Alley re-appointed as Town judge
Farragut attorney G. Keith Alley has been re-appointed as Town of Farragut’s municipal judge.
Alley, initially appointed in 2016, will serve another one-year term after it was made official during Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s meeting Thursday, Jan. 10.
“Any person appointed to the office of municipal judge should hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college, shall be at least 30 years of age and be a resident of the Town for one year preceding election of office,” Town recorder Allison Myers said, adding Alley had agreed to serve another term.
“I’m thrilled that you are willing to continue to serve in this role,” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin said.
“It’s my pleasure,” Alley replied.
“We appreciate the job you do — thank you,” Alderman Ron Pinchok added.
In an interview Friday, Jan. 11, Alley said, “I serve at the Town’s leisure, so they can choose to appoint someone different any time they like, but I’m happy to do it as long as they would like me to be in the position.”
Alley, who also serves on Farragut Board of Zoning Appeals, said he feels serving on the BZA and as municipal judge are two ways he can give back to the community.
“What I typically say is that I have a narrow set of things that I feel competent doing, so giving back to the community (by) serving on both the BZA and as the municipal judge for the Town are two things I feel competent and capable of doing,” he said.
He noted, however, the two roles have nothing to do with one another.
“The (municipal) court does not hear anything from the Board of Zoning Appeals and vice versa, so they are quite legally distinct and separate functions,” he said.
As a judge, Alley hears cases involving municipal ordinance violations.
Originally from a town just outside Redding, Pennsylvania, Alley and moved to Tennessee in 1986, attending Hixson High School in Chattanooga. He has been a practicing attorney since 1996 and brings his expertise in civil litigations.
Alley started out interested in the mental health field but subsequently changed his focus on civil litigation law.
“I just thought it was a better calling to help people solve legal problems rather than mental health problems,” he said.
Alley received a bachelor’s degree with distinction from University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and his Juris Doctor degree from University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville in 1995.
He moved to Farragut from North Knoxville in 2007.
“I liked the Town,” he recalled.
