21st District Circuit Court Judge David Veile was elected to the bench on August 1, 2024, succeeding retired Judge Michael Binkley. His journey to this position began in 2011 when he first applied for a judicial vacancy in the 21st judicial district. Despite being nominated four times without appointment, Judge Veile persisted.
"I think I may hold the title of most nominated. I'm four out of four for nominations and the least appointed with zero out of four," he stated. Reflecting on past appointments, he said, "To be honest, certainly in 2011 and 2014, and in 2020, I think the Governor made the right choice."
Judge Veile's career started as a Metro Nashville Police Officer for seven years while attending law school. He initially intended to use his law degree to advance his career in law enforcement or possibly federal law enforcement. "My initial thought was to try to use a law degree and a law license as a mechanism to further my law enforcement career with the metro police department, where I was, or possibly with some type of federal law enforcement," he explained.
His background in law enforcement has been beneficial in his role as a judge. "When an officer comes in and describes a stop or a search, I have some insight into that because I've done it," said Judge Veile. He also worked as a criminal defense attorney for twelve years before becoming a judge. "I don't think anyone would ever suggest that I'm bent one way or the other, either toward prosecution or defense," he added.
As a judge, Veile feels a heightened sense of responsibility. "I remember feeling the gravity of the duty to get it right," he remarked about his early days on the bench. He emphasized preparation: "In the two months I've been sitting, I've learned it is critical to be prepared and to familiarize myself with the cases on my docket before I come into the courtroom so that I know what issues I will be called upon to address."
Judge Veile describes his new role as his "absolute dream job." He enjoys research and solving legal puzzles with justice as his ultimate goal: "The best way to explain that is I'm a nerd... All day, every day, it's trying to solve legal puzzles with an ultimate goal of following the rules, applying the law to facts, and then making just decisions."
He was sworn into office by retired Judge Michael Binkley at Williamson County Courthouse on August 30. The ceremony allowed him to express gratitude rather than follow traditional scripts: "Rather than following the normal script and having a lot of people get up and say wonderful things about me," he noted.