By Judge Dale Tipps, Murfreesboro
It’s a long way from Iron City to Murfreesboro.
While I was a music major, that’s not a country and western song. It’s simply an accurate observation about travel within the large geographic region where I sit as a workers’ compensation judge.
We wanted to give claimants an opportunity to have their settlement approval heard a little closer to home, so we recently had our first “Maury County Day.” We approved several settlements in the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia. We’re most grateful to the judges of the 22nd district, Circuit Clerk Sandy McLain, and all the other courtroom personnel who made things so easy for us.
Based on the positive reaction from the bar and the claimants, the Murfreesboro Court will conduct settlement approvals in Columbia once a month. Because of the circuit judges’ schedules, we cannot fix the same date each month but will announce the settlement dates as they become available. If you have a claimant from the southern counties who would prefer going to Columbia, contact Patsy Bumbalough or call 615-848-6743 for available dates.
Upcoming Columbia approval dates are December 20 and January 30. You may schedule your approval hearing through Ms. Bumbalough as usual.
From the Bench 