Judge J. Reese Holley of Dickson, TN; Judge Roy Bean  Wannabee

The state of Tennessee presented Thomas M. Piccione with a law license in 1998 after he graduated from the Nashville Law School.

FYI: Judge Roy Bean was an infamous Justice of the Peace and saloon owner in Texas who called himself the "The Law West of the Pecos." Roy was also affectionately referred to as the Hanging Judge.

In December 2014, an ethics complaint was filed against Judge Holley with the Court of the Judiciary by Jake Lockert, the public defender for the 23^rd judicial district.  The complaint sets for the following misconduct. (Andy Cordan, WKRN TV)

• Ordering defendants to perform community service before being convicted
• Order defendant to perform community service of his choosing before they were allowed to communicate with a public defender

In an egregious case of judicial abuse, Holley sentenced a new mother to 10 days in jail even though she was not convicted of any crime. Court tapes prove that the woman qualified for a public defender, however, Holley tells her that defense counsel will only be appointed after she completes 80 hours of community service.

About a month later, the woman came before Holley again. She hadn’t seen a public defender and did not complete any public service; however, her case was dismissed by the district attorney who dropped all charges against her. Despite this fact, Holley ordered the woman to jail for not completing the community service he had ordered.

After filing the ethics complaint, Mr. Lockert said:

• “He cannot do this legally.”
• A judge can order you to go out and jump over cars from the bench, he can do that but it is not a legal order.”
• “So for him to order someone to do indebted servitude violates the constitution and violates the laws of Tennessee, and I maintain violates the ethical rules the way a judge should conduct himself on the bench.”

Mr. Lockhart went on to say that he didn’t know what the judge’s connection to the list of charities entails, but he went on to say:

• “I don't know why just these? “These could be charities he feels are worthy charities. I don't know that he has any connection.”
• “I know this is something that will be looked into.”
• “I know that he derives a political benefit for his campaign talking about how much food he brought in for these charitable organizations.”
• “To be reelected: so politically it's too his advantage. He has all the food shipped to the municipal court building there in Dickson, has his clerks take photos.”

All that remains to be seen now is what punishment the Tennessee Supreme Court will mete out to this Judge Roy Bean Wannabee. If justice is truly blind, then this unmitigated fool should be removed from the bench. He should also have his law license revoked.

As we speak (ca. April 2015) Judge Halley continues to sit as a judge in Dickson, Tennessee.