City of Franklin to Name Honorary Street After Esteemed Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark

City to Name Honorary Street after Esteemed Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark

The City of Franklin is paying tribute to esteemed Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. Clark with an honorary street naming of 4th Avenue in downtown Franklin. Justice Clark is from Franklin and lived on 4th Avenue for many years of her life. Justice Clark whose public service to the judiciary and her community spanned over four decades, passed away late last year at the age of 71 after a short battle with cancer. She was first appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005 by Governor Phil Bredesen and was reelected in 2006 and 2014. She served as Chief Justice from 2010 to 2012.

“It is with great honor that we give 4th Avenue the honorary name after Justice Clark,” said Mayor Dr. Ken Moore. “Justice Clark gave so much to our Franklin Community, and she will always be remembered for all she achieved for Franklin and Tennessee.”

When Governor Ned McWherter appointed Justice Clark to the trial bench covering the 21st Judicial District of Williamson, Hickman, Perry and Lewis counties in 1989, she became the first woman trial judge to serve rural counties in Tennessee. She paved the way for fellow judges to be accepted by clerks, litigants, lawyers, and other judges.

Clark’s record of bar and community service is expansive and includes organizations spanning from those focused on her beloved hometown of Franklin, where her family has lived for ten generations, to many bar associations. She was a Board member of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County. She was co-chair of the original Steering Committee of Franklin Tomorrow, Inc., and served on its Board of Directors for the first four years of its existence. She served as chair of the City of Franklin Land Use Plan Steering Committee and as citizen chair of the City of Franklin Charter Revision Committee. She was a member of the Williamson County-Franklin Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Justice Clark was a member of the Williamson County Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, American Bar Association, Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (founding member), Lawyers Association for Women, Marion Griffin Chapter, Nashville Bar Association (Second Vice President), National Association of Women Judges, and the Nashville, Tennessee, and American Bar Foundations. She was the first woman to serve as chair of the Tennessee Bar Foundation.

In total, Justice Clark served on more than 25 boards and worked with nearly 75 organizations, commissions, advisory groups, or task forces since beginning her legal career in 1979.

The location of the event is pictured on the map below. Event at yellow arrow with parking along Martin Luther King Ave. (red line).

street renaming mapWhen: Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 9:00 a.m.

Where: 4th Avenue at Martin Luther King Ave, (Block from North Margin to Martin Luther King Ave closed for event.)

Speakers: Mayor Ken Moore, Attorney Julian Bibb, Colonel Matt Perry, Tennessee Highway Patrol (Justice Clark’s Nephew)

LIVE Stream: www.facebook.com/cityoffranklin