District Attorney's General Conference – Department of Public Safety

District Attorneys General Conference was created by the General Assembly in 1961 to provide for a more prompt and efficient administration of justice in the courts of this state. It is comprised of the district attorneys general from the state's 31 judicial districts. The district attorneys general are elected for a term of eight years and are responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases on behalf of the state.

The Office of the Executive Director, which was created in 1972, serves as the central administrative office for the District Attorneys General Conference. The office is responsible for budgeting, accounting, payroll, personnel, property management and the administration of all fiscal matters pertaining to the district attorneys general and their staff. Other duties include providing law libraries to each district attorney's office, coordination of prosecution efforts, development and implementation of training programs and automation support. This office is also responsible for maintaining liaison between the district attorneys general and other governmental agencies, including the courts, the General Assembly, the executive branch, and the Office of the Attorney General and Reporter.

The executive director is elected by the district attorneys general for a term of four years and serves as a member of the Tennessee Judicial Council.

Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference website

JUDICIAL OUTREACH LIAISON

The role of Judicial outreach liaison (JOL) is to provide education, training, and technical assistance to judges and court staff throughout the state. Judge Burns served continuously as a Criminal Court Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial District from 1976 until 2014, when he retired from the bench. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee in 1972. During his tenure on the Court, he also served on the Supreme Court Rules Commission, Sentencing Commission, and Commission on Criminal Justice. Whether the topic is DUI, DRL, DSL, or traffic-related subjects, he is here to support both judges and court personnel.