The late retired Anderson County, Tennesse Circuit Court Judge James B. Scott, Jr. was the trial judge in a March 31 to April 5, 1999 jury trial that helped to expose, reform and transform the U.S. Department of Energy's mistreatment of ethical employees at nuclear weapons plants.
Sherrie Graham Farver v. Dr. Kenneth Carpenter, M.D. , upheld on appeal, was a landmark April 5, 2019 jury verdict for medical malpractice.
Dr. Kenneth Carpenter committed malpractice, refused to look at medical records, failed to comply with the standard of care for psychiatric diagnoses.
The twelve-person East Tennessee jury found
Dr. Carpenter liable for misdiagnosing an ethical employee environmental health activist at K-25 "paranoid, delusional and psychotic" for supposing there were environmental problems, which left Sherrie with seven (7) times as much cyanide in her as a healthy non-smoker should have had.
Judge Scott's wise evidentiary rulings and judicial temperament were among the best anyone has ever seen in an American courtroom.
The jury's verdict sent a proverbial "message" to the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge employers about abuse of psychiatry to violate workers' human and civil rights.
I had previously reported on Judge Scott as Appalachian Observer Editor, 1981-1983.
During trial breaks, he would joke about it with me, in the presence of opposing counsel, my client and her husband.
At one stage I said, "Well, your honor, to err is human but to forgive is divine." Judge Scott responded, "Well I must be one divine SOB then!"
I learned so much in Judge Scott's courtroom.
When the Farver trial was over and the jury dismissed, Judge Scott said in open court that I would always be welcome in his courtroom. While I never got to try a case there again, I appreciated his sincerity.
I shall always remember Judge Scott's logic, clarity and dignity as a judge during the Farver trial, and his patience even with pestilential me, someone:
My articles exposed how juries were selected.
They resulted in compliance with a Tennessee law that was flagrantly ignored for years by longtime Anderson County Jury Commission Chairman Horace V. Wells, Jr, Publisher of the Clinton Courier-News, "the Dean of Tennessee Journalism."
For decades, the three-man Jury Commission -- comprised of what I termed two "jury-picking newspaper publishers" (Clinton Courier-News Publisher H.V. Wells, Jr., Oak Ridger Publisher Thomas Hill), and a retired dairyman, "Buddy" Crossno) -- illegally disqualified anyone entitled to assert an occupation exemption, without leaving the choice up to them, as Tennessee law required, stating that the exemptions from jury service were "personal to the individual."
This wholesale exclusion of entire learned occupations resulted in monochromatic juries totally devoid of teachers, firemen and other educated professionals -- juries that were far more inclined to convict criminal defendants and rot ule against plaintiffs in civil cases.
I fondly remember how Judge Scott responded to my jury-picking publisher articles by stating at a meeting of the Anderson County Jury Commission: "Mr. Slavin, the next time we pick juries here, I will have you come to the front of the courtroom" and help pick them.
He did.
And for the first time in Anderson County history, an African-American served on the Anderson County Grand Jury.
During 1981-1983, I watched trials and hearings in Judge Scott's courtroom, considering him to be one of my de facto first law professors, before I ever even thought of applying to law school.
I learned a lot by watching Judge "Buddy" Scott, along with his adversaries, District Attorney General James Nelson Ramsey and Assistant DA Janice Grabowski Hicks.
May Judge Scott Rest In Peace.
Godspeed, Judge "Buddy" Scott.
My prayers for Mrs. Mildred Kidwell Scott, Judge Scott's sister, his son, daughter, grandchildren and the rest of their family.
From Knoxville News Sentinel/Gannett/Legacy.com
ames B. "Buddy" Scott
Oak Ridge, TN
The Honorable James B. "Buddy" Scott, Jr., age 83, of Oak Ridge passed away on Thursday, May 9, 2019. Judge Scott became the Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court Judge in 1978 and was reelected every election thereafter until retirement in 2005. Prior to becoming Judge, he served as the Assistant District Attorney General for Roane, Loudon, Blount, Meigs, and Morgan Counties. In 1971, he was elected as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention representing Roane and Anderson Counties, where he became chairman of the drafting committee responsible for writing the amendment to the Tennessee Constitution on taxation. In 1973, he became the Assistant District Attorney for Anderson, Scott, Campbell, Union, Fentress, and Claiborne Counties. In 1976 he was elected District Attorney General for the Seventh Judicial District which consisted solely of Anderson County. While Attorney General, he was instrumental in the passage of Tennessee's vehicular homicide law. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Museum of Appalachia and was Chairman of the Committee of Governmental Affairs for the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia on November 7, 1935, the son of James Beveridge and Mary Ann Scott. He moved to Oak Ridge at the age of 8 and graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1954. Following high school, he began college at The University of Tennessee after receiving a football scholarship. He graduated from The University of Tennessee School of Law in 1965. He is survived by his wife Mildred Kidwell Scott of Oak Ridge; son James K. "Jim" Scott of Knoxville, and his two sons Jack and Sam Scott; daughter Dana Pemberton (Judge Mike Pemberton) of Rockwood, and their son Michael Pemberton; and daughter Annie Duncan (Jeremy Duncan) of Knoxville, and their daughter Drew Duncan and son John Duncan. He is also survived by his sister, Frances Crisp, and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, sister Sally Josenhans, and an infant sister. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at Weatherford Mortuary in Oak Ridge. The funeral will follow with Dr. Larry Blakeburn officiating. Burial will occur on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lawnville Cemetery, located next to Young's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1705 Lawnville Road, Kingston, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the American Heart Association at www.2heart.org or 10 Glenlake Parkway, NE South Tower, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA, 30328. An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.
Published in Knoxville News Sentinel on May 14, 2019
Sherrie Graham Farver v. Dr. Kenneth Carpenter, M.D. , upheld on appeal, was a landmark April 5, 2019 jury verdict for medical malpractice.
Dr. Kenneth Carpenter committed malpractice, refused to look at medical records, failed to comply with the standard of care for psychiatric diagnoses.
The twelve-person East Tennessee jury found
Dr. Carpenter liable for misdiagnosing an ethical employee environmental health activist at K-25 "paranoid, delusional and psychotic" for supposing there were environmental problems, which left Sherrie with seven (7) times as much cyanide in her as a healthy non-smoker should have had.
Judge Scott's wise evidentiary rulings and judicial temperament were among the best anyone has ever seen in an American courtroom.
The jury's verdict sent a proverbial "message" to the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge employers about abuse of psychiatry to violate workers' human and civil rights.
I had previously reported on Judge Scott as Appalachian Observer Editor, 1981-1983.
During trial breaks, he would joke about it with me, in the presence of opposing counsel, my client and her husband.
At one stage I said, "Well, your honor, to err is human but to forgive is divine." Judge Scott responded, "Well I must be one divine SOB then!"
I learned so much in Judge Scott's courtroom.
When the Farver trial was over and the jury dismissed, Judge Scott said in open court that I would always be welcome in his courtroom. While I never got to try a case there again, I appreciated his sincerity.
I shall always remember Judge Scott's logic, clarity and dignity as a judge during the Farver trial, and his patience even with pestilential me, someone:
- from another state,
- who was trying his first jury trial, and
- who had written critical articles about Anderson County institutions in the early 1980s, including Circuit Court and Sheriff.
My articles exposed how juries were selected.
They resulted in compliance with a Tennessee law that was flagrantly ignored for years by longtime Anderson County Jury Commission Chairman Horace V. Wells, Jr, Publisher of the Clinton Courier-News, "the Dean of Tennessee Journalism."
For decades, the three-man Jury Commission -- comprised of what I termed two "jury-picking newspaper publishers" (Clinton Courier-News Publisher H.V. Wells, Jr., Oak Ridger Publisher Thomas Hill), and a retired dairyman, "Buddy" Crossno) -- illegally disqualified anyone entitled to assert an occupation exemption, without leaving the choice up to them, as Tennessee law required, stating that the exemptions from jury service were "personal to the individual."
This wholesale exclusion of entire learned occupations resulted in monochromatic juries totally devoid of teachers, firemen and other educated professionals -- juries that were far more inclined to convict criminal defendants and rot ule against plaintiffs in civil cases.
I fondly remember how Judge Scott responded to my jury-picking publisher articles by stating at a meeting of the Anderson County Jury Commission: "Mr. Slavin, the next time we pick juries here, I will have you come to the front of the courtroom" and help pick them.
He did.
And for the first time in Anderson County history, an African-American served on the Anderson County Grand Jury.
During 1981-1983, I watched trials and hearings in Judge Scott's courtroom, considering him to be one of my de facto first law professors, before I ever even thought of applying to law school.
I learned a lot by watching Judge "Buddy" Scott, along with his adversaries, District Attorney General James Nelson Ramsey and Assistant DA Janice Grabowski Hicks.
Judge Scott served on the bench for 25 years, until he retired in 2005.
May Judge Scott Rest In Peace.
Godspeed, Judge "Buddy" Scott.
My prayers for Mrs. Mildred Kidwell Scott, Judge Scott's sister, his son, daughter, grandchildren and the rest of their family.
From Knoxville News Sentinel/Gannett/Legacy.com
ames B. "Buddy" Scott
Oak Ridge, TN
The Honorable James B. "Buddy" Scott, Jr., age 83, of Oak Ridge passed away on Thursday, May 9, 2019. Judge Scott became the Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court Judge in 1978 and was reelected every election thereafter until retirement in 2005. Prior to becoming Judge, he served as the Assistant District Attorney General for Roane, Loudon, Blount, Meigs, and Morgan Counties. In 1971, he was elected as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention representing Roane and Anderson Counties, where he became chairman of the drafting committee responsible for writing the amendment to the Tennessee Constitution on taxation. In 1973, he became the Assistant District Attorney for Anderson, Scott, Campbell, Union, Fentress, and Claiborne Counties. In 1976 he was elected District Attorney General for the Seventh Judicial District which consisted solely of Anderson County. While Attorney General, he was instrumental in the passage of Tennessee's vehicular homicide law. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Museum of Appalachia and was Chairman of the Committee of Governmental Affairs for the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia on November 7, 1935, the son of James Beveridge and Mary Ann Scott. He moved to Oak Ridge at the age of 8 and graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1954. Following high school, he began college at The University of Tennessee after receiving a football scholarship. He graduated from The University of Tennessee School of Law in 1965. He is survived by his wife Mildred Kidwell Scott of Oak Ridge; son James K. "Jim" Scott of Knoxville, and his two sons Jack and Sam Scott; daughter Dana Pemberton (Judge Mike Pemberton) of Rockwood, and their son Michael Pemberton; and daughter Annie Duncan (Jeremy Duncan) of Knoxville, and their daughter Drew Duncan and son John Duncan. He is also survived by his sister, Frances Crisp, and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, sister Sally Josenhans, and an infant sister. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at Weatherford Mortuary in Oak Ridge. The funeral will follow with Dr. Larry Blakeburn officiating. Burial will occur on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lawnville Cemetery, located next to Young's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1705 Lawnville Road, Kingston, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the American Heart Association at www.2heart.org or 10 Glenlake Parkway, NE South Tower, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA, 30328. An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.
Published in Knoxville News Sentinel on May 14, 2019