By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
NASHVILLE – Smith County native and Tennessee Tech grad Bonita Jo Atwood has been appointed by Gov. Bill Lee to the 16th Judicial District Circuit Court serving Cannon and Rutherford counties. She will fill the vacancy left by the Honorable Royce Taylor, who retired in March.
“Bonita Jo Atwood is an experienced litigator with the right temperament to serve on the bench,” said Gov. Lee. “I’m proud to nominate her for the Circuit Court and thank her for her willingness to serve the people of Tennessee.”
Atwood was born in Smith County on a 200-acre farm where she says she learned the value of hard work. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology cum laude in 1976 from Tennessee Technological University and her Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1986 from the Nashville School of Law.
Atwood has served as the managing partner at Atwood and Moore since 1995, representing more than 7,000 clients, with various issues, ranging from family law and estate planning to business and corporate law.
Atwood resides in Rutherford County. She is married to Mike Tobitt, a teacher and the baseball and football coach at Siegel Middle School. She has one son, Wesley Tobitt, a teacher and the baseball and football coach at Blackman Middle School.
