Tyler Caviness is a husband, father, and coach running to serve the people of Knoxville as your next municipal Judge.
Tyler was raised in Nashville before moving to East Tennessee to earn his bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Wesleyan College where he received a scholarship to play lacrosse. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tennessee College of Law. While in law school, he was active in college’s Innocence and Wrongful Convictions Legal Clinic and earned distinguished student recognition for his work on behalf of his clients. Tyler continues to serve as an adjunct professor in the UT Legal Clinic. He mentors students who provide free legal services focused on removing barriers to re-entry.
After graduating from the College of Law, Tyler joined the Knox County Public Defender’s Office. As a Public Defender, he represented clients from all walks of life. Tyler's experience in the office gives him the unique perspective of representing people of all backgrounds and always ensuring fair treatment in court. The work also gave him an awareness and understanding of the social issues that the people of Knoxville are facing in the justice system.
As an attorney in private practice, Tyler Caviness has worked at two top local law firms. He has been a zealous advocate for his clients, earning the respect of his peers and local judges. After representing thousands of clients, Tyler opened his own legal practice.
Tyler is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and all Tennessee state-level courts. He has won favorable verdicts for his clients after contested jury trials and has been successful on appeal. He is a committee chair for the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Knoxville Bar Association. Tyler has published articles and given presentations to lawyers from across the state on legal topics in his field.
In his free time, Tyler enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs, coaching lacrosse for the Knoxville Youth Sports program, and attending Tennessee Volunteers sporting events.
Tyler Caviness has the unique qualifications, hands-on experience, and leadership skills to lead Knoxville's City Court into its next era.
As our next City Judge, Tyler Caviness will offer new ideas and a fresh perspective to the bench for the first time in 37 years. As judge, Tyler will continue his career-long commitment to equal access to justice and fairness under the law.
He is driven to identify obstacles in the justice system, develop practices to ensure fair treatment for all, always start the court on time, and create a more user-friendly and informative City Court website
