Persistence Pays Off for Former Police Officer Turned Judge

21^st District Circuit Court Judge David Veile was elected to the bench on Aug. 1, 2024, filling the seat of retired Judge Michael Binkley.

“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.

Judge Veile’s road to the bench began in 2011, when he applied for a judicial vacancy in the 21^st judicial district. He tried the appointment process four times To be honest, certainly in 2011 and 2014, and in 2020, I think the Governor made the right choice.”

Judge Veile was a Metro Nashville Police Officer for seven years and continued to serve in that position while attending law school

“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 said.

Now, as a judge, he says having a background in law enforcement has been instructive.

“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. “I’ve been there, but I was also a criminal defense attorney, primarily, for the last 12 years of my practice. So, I don’t think anyone would ever suggest that I’m bent one way or the other, either toward prosecution or defense, because I have history with both of those areas of criminal law.”

As a judge, he now describes feeling a different level of responsibility.

“I remember feeling the gravity of the duty to get it right,” he said. “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. That carried over more than I anticipated from the practice of law, which was always wanting to be the most prepared lawyer in the courtroom.”

Preparation and persistence have prepared Judge Veile for the bench- a position he describes as his “absolute dream job.”

“The best way to explain that is I’m a nerd,” said Judge Veile. “I like to do research. I love puzzles. And I love justice. And that is my workday. All day, every day, it’s trying to solve legal puzzles with an ultimate goal of following the rules, applying the law to the facts, and then making a just decision.”

Judge Veile was sworn into office by his predecessor, retired Judge Michael Binkley.

“I was sworn in at the historic Williamson County Courthouse, in the Connie Clark courtroom, on August 30, surrounded by family, friends and colleagues,” said Judge Veile. “It was a wonderful ceremony. Rather than following the normal script and having a lot of people get up and say wonderful things about me, I used it as an opportunity to say thank you to many of the people who, over the course of my life, worked hard to get me into this position.”