By Ashley Benkarski
NASHVILLE, TN — Judge Kelvin D. Jones is defending his incumbency as Circuit Court Judge, Division VIII of the 20th Judicial District overseeing complex civil cases.
He’s occupied the role since 2014 and previously served as a General Sessions Court Magistrate in Davidson County.
He’s the first African American ever elected to the position and a recipient of Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership’s (J.U.M.P.) Community Service Award, among others.
His community involvement includes volunteering as a coach for various youth organizations, mentorship to students and mentorship to inmates with Men of Valor.
Jones said his role has a niche area of jurisdiction, presiding over healthcare liability, employment discrimination, labor disputes and cases involving car accidents.
One of the biggest obstacles to justice is a lack of representation in cases due to lawyers viewing a case as unprofitable; for example, Jones said lawyers don’t see an incentive to take on a $600 dispute.
Jones suggested a number of changes to address the flaws of civil court, noting that the remote option brought into use due to the pandemic could assist in making the Court more efficient, accessible and cost-effective.
The previous ways of doing things —bringing people into Court to wait for justice while being responsible for various associated fees—illuminate a “failure to acknowledge the hardship the public faces,” Jones said.
Court accessibility is the core of service, he remarked, and added that “[W]e are doing better in Nashville.”
He’d like to work out improvements to that effect, such as expanding people being able to fill out documents and review records via CaseLink without having to go to the kiosk in the Court Clerk’s office.
For his part, Jones said he hopes his work not only satisfies parties coming before his bench but, ultimately, also helps to heal divides and bring the community together.
“If you were discriminated against, my history shows I fought for you,” Jones stated.
For more information on Judge Kelvin D. Jones, visit trialcourts.nashville.gov.
News Channel 5 has reported that if Jones were to win the election, he could still be removed due to an ongoing investigation into his finances and be replaced with a Republican appointed by Gov. Bill Lee.
Early voting for the Democratic primary begins April 13 and lasts until April 28, with voting day occurring May 3. The general election takes place in August.
