Overview
Judges may impact the public regarding the dangers of impaired driving. In addition to the adjudication of individual cases, judges play a role in determining interventions and best practices that can deter impaired driving and reduce recidivism.
The Judicial Outreach Liaison (JOL) program has been established as a part of a cooperative agreement between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the American Bar Association Judicial Division (ABA), and participating states. The JOL functions as a point of contact between the state judiciary and national organizations like NHTSA and the National Judicial College (NJC) at the University of Nevada-Reno for the exchange of front-line information with the goal of improving traffic safety. This is done by the JOL teaching, writing and consulting concerning the latest research and data addressing impaired driving in their State. The JOL provides training, guidance and court case interpretations to the judiciary and members of the highway traffic safety community.
In Tennessee, the JOL has the advantage of working in conjunction with the University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research, Tennessee Tech University’s iCube, and the Highway Safety Office of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Donald Parish - Statewide JOL
Judge Parish is a 1981 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law where he was Order of the Coif. He was engaged in the private practice of law as a country lawyer for 24 years while also serving as a Municipal Judge. He became a Tennessee Circuit Judge in 2006 and served sixteen years until his retirement in 2022. Judge Parish has extensive experience as a litigator and judge at the trial and appellate levels. He is a past officer of the Tennessee Trial Judges Association and the Tennessee Judicial Conference and a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. He has served as the Judicial Outreach Liaison for the State of Tennessee in partnership with the Tenness Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the University of Tennessee, and the American Bar Association since Jan. 1, 2023.
Beau Pemberton - West JOL
Beau E. Pemberton is the West TN Regional Judicial Outreach Liaison with THSO. Currently, he serves as Municipal Court Judge for the Cities of Gleason, Greenfield, and Sharon, TN, along with the Towns of Obion and Rutherford, TN. In addition to his 5 current judicial commissions, Pemberton routinely fills in for colleagues throughout West TN for their Municipal Courts, as needed. He has been a Municipal Court Judge since May, 2020 and is a member of the TN Municipal Judges' Conference, where he serves as Chairman of the Legislative Committee and is a member of the Conference Board of Governors and Conference Education Committee. Pemberton regularly presents seminar segments at TMJC conferences and has been a presenter and panelist to other CLE groups throughout Tennessee.
Beyond the bench, Pemberton has a full-time private law practice in Dresden, TN, where he serves clients in West and Middle TN, including serving as City Attorney for the Cities of Henry and McKenzie, TN along with the Town of Bruceton, TN. He served as City Attorney for Dresden, TN for 15 years prior to retiring from the same in 2025. Pemberton also taught for 10 years as an Adjunct Professor at UT-Martin, including courses on TN Criminal Law and TN Criminal Procedure. He also currently serves as Chairman of the Martin, TN Municipal-Regional Planning Commission, is a former member and past Secretary of the Weakley County, TN Election Commission, and has served as a Past President and Past Assistant Governor with Rotary International. Pemberton is a 2012 Graduate of Leadership Weakley County and has also served as Past President of the Weakley County, TN Bar Association, is a former member of the Weakley County, TN Youth Leadership Board of Directors, and is a former term-limited member of the UT College of Law Alumni Council and the UT Martin Alumni Council.
James Ross - Middle JOL
Judge James Yeiser Ross, Sr., is a native of the State of Tennessee, being born and raised in Savannah, Tennessee, County of Hardin, by his parents, James D. Ross, and wife, Catherine H. Yeiser Ross. He is married to Amanda H. Ross, and he has three (3) children, Yeiser, Crews and Kinsley. Judge Ross attended and graduated from high school in Savannah at Savannah Central High School in 1979. He attended and graduated from college at Middle Tennessee State University in 1983. He attended and graduated from law school at Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in 1987. Judge Ross was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Tennessee in 1987, and has been a licensed attorney since 1987. He was elected to the bench as the Wayne County General Sessions/Juvenile Judge in 1998, and he was re-elected to serve Wayne County in this capacity in 2006, 2014 and 2022. He also serves as the Municipal Judge for the cities of Clifton, Collinwood and Waynesboro. Judge Ross has served as President of the Tennessee Municipal Judges Conference and Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference, and he currently serves as a Executive Committee Member for the Tennessee Council Of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Executive Committee Member for the Tennessee General Sessions Conference and Board Of Governors Member for the Tennessee Municipal Conference. Judge Ross was a recipient of the Justice Sharon Lee Award of Excellence in 2024 and Judge Leon Ruben Award For Excellence in 2025. He has served as Tennessee Board Of Professional Responsibility Hearing Committee Panelist and serves as the THSO Middle Region Judicial Outreach Program Laison. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator in Civil Law and Family Law and Tennessee Bar Foundation Fellow. Judge Ross has taught as a adjunct professor for the University of Tennessee at Martin (Parsons Campus), and he is a loyal fan of the University of Tennessee.
Newsletter
Stay informed with the latest updates from Tennessee's JOL program.
Webinar
JOL Symposium
Name: 2nd Annual Impaired Driving Symposium for Tennessee Judges
Location: UT Knoxville Conference Center - 600 Henley St, Knoxville, TN 37902
Date: July 13th, 2026
Registration: Opens May 4
Synopsis: The second Impaired Driving Symposium for Tennessee Judges, open to all Judges, will be held on July 13, 2026, at the UT Knoxville Conference Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. This all-day event is hosted by the Judicial Outreach Liaison Program of the American Bar Association Judicial Division, the University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research and the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. There is no cost for participating judges.
