NASHVILLE (AP) - Thomas Frierson has been appointed judge for the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Section.

Gov. Bill Haslam made the announcement on Friday.

Frierson has served as chancellor in the Third Judicial District, which is comprised of Hamblen, Greene, Hawkins and Hancock counties, since 1996.

In 1990, the 54-year-old was elected as Hamblen County General Sessions Court judge.

Other candidates for the Court of Appeals judgeship included former Republican state Sen. Mike Faulk of Kingsport.