--- title: "Randy M. Kennedy | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Randy M. Kennedy Tennessee Juvenile Court, Sullivan County · Juvenile Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Tennessee Juvenile Court, Sullivan County - State: Tennessee - Role: Juvenile Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Kennedy also held the role of Presiding Judge of the 20th Judicial District (2005–2007) and was elected Presiding Judge Pro Tem for the Trial Courts of Nashville in 2017 ### Education - He obtained a B.S. degree from East Tennessee State University in 1976, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, and later obtained his J.D. from Memphis State University’s law school in 1979, joining Phi Delta Phi fraternity ### Additional information - Retired from the bench in September 2022 - He was elected to a full term in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2014 - Year Elected/Appointed: 2010 - He also held the role of Board Counsel for the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia Association of Realtors and chaired the Sullivan County Health, Educational, and Housing Facilities Board In 2003, Governor Phil Bredesen appointed him as Judge of the Seventh Circuit Court in Davidson County, Tennessee, where he handled probate, estate administration, conservatorship, and guardianship cases - Began his legal career in private practice, forming an association of attorneys in 1983 after six years with a suburban trial firm - During his judicial tenure, Kennedy was Vice President of the Tennessee Trial Judges Association, First Vice-President of the Nashville Bar Association, and an instructor at Nashville School of Law, teaching Wills and Estates for ten years - Randy M. Kennedy was born and raised in Bristol, Tennessee, and attended Bristol High School - He was admitted to practice law in all Tennessee state courts and the U.S. Federal District Courts for the Eastern District of Tennessee - He frequently lectured on probate practice and contributed to improving judicial administration and public confidence in the judiciary - overseeing the largest volume of probate and conservatorship cases in the state ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### media coverage and recording Scope: statewide Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 30 allows media coverage of public judicial proceedings subject to the presiding judge's control and requires written media requests at least two business days before the proceeding unless waived. Evidence excerpt: Requests by representatives of the media for such coverage must be made in writing to the presiding judge not less than two (2) business days before the proceeding is scheduled to begin. [Rule 30: Media Guidelines](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-30-media-guidelines) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording restrictions Scope: statewide Tennessee Rule 30 prohibits media coverage of jury selection, jurors, closed proceedings, and certain minor or juvenile-court participants. Evidence excerpt: Media coverage of jury selection is prohibited. [Rule 30: Media Guidelines](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-30-media-guidelines) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### remote technology Scope: statewide Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 55 permits teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other technology for court proceedings at the discretion of the trial or appellate court. Evidence excerpt: The use of teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology to conduct court proceedings or other court business remotely is permissible at the discretion of the trial or appellate court. [Rule 55: Use of Technology for Court Proceedings](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-55-use-technology-court-proceedings) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/juvenile-family-courts/judges/randy-m-kennedy) - [Official roster](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/juvenile-family-courts/judges/randy-m-kennedy) - [Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/juvenile-family-courts/judges/randy-m-kennedy) - [Rule 30: Media Guidelines](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-30-media-guidelines) - [Rule 55: Use of Technology for Court Proceedings](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-55-use-technology-court-proceedings) - [Randy M. Kennedy](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/juvenile-family-courts/judges/randy-m-kennedy) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan", "name": "Randy M. Kennedy | KnowJudges", "description": "Randy M. Kennedy, Tennessee Juvenile Court, Sullivan County. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-02", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan#judge", "name": "Randy M. Kennedy", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan", "jobTitle": "Juvenile Court Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Tennessee Juvenile Court, Sullivan County" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/juvenile-family-courts/judges/randy-m-kennedy" ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Tennessee", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/tennessee" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Randy M. Kennedy", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randy-m-kennedy-tn-juvenile-court-judge-sullivan" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Rule 30: Media Guidelines](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c1debbfd57a23e78c6318aec) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/rules/supreme-court-rules/rule-30-media-guidelines). Collected 2026-07-26.