Elected to Office: August 27, 2012
Address:
Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 2nd Avenue North, Suite 4130, P.O. Box 196300 Nashville, Tennessee 37219
Email: gs8info@jisnashville.gov
Phone: (615) 862-8341
Fax: (615) 862-8343
Judge’s Biography
Judge Rachel L. Bell is a third generation Native Nashvillian and proud graduate of Hillsboro Comprehensive High School, where she was a stellar basketball player. Judge Bell received a NCCA, Division I-Women’s Basketball scholarship to Auburn University winning the SEC Tournament Championship her Freshman Year in 1997 and finished her collegiate career at The University of Memphis earning her Bachelor of Science in Education and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.
In 2012, Judge Bell, was elected General Sessions Court Judge, Division VIII (8) and unanimously re-elected in 2014 and 2022 to her 3rd term, with her campaign slogan: “Nashville’s Judge serving ON and OFF the bench, Ringing the BELL for Justice!!“®
Judge Rachel is the first openly bi-sexual judge in the State of TN and first elected Judge to identify LGBTQ+ in Nashville, TN. She is also the founder of the Music City Community Court (MCCC) with a mission to create initiatives focused on preventive, diversionary and restorative justice. Its vision is to do all it can to help break the playground to prison pipeline; to restore and rehabilitate lives by using its power and resources to move the needle for marginalized people. MCCC is the first in the State of TN and has 3 specialty courts named RESTORE Re-Entry Court for Returning Citizens, C.A.R.E. (Creating Avenues for Restoration & Empowerment) Diversionary Court for offenders that are Ages 18-30 and the L.E.G.A.C.Y. (Let Every Goal Achieve Continuous Yields) Housing Resource Diversionary Court & Program that provides tools to assist tenants dealing with rent arrearages and eviction. During COVID in 2021, Judge Rachel’s work was featured during the White House Eviction Prevention Summit, the Black News Channel and MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Show with Former Secretary of HUD, Julian Castro.
Judge Rachel has won numerous awards a few to mention, the TN Human Rights Award for Outstanding Service, the Women Who Rock Nashville “Judicial Excellence Award, the Power Moves Award, the NAACP LEGACY Award, the Janice M. Holder Access to Justice Award and the LEGALTECH Award for use of technology within the courts. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Fisk University with the John R. Lewis Graduate Social Justice and Leadership Program. Judge Rachel is a true advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and is a David Bohnett Fellow with the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and was selected and completed the Harvard Kennedy School for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.
Judge Rachel is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, New Covenant Christian Church, Disciples of Christ and worships with her wife at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, A City of Grace. Judge Rachel is on the Board of Directors for the Minerva Foundation, Stonewall Bar Association, Napier Looby Bar Association, the National Bar Association LGBTQ+ Committee, the National Bar Association Judicial Council Communications Chair and is the President and Board Chair for the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Ring the BELL Foundation.
Judge Rachel lives in Nashville, TN with her wife, Dr. Dorsha N. James, MD who is the Medical Director at Tennessee State University. They both own Solutions NOW, Inc. as consultants in their respective fields and are truly focused on the I AM … JUST HUMAN movement to provoke people to make the choice to step away from the labels used to define us and instead choose to see everyone under the unifying umbrella of humanity. The I AM . . . JUST HUMAN campaign encourages individuals to build relationships on the foundation of unconditional love and partake in community outreach and activism.
Judge Rachel cares deeply about equal justice and her mantras are to “Control the Controllable” ® and “Justice does NOT stop at the courthouse steps!” ®
NEWS:
2026
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Women’s History Month Restoration Clinic on March 7, 2026 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the Martha O’Bryan Center
February 9, 2026 – “Music City Community Court Can Restore Voting Rights” The Tennessee Tribune
January 16, 2026 – “Annual MLK Day Restoration Clinic” WKRN News 2
Press Release: Upcoming Annual MLK Restoration Clinic on January 17, 2026 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Center
2025
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Peace & Joy Restoration Clinic on December 6, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Community Service Work Return Docket on November 22, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual CommUnity Day Restoration Clinic on October 11, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ New Covenant Christian Church
Press Release: Upcoming 13th Annual Community Beautification Day on September 6, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Back to School Restoration Clinic on August 16, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Community Service Work Return Docket on July 12, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fair Restoration Clinic on June 21, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Women’s History Month Restoration Clinic on March 15, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ Cathedral of Praise C.O.G.I.C.
Press Release: Upcoming Annual MLK Day Restoration Clinic on January 25, 2025 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
2024
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Peace & Joy Restoration Clinic on December 14, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ Nehemiah Missionary Baptist Church
Press Release: Upcoming Thankfulness Restoration Clinic on November 9, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ Belmont College of Law
Press Release: Upcoming Community Service Work Return Docket on October 19, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
October 9, 2024 – “Celebrating 12 Years of the Music City Community Court: A Beacon of Restorative Justice and Hope with Judge Rachel L. Bell” – Nashville PRIDE, Inc.
September 28, 2024 – “Music City Community Court offers support to Davidson County residents” – WKRN News 2
Press Release: Upcoming Annual CommUnity Day Restoration Clinic on September 28, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ New Covenant Christian Church
Press Release: Upcoming 12th Annual Community Beautification Day on August 24, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
June 27, 2024 – “Judge Rachel L. Bell Honored for LGBTQ+ Leadership” – Nashville PRIDE, Inc.
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fair Restoration Clinic on June 15, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Women’s History Month Restoration Clinic on March 23, 2024 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
February 29, 2024 – “Empowering Probationers: Judge Rachel Bell’s path to reintegration” The Tennessee Tribune
2023
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Peace & Joy Restoration Clinic on December 16, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming 11th Annual Community Beautification Day on November 18, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Juneteenth Freedom Fair Restoration Clinic on June 17, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming 2nd Quarter Restoration Clinic on May 6, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Community Service Work Return Docket on April 15, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual Women’s History Month Restoration Clinic on March 4, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
February 2, 2023 – “Expunged Records and New Beginnings” – The Tennessee Tribune
Press Release: Upcoming Annual MLK Day Restoration Clinic on January 21, 2023 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
2022
Press Release: Upcoming 4th Quarter Restoration Clinic on December 17, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the Andrew Jackson Boys & Girls Club
Press Release: Upcoming Expungement/Legal Clinic, Indigency Docket, Resource Fair & Voter Registration on October 15, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
October 6, 2022 – “Restore Re-Entry Court hosts Expungement/Legal Clinic” – Nashville PRIDE, Inc.
Press Release: Upcoming 10th Annual Community Beautification Day on September 17, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual CommUnity Day Restoration Clinic on August 20, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ New Covenant Christian Church
Press Release: Upcoming Juneteenth Freedom-A-Thon on June 18, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
April 21, 2022 – “RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: Just Another Buzz Word?” – The Tennessee Tribune
Press Release: Upcoming Expungement Clinic, Indigency Docket & Resource Fair on March 12, 2022 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
2021
Press Release: Upcoming 4th Quarter Restoration Clinic on December 18, 2021 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
Press Release: Upcoming Community Service Work Return Docket on October 27, 2021 with Judge Rachel L. Bell
Press Release: Upcoming Annual CommUnity Day Restoration Clinic on August 14, 2021 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center & New Covenant Christian Church
July 30, 2021 – “‘A dropped ball’: Congress scrambles to extend eviction moratorium ahead of expiration tomorrow” – Andrea Mitchell Reports, MS Now
July 21, 2021 – “Second White House Eviction Prevention Convening” – The Biden White House
July 14, 2021 – “Music City Community Court’s Work During Pandemic Recognized with National Access to Justice Award” – Bass, Berry & Sims Firm News, Pro Bono
Press Release: Upcoming Juneteenth Freedom-A-Thon on June 19, 2021 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
February 19, 2021 – “New Housing Resource Diversionary Court & Program streamline resolution of 1,800 pending eviction cases” – Nashville PRIDE, Inc.
February 4, 2021 – “North Nashville judge runs “unprecedented’ courtroom aimed to rehabilitate low-level criminals” – WKRN News 2
Press Release: Upcoming MLK Weekend Free Food Box & Hygiene Kit Give-Away on January 16, 2021 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry
2020
Press Release: Upcoming Virtual Expungement & Legal Clinic on October 24, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry
Press Release: Upcoming CommUnity Virtual Expungement & Legal Clinic on August 15, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry
Press Release: Upcoming Team Bordeaux-North Neighborhood Clean-Up on August 15, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell, Gideon’s Army & Kyontze’ Toombs, District 2 Council Member
August 14, 2020 – “Newsmaker: Music City Community Court adapts to change” – WKRN News 2
Press Release: Upcoming Juneteenth Freedom-A-Thon Virtual Expungement & Legal Clinic on June 20, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry
Press Release: Upcoming Virtual Expungement Clinic & Resource Fair on May 30, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry
Press Release: Upcoming MLK Weekend Saturday Community Service Work Return Docket, Expungement Clinic, Indigency Docket & Resource Fair on January 18, 2020 with Judge Rachel L. Bell & Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry @ the McGruder Family Resource Center
2019
December 27, 2019 – “New Community Court Brings Justice to North Nashville” – TN Register
December 6, 2019 – “Newsmaker: Community court restores freedom” – WKRN News 2
November 21, 2019 – “Community Court working to change the game in most incarcerated zip code in the country” – WZTV Fox 17 News
Thursday, November 21, 2019 – “Judge Rachel L. Bell creates Bordeaux North Community Justice Center” – Nashville Pride
November 18, 2019 – “A New Community Justice Center Brings A Different Kind of Courtroom To North Nashville” – Nashville Public Radio (WPLN)