NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Three appeals judges appointed by Gov. Bill Haslam are among the nine applicants to fill a vacancy on the bench of Tennessee's highest court.

The opening created by the retirement of Justice Gary Wade in September provided Haslam the opportunity to give the five-member court a Republican majority after decades of Democratic control.

The appeals judges are Thomas "Skip" Frierson of Morristown, Robert Montgomery Jr. of Kingsport and Roger Page of Medina. The governor's two appointments to the Supreme Court so far – Jeff Bivins and Holly Kirby – previously served as state appeals judges.

The other applicants are attorneys Matthew Cavitch of Eads; Mark Fulks of Johnson City; Ted Hayden of Gallatin; Robert Meyers of Memphis; Herbert Moncier of Knoxville; and Larry Scroggs of Germantown.

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