MEMPHIS (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed a veteran prosecutor to serve as a criminal court judge in the county that includes Memphis.

Haslam's office said Wednesday that Jennifer Nichols has been appointed to the bench for the 30th Judicial District, which serves Shelby County. She replaces Judge James C. Beasley, who retired.

Nichols joined the Shelby County district attorney's office in 1991 and served as a prosecutor until 2003, when she left to join the law department of the U.S. Postal Service. She returned to the district attorney's office six years later.

Nichols has won several high-profile cases as prosecutor. She served as lead prosecutor in the trial of Zachary Adams, who was convicted last year in Hardin County of kidnapping, raping and killing 20-year-old nursing student Holly Bobo.