The Hon. Cheryl A. Blackburn is a judge for Division III of the 20th Judicial District Criminal Court of Tennessee. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Don Sundquist in 1996.
The 20th Judicial District encompasses Davidson County.
Blackburn earned a bachelor’s degree (1969) and a master’s degree in clinical psychology (1972) from Vanderbilt University. She spent the next few years working for the Dede Wallace Center and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities before completing a J.D. at Nashville School of Law in 1979.
After graduating from law school, Blackburn began her legal career as an assistant district attorney with the 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. She served in that capacity until her appointment to the bench.
Her memberships have included the Nashville Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. She has been involved with the Tennessee Judicial Conference, where she has served on the Ethics Committee, the Judicial Performance Program Committee, and the Pattern Jury Instruction (Criminal) Committee.
She is a recipient of the Extraordinary Service Award from the Tennessee District Attorney’s Conference and the Special Commendation Award from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. She is also board certified as a Criminal Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Education and Specialization.
Blackburn was born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
She is registered as a Democrat.