreme Court and 4 years on the Court of Appeals.  Justice Lee is currently the longest-serving member of the Supreme Court and the only justice from East Tennessee. She was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 2008 and retained by the voters in 2010, 2014, and 2022. She also served as chief justice from 2014 to 2016. She was the first woman to serve on the Eastern Section of the Court when she was on the Tennessee Court of Appeals rom 2004 to 2008. Before entering the judiciary, Justice Lee maintained a small-town practice in Madisonville for 26 years. In addition to representing individuals and businesses in civil and criminal matters, she served as the municipal Judge for Madisonville and as attorney for Monroe County, the city of Madisonville, and the city of Vonore. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Business, and the University of Tennessee College of Law.