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The group named General Sessions Judge Bob Moon the "judge of the year" and recognized three others -- General Sessions Judges Christie Mahn Sell and David Bales and City Judge Sherry Paty -- as "outstanding judges."
Despite calls from Washington as he monitored the economic bailout crisis, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., attended the first judicial recognition luncheon put on by the 24-member Court Watch group, which boasts thousands of hours spent in Hamilton County's criminal courts to promote accountability in the judicial process.
"The judicial branch is in many ways where the action is," Rep. Wamp said in commending Court Watch for keeping an eye on local court proceedings. "It's where people's lives are directly affected."
The group, whose members wear stark gold T-shirts with a large, single eye on the front, has drawn notice over the years for attending court sessions and following cases from beginning to end.
Court Watch Chairman Lee Tripp said members logged more than 1,000 hours in court last year as they followed cases of repeat drug offenders, those involving public corruption and people arrested for crimes involving deadly weapons.
Mr. Tripp said group members make suggestions to judges on a regular basis, keep a running tab of the cases they're following and have conducted yearly reviews of all judges and some assistant district attorneys and private defense attorneys.
Judge Moon said after the luncheon that Court Watch has been instrumental in letting judges know about crime in the community, as well.
"A majority of the people in Chattanooga do not have problems with prostitution and drugs," Judge Moon said. "So it's very important to let (judges) know what's actually going on."
The group's more recent focus on drug and public corruption cases represents a shift from its original aim seven years ago when it primarily monitored only cases involving prostitution in Chattanooga, Mr. Tripp said. Distressed over a state law that imposed only a $50 fine on those accused of dealing in or patronizing prostitution within 1.5 miles of a church or school, the group worked to help pass legislation to increase the penalty to $1,000 and seven days in jail.
"We've started following more and more cases of public interest," Mr. Tripp said, "especially with drugs and public people. We're asking why some of the cases take so long and (we are) just making sure that the process remains fair."
On the group's current list of 42 cases it is tracking, there is the recent case of Janice Boydston, the Hamilton County school board member who is charged with shoplifting at Wal-Mart. They also are following the three-year-old case of City Councilman Leamon Pierce, who is charged with simple battery for allegedly punching a man accused of dealing drugs, and a case involving a group of former city employees accused of misappropriating funds.
Hamilton County District Attorney Bill Cox, who is responsible for all the area's criminal prosecutions, said Tuesday he welcomes Court Watch and other members of the public into the courtroom.
"We think it's important for the public to understand the (judicial) process and understand its impact on the community," he said.
To see more of the Chattanooga Times/Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesfreepress.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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