Judge Keith Siskin Dead After Painful Crohn's Disease Battle

Jul 25, 2017 at 03:08 pm by bryan

Rutherford County Circuit Court Judge Keith Siskin died Sunday (7/23/2017) morning after a lengthy and painful battle with Crohn's disease. In fact, he took a leave of absence from the courts in April for treatment of this incurable disease.

Gamble Funeral Home in Savannah, Georgia is in charge of the arrangements with the burial there. The date and time for the service has not been set. A celebration of Judge Siskin's life will be held in Murfreesboro at World Outreach Church.

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The celebration of life for The Honorable Keith Siskin will be August 12 at World Outreach Church. Visitation with the family at 9AM and service at 10AM.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation via CrohnsColitisFoundation.org or postal mail at Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, National Processing Center - Post Office Box 1245, Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007.

He served here in Murfreesboro as circuit court judge in Tennessee's 16th judicial district, division III.

The 45-year old Savannah, Georgia native moved to Tennessee in 1990 to attend Vanderbilt University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He then attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate degree, Cum Laude.

While attending law school, Siskin served as editor-in-chief of the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law.

After graduating from law school in 1997, Siskin moved to Murfreesboro, and accepted a position as law clerk of the Chancery Court for Rutherford County. After serving for a year, he accepted a position with a Nashville law firm, and thereafter started his own practice in Murfreesboro.

In 2002, he was admitted as an attorney and counsellor of the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

In 2004, Siskin was appointed by Judge Donna Scott Davenport as referee/magistrate of the Rutherford County Juvenile Court, in which capacity he continued to serve until Governor Bill Haslam appointed him to the Circuit Court bench in 2012. Judge Siskin was elected to a full, eight-year term in 2014.

Judge Siskin was past president of the Rutherford/Cannon County Bar Association, as well as being active in the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Judicial Conference, and Murfreesboro Downtown Barristers Lions Club.

He authored and published Does International Law Reflect International Opinion? French Nuclear Testing in the Twentieth Century, and 26 Ga. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 187 (1996). Judge Siskin was also the contributing author of Great American Lawyers, An Encyclopedia, ABC/CLIO (2001); as well as Great American Judges, An Encyclopedia, ABC/CLIO (2003).

Judge Siskin is survived by his wife, Sheri, and two grown daughters, Micah and Shae.

MORE On the passing of Judge Siskin (Judiciary Remembers Judge Keith Siskin):

Our entire judicial family is saddened by the loss of our friend and colleague Keith Siskin. Judge Siskin was a dedicated public servant and an outstanding trial judge. He was a highly respected member of the legal community, and we are proud of his judicial service as a magistrate in Rutherford County Juvenile Court and as a Circuit Court Judge for the 16th Judicial District. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family.
Judge Siskin was a highly respected member of the legal community and we were proud to have had his judicial service from the Juvenile Court to the Circuit court. He was an innovator with regard to technology and utilized digital monitors to educate the public about the role of the judiciary and the entire court process. In 2016, he was nominated for the Justice William Rehnquist award for his innovative use of technology in the Rutherford County courthouse by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
He was appointed by Gov. Bill Haslam on October 29, 2012 and served with distinction.
Siskin had also previously served as a Juvenile Court referee magistrate since 2004, presiding over both civil and criminal cases including parentage, child support, child custody and visitation, dependency, neglect, abuse and delinquency matters.
He has been involved in multiple community and professional organizations, including the Rutherford/Cannon County Bar Association, where he served as a past president, the American Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee Judicial Conference.
Siskin graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in English and attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1997. He was a gifted writer and was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2002.

Siskin was of the Jewish faith and attended the World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, TN with his family.

Statement by Chancellor Howard Wilson, Presiding Judge, 16th Judicial District:

Judge Keith Siskin loved the law. He felt called to serve as a circuit court judge. But more than anything, Keith loved helping people. And, he did that every day with compassion and respect for all who entered his courtroom.

He was a good friend with a kind smile, a compassionate heart and sharp intellect.

He will be greatly missed.

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Statement by Juvenile Court Judge Donna Scott Davenport:

Judge Siskin was one of the most gifted individuals in both law- especially family law- and caring for people. The relationships he made throughout the community meant the world to him. He had a quick and dry wit which delighted everyone around him. He had a special love for animals, UGA sports and was a calming influence in difficult family law matters. His wife and daughters were greatly loved and his influence will continue upon them and all who knew him.

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Statement by Senator Bill Ketron, District 13

Judge Keith Siskin was not just an excellent judge, but he was also a great husband and father, who brought conservative and fair values to his bench

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