Tom Hatcher began his public service career in 1982 with the Blount County Sheriff's Office where he was employed for 12 years. He worked as a patrolman, a criminal investigator and as director of the Fifth Judicial District Drug Task Force. He was elected Circuit Court Clerk for Blount County, Tennessee in 1994. In 2000, he received his Certified Public Administrator Degree from The University of Tennessee. In 2004, he received his Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Roane State Community College.

Office Accomplishments

• Initiated a computer system that makes the office fully automated and provides a computer in the office for public access.
• Court system available to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, District Attorney General’s Office, and collection agencies.
• Placed clerks in all courtrooms to assist Judges, Attorney General’s Office and defense attorneys.
• Created a cost collection department to collect court costs, fines and restitution owed.
• Installed a pneumatic tube system that connects to the civil process division and the master control area of the jail.
• Installed a video arraignment system to allow those arrested to be arraigned without the judges or magistrates entering the secure area of the jail.
• Created the Traffic Division of General Sessions Court which has made a dramatic increase in fine revenues for Blount County.
• Web site for the public to learn more about the office and the Judicial System.
• We accept debit cards, American Express, Discover, and MasterCard payments in person, through PaymentChek, a third party administrator, with no cost to our office or Blount County.  Additionally, all major credit cards, including Visa, are accepted on line via the Web.  For your convenience, if you do not have internet access, you may phone in your payment for processing using a major credit card during normal office hours.
• No audit findings or recommendations for the period of July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.

Community Involvement

• American Heart Association
• Blount County Boys Club
• Boy Scouts of America
• Chamber of Commerce
• Eagleton Little League
• F.O.P. Youth Camp
• Leadership Blount
• March of Dimes
• Maryville - Alcoa Civitan
• Sheriff’s Citizen Academy
• Special Olympics
• St. Jude Children’s Hospital
• TSSAA Football Official
• United Way of Blount County

Service and Awards

• Outstanding State Court Clerk of the Year, 2005
• Tennessee Judicial Council (appointed), 2001 - Present
• Chairperson, State Court Clerk’s Legislative Committee, 2000 - Present
• Outstanding State Court Clerk of the Year, 2002
• President, Tennessee State Court Clerks Association for, 2000-2001
• East Tennessee State Court Clerk of the Year, 2000
• President, East Tennessee State Court Clerks Association, 1999-2000
• Blount County Commissioner (elected), 1989-1994