Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will choose between Mark Stapleton and Aaron Chapman to temporarily fill the Third Judicial District Circuit Court vacancy.

Lee himself created the vacancy when he appointed Judge William E. Phillips II to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Section

Chapman and Stapleton – along with Crystal Jessee, who did not apply for the appointment – will be on the Republican primary ballot for the position – which covers Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins counties.

The governor’s appointment will last past the November general election for the position until the winner is sworn in.

After Phillips’ appointment, a deadline was set for March 25, 2026 for candidates apply for appointment. Only Stapleton and Chapman applied, leaving the Commission unable to provide the governor with the names of three persons qualified to fill the vacancy in accordance with Tennessee Law.

Legally, the three or more candidates would be vetted at a local, public hearing.

However, when there is less than three candidates, the governor may fill the vacancy with any person who is qualified to serve as a circuit court judge in the Third Judicial District.

Aaron Chapman

Chapman has lived in Hamblen County most of his life. He served as Hamblen County Republican Party Chairman from 2017-2019.

Chapman is founder of Lakeway Family Law in Morristown. He has been a licensed attorney since 2009 and has handled thousands of legal matters across 19 East Tennessee counties. He is a Family Law Mediator as well.

Chapman is licensed in all Tennessee Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Chapman graduated with High Honors from East High in Morristown. He is an Honors Graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration where he majored in Public Administration. He attended law school at the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he worked in the University of Tennessee Legal Clinic and served as a 3rd Year Editor for the Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy.

Chapman is former City Attorney for Rutledge, Tennessee. From 2022-2024 he served as President of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid of East Tennessee, which provides legal services in 26 East Tennessee counties and has more than 60 employees.

Chapman is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Board of Governors, the organization’s governing body. He is also a longtime delegate to the TBA House of Delegates. He served as President of the Hamblen County Bar Association in 2023.

Chapman has been married to his wife Lindsey since 2011. She teaches at Cornerstone Christian Academy. They have two children and live in Morristown. They are members of First Baptist Church Morristown.

Mark Stapleton

Mark Stapleton brings over 35 years of extensive legal experience to the table.

He is a Certified Civil Trial Specialist and is also certified in Civil Pretrial Advocacy, distinctions that reflect his depth of experience, professionalism, and commitment to the highest standards of the legal profession.

He has handled cases across the southeast, litigated numerous jury and bench trials, and still brings a local, hometown feel to what is a very successful litigation practice.

Stapleton’s vast educational background reflects a broad and accomplished career. He graduated from the University of Tennessee and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he earned a Master of Public Health. He graduated law school from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and completed post-doctoral legal studies at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.

Stapleton is a fourth generation Hawkins County native who spent his youth in Rogersville where his family’s roots run deep.

His upbringing was shaped by a strong tradition of service with family members having served in the military and local law enforcement.

Stapleton has lived in Hamblen County since the early 1990’s, where he raised his family and remains deeply connected to the community. His wife, Julianne, a Hamblen County native, served as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner for over 30 years, providing dedicated care to generations of local families.

Together, Mark and Julianne have three children. His son Gabe is an attorney and married to his wife, Hunter, who stays at home raising their two children, Henry and Blake. Julianne’s daughter, Madison, is an Occupational Therapist and married to Tyler Sandstrom, a chiropractor practicing in Hamblen County. Julianne’s youngest son, Grant, serves as plant manager for his father at a local company that has been operating since the early 1980’s. Grant is married to Malayna, a kindergarten teacher in the Hamblen County public school system.