Gerald Melton

‍Gerald L. Melton serves as District Public Defender for the 16th Judicial District. The district is composed of Cannon and Rutherford Counties in Middle Tennessee. Gerald is a native of Cannon County where he resides along with his wife, Marcia on a family farm that has been in the family for over 100 years. The farm has received a Century Farm designation from the State of Tennessee. Gerald and Marcia have five children and eleven grandchildren. After graduating from Woodbury Central High School, he attended Middle Tennessee State University where he received his undergraduate degree in 1978. Gerald then attended the University of Tennessee College of Law obtaining his Doctor of Jurisprudence in December 1980. He was in private law practice in Woodbury, Tennessee from February 1981 until August 31, 1984. He served as Mayor of the Town of Woodbury in 1982-1984. On September 01, 1984, Gerald joined the staff of the District Attorney for the 16th District and worked as an Assistant District Attorney until August 31, 1989. Gerald was appointed District Public Defender for the 16th Judicial District by Governor Ned Ray McWherter in 1989. He took office on September 01, 1989 and has served the people of Cannon and Rutherford County in that capacity since that date. After being appointed public defender, he was subsequently elected in 1990 then re-elected in 1998, 2006, 2014 and most recently in 2022. In addition to his duties as District Public Defender, Gerald has a background of service to the legal profession. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Tennessee Bar Association and as a member of the House of Delegates of the Tennessee Bar Association. He has been chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee for the District Public Defenders Conference and served as an advisor to the Tennessee General Assembly on matters of criminal law and procedure as a member of the Tennessee Sentencing Commission. He served on Governor Bill Haslam’s Sentencing and Recidivism Commission and served on the Tennessee Medical Examiners Advisory Board for the State of Tennessee. Gerald has also served on the Bench and Bar Relations Committee of the Administrative Office of the Courts. His fellow Public Defenders have elected him to serve as President of the District Public Defenders Conference on two separate occasions. Gerald was an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at Middle Tennessee State University where he taught criminal law for over twenty years. Gerald is married to Marcia Garrett Melton who is a professional educator in the Cannon County School system. Marcia is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Cannon County Schools and in that capacity, she has been honored by being named Supervisor of the Year for the State of Tennessee. Marcia has also served as Superintendent of Cannon County Schools. Marcia and Gerald are first generation college graduates in their respective families and encourage others to attend post-secondary education programs. They created and sponsor the Melton Legacy in Education Scholarship, and give a small scholarship each year to a graduating Senior from Cannon County High School who is a first generation college bound student. Public Defender Melton is active in community affairs. Gerald and Marcia are members of the Lions Club, members of the Friends of Edgar Evans State Park and they are actively involved in the Arts Center of Cannon County. Gerald has appeared in numerous theatrical productions such as: Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof; King Arthur, Spamalot; Bill, Mama Mia. Gerald and Marcia appear as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus as various civic functions. They attend the church of Christ.