Judge Murch will seek re-election

Judge Ron Murch has announced he is running for re-election as General Sessions Court judge for Division II, a press release said. Murch has served in the office since 1993.

After graduating from the University Of Tennessee School Of Law in 1976, he was in the private practice of law and was an attorney with the City of Oak Ridge for 17 years until becoming a judge, the release said.

Murch has been a member of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference and has served on the conference’s Education Committee since going on the bench. That committee is responsible for setting the continuing education agenda for all general sessions court judges during their annual conferences.

The conference also provides an opportunity to discuss various legal issues and procedures, and to share ideas on matters pertaining to general sessions courts with judges from throughout the state. He has attended and completed the National Judicial College Advanced Special Court Jurisdiction course, has taught a session at the Tennessee General Sessions Court Judicial Academy for new judges, and has taught courtroom testimony and warrant preparation to various law enforcement agencies in the county during their in-service training.

Murch is a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from 1970 to 1972, and he is a member of American Legion Post No. 199. He is a member of Calvary Baptist Church, where he has served as deacon, chairman of the Personnel Committee, and as head usher. He is a past chairman and board member of the Boys Club of Oak Ridge and a current board member of the Boys and Girls Club of North Anderson County.

Murch has been a strong proponent of community service for misdemeanor probationers, the press release said. During 2013, approximately 4,600 hours of community service was performed by probationers in the General Sessions Court for litter pickup on county roadways and work for such entities as Habitat for Humanity, Emory Valley Center, Little Ponderosa Zoo, Mountain View Park, and other nonprofit organizations in the county.

“I thank the citizens of Anderson County for giving me the privilege of serving them as one of their General Sessions Court judges for the last 20 years,” Murch said in the release. “During that time, I have annually heard thousands of criminal and civil cases, orders of protection, mental health commitments, and Juvenile Court cases when the Juvenile Court judge has had a conflict. That experience, along with my training, my association with the General Sessions Judges Conference and the interaction with other general sessions judges throughout the state, my previous 17 years of experience as an attorney, and community involvement has uniquely qualified me to serve the citizens of Anderson County in this position. It would be an honor to continue to do so.”

Murch has resided in Anderson County since 1972. His son Raleigh is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School, and his daughter Lisa is a graduate of Anderson County High School.