Judge Michael W. Binkley is a graduate of Birmingham Southern College, earning a degree in History, and he is a 1977 graduate of Vanderbilt School of Law. He recently retired after serving the past eleven (11) years as a sitting Circuit Court Judge and Chancellor, Division III, of the 21st Judicial District, presiding over the four (4) counties of Williamson, Lewis, Perry, & Hickman, for several years before solely serving Williamson County. Judge Binkley was elected to that position on March 6, 2012, and sworn in on August 31, 2012. After taking the bench in 2012, Judge Binkley was also invited to teach and participate in over 20 legal educational seminars across Tennessee.
Judge Binkley also served as Presiding Judge of the 21st Judicial District twice during his 11-year tenure, including at the time of his retirement.
During Judge Binkley’s 33 years of private practice in the areas of criminal defense, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and domestic relations, he was the sole counsel in 17 reported cases in the State of Tennessee Supreme Court as well 30 unreported cases in the Tennessee Court of Appeals. During his private practice, Judge Binkley was invited and participated in over 25 presentations at legal educational seminars sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association, the Tennessee Association for Justice, the Nashville Bar Association, and other bar associations throughout Middle Tennessee and the State of Tennessee, including Knoxville, Memphis, Cookeville, Chattanooga, and other cities throughout the state. Upon election to the bench, Judge Binkley continued to conduct legal educational seminars throughout Middle Tennessee.
In addition, during his 33 years of active trial practice, Judge Binkley was listed with the Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers and had earned an AV Preeminent Rating by his fellow attorneys and judges before whom he practiced. The AV Preeminent Rating is the highest rating for both legal ability and ethics compiled by Martindale Hubbell. The general ethical standard ratings denote adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence, and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities. The legal ability rating is based upon performance in five key areas graded on a scale of one to five with one being the lowest and five being the highest. These areas are legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability and legal experience.
Judge Binkley has also been listed for many years in Woodard/White Best Lawyers in America in the area of Divorce Law. Lawyers listed in Best Lawyers have no voice in deciding which practice areas they are listed. The nominees are voted into practice areas entirely as a result of the votes they receive from their peers. They must first be nominated for and then voted into each practice area. The methodology is designed to capture the consensus of the leading trial lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
Judge Binkley was also chosen by his peers to be included in Super Lawyers of the Mid-South, which is composed of only 5% of the practicing lawyers in the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Super Lawyers is a rated service of seriously outstanding trial lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained the highest-degree of peer recommendation, professional achievement, and ethical standards. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a rigorous, multi-phased rating process and evaluations are combined with independent, third-party research as to each candidate. Each candidate is then evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Judge Binkley has also been nominated and elected as a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association. He was selected into the Foundation as a Fellow in recognition of his devotion to the legal profession, adherence to the highest standards of professional ethics, exemplary personal achievements and distinguished service rendered in the administration of justice. He was also nominated and elected to the Nashville Bar Foundation.
He has been actively involved in numerous community activities, including Habitat for Humanity, the Ear Foundation, The Martha O’Bryan Center, and many other community activities. Judge Binkley was unopposed in his bid for re-election as Circuit Court Judge to an 8-year term in 2014, which term began on September 3, 2014.
