MIKE DUNAVANT

President Donald Trump has nominated District Attorney General Mike Dunavant of Tipton County as the new U.S. Attorney for West Tennessee.

Dunavant would succeed Ed Stanton as chief federal prosecutor for the west Tennessee grand division between the Mississippi River and the Tennessee River including Memphis if confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Stanton resigned earlier this year to take a job with Butler-Snow law firm. That followed his nomination to be a federal court judge made by President Obama which the U. S. Senate did not act on.

Senior Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Laurenzi has been the acting U.S. Attorney for west Tennessee since Stanton left.

Dunavant was recommended for the appointment by U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee.

Dunavant’s judicial district covers not only Tipton County but Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale and McNairy counties with six offices in the 25th judicial district.

He was elected District Attorney General in 2006 after having a private law practice for 11 years, primarily in criminal defense including death penalty cases.

A native of Ripley, Tennessee, Dunavant has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and earned his law degree at the University of Mississippi.

Alexander described Dunavant as “a well qualified and dedicated prosecutor who will serve West Tennesseans with integrity.”

“I look forward to introducing him to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and I hope the Senate will quickly consider his nomination,” Alexander added in his written statement.