Gen. Lawson was appointed to the office by Governor Bill Lee on April 7, 2021. He had previously assumed the duties of the office on March 1, 2021, after being appointed by presiding judge Brody Kane as the acting district attorney upon the retirement of his predecessor, Gen. Tommy Thompson. Prior to his appointments, Gen. Lawson was a Deputy District Attorney where he served prosecuting drug offenses and homicides. He previously served as an Assistant District Attorney where he prosecuted thousands of cases over his career, including virtually every type of offense criminalized in Tennessee.

Gen. Lawson’s philosophy is that our criminal justice system is only as strong as our prosecutors. He serves to ensure that criminal prosecution in the 15th district is tough but fair. Gen. Lawson’s decision to be a prosecutor stems from his desire to help correct injustice, to make the lives of victims better, and to appropriately sentence offenders for their violations of the law.