Gary Wade

Gary R. Wade is a former Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Following retirement he was named Vice President and Dean of Lincoln Memorial University's Duncan School of Law on July 28, 2015, taking the position on September 9, 2015.

Wade was retained by Tennessee's voters to a full eight-year term on the court in August 2008 and retained again in August 2014 to another eight-year term. Wade retired on September 8, 2015.

The state's Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission recommended Justice Wade be retained for another term in the August 7, 2014 retention election.

Wade was appointed to the Tennessee supreme court on May 30, 2006 by Governor Phil Bredesen and took office on September 1, 2006. He was one of four justices on the five-justice court appointed by Bredesen. Wade served as Chief Justice on September 1, 2012 from to August 31, 2014.

Wade was in private practice from 1973 to 1987. He served as the mayor of Sevierville from 1977 to 1987. Wade was appointed to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in 1987, and was elected 1988. He was re-elected in 1990, 1998 and 2006. Wade served as presiding judge of the court from 1998 to 2006.

Wade received his Bachelor of Science degree cum laude from the University of Tennessee in 1970 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1973.