On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Elizabethton City Judge Jason Lee Holly was reinstated to the active practice of law by an order from the Tennessee Supreme Court. This decision marks a significant turnaround for Holly, who had faced a temporary suspension of his law license due to his failure to respond to multiple misconduct complaints.
The suspension, which was enacted on October 28, 2024, came just days before Holly was to appear on the ballot for re-election on November 5, 2024. The Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility had suspended his law license while clarifying that the action was not a reflection of any alleged misconduct but rather a result of Holly’s lack of response to the board’s inquiries. Sandy Garrett, the board’s chief disciplinary counsel, emphasized that the suspension was procedural, noting, “Mr. Holly was not suspended for any misconduct as alleged in a complaint, but simply because he failed to respond to the board.”
As part of the terms of the temporary suspension, Holly was permitted to continue representing his existing clients for 30 days but was prohibited from taking on new clients. He was required to cease representing any clients by November 27, 2024, and to inform all clients and opposing counsel about the Supreme Court’s order, along with returning any relevant documents or property to his clients.
Despite the legal challenges he faced, Holly continued to run for re-election against Teresa Murray Smith, who had briefly held the position of city judge in 2020. The implications of Holly’s suspension on his campaign were uncertain, as Carter County’s election administrator confirmed that the ballot had already been finalized.
Holly’s legal troubles were compounded earlier in 2024 when he received a notification from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) regarding his noncompliance with state law mandates for municipal judges, specifically concerning mandatory continuing legal education (CLE) requirements. Tennessee law stipulates that judges must complete three hours of CLE annually. Following reminders about his failure to comply with this requirement, concerns were raised about the validity of Holly’s judgments in the absence of compliance.
After media inquiries, Holly asserted that he had completed the required CLE courses, which the AOC later confirmed, indicating that he had fulfilled two of the necessary courses.
In response to his suspension, Holly filed a petition for the dissolution of the temporary suspension on January 3, 2025. Following this, the Board of Professional Responsibility filed a response and a supplemental answer regarding Holly’s petition. On January 17, 2025, the Supreme Court referred the matter to the Board for a hearing, as outlined in Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 12.7.
A hearing was held on February 7, 2025, during which Holly presented proof of his compliance with the relevant rules. The Board Panel subsequently entered its report and recommendations on February 13, 2025, advising that the temporary suspension be dissolved.
The Supreme Court’s February 18 order reinstating Holly to the practice of law signifies his return to the legal profession after navigating the procedural hurdles posed by the earlier suspension. Holly has been licensed to practice law in Tennessee since 2005, following his graduation from the University of Tennessee in 1996 and obtaining his law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2000.
As Holly resumes his legal practice, the focus will likely shift to his ongoing responsibilities as a city judge and the impact of his reinstatement on his public service and legal career.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
