Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Honorable Judge Jean A. Stanley is announcing she will not seek a fourth term as First Judicial District Circuit Court Judge.
“I wanted to announce my intention to not seek re-election to the bench to give those who want to serve time to establish their campaigns,” she said. Judge Stanley’s current term ends August 31, 2022.
Judge Stanley has been on the bench since 1998, with jurisdiction in Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. She has served on a number of committees and acted as the eastern section representative with the Tennessee Judicial Conference.
During her first years of service, she laid the foundation for the First Judicial District Court Clinic. This organization supports the courts in making decisions regarding high-conflict divorce and co-parenting cases and provides supervised parenting opportunities for parties.
Judge Stanley graduated from East Tennessee State University undergraduate and University of Tennessee law schools. Before her election, she practiced law with Sherrod, Stanley, Lincoln and Goldstein as a trial lawyer in state and federal courts.
Off the bench, Judge Stanley and her husband, Jesse Rainer, raised Rocky Mountain Horses on their small east Tennessee farm and are proud to have owned and trained double world grand champion, Ellie’s Eli.
Judge Stanley currently serves on the board for the Humane Society of Washington County/Appalachian Highlands Humane Society.
“My heart goes out to the animals who desperately need us,” she said. “The Humane Society is a great protector of them. We have initiated important programs including those that help support the local animal shelter as well as the abandoned and neglected animals we take into our care. The Humane Society has developed a foster home network, a food pantry, and a program to help care for veterans’ pets while their humans receive much needed medical services. We have a low fee/income based program to provide spay and neuter services, something we urge everyone to do for their animals.”
Judge Stanley commented on her years as a judge as being “one of the most awe inspiring opportunities one could ever be given. I learned something new every day. I truly loved my job. And I am proud of our judiciary. The first district has some of the finest judges anywhere. I will miss them, but I am ready for a new adventure. We will be traveling throughout the country in our RV and I am going to try my hand at mediation which will be a new journey as well!”