Information acquired by your Lawyer X shows that she married Laken Mitchell in 1984, when he was general counsel for Commonwealth Oil Company. The company went bankrupt, which resulted in indictments and convictions of several people including Charlie Miller, former CEO of Citizens Bank of Cookeville.

A former securities investigator said Mitchell was one of the targets of the investigation.

In 1984 Mitchell conveyed property to his wife, Sells, with no consideration being paid.  They divorced in 1985.  Mitchell again transferred property to Sells in 1992, at a time when they were not married.

Did they pay transfer tax? Apparently not, as they may have been claiming they were married.  This is a possible violation of the tax laws of Tennessee, or a fraud against the state.  This deal is recorded in the Register's Office of Putnam County,  in Warranty Deed Book 325, page 173, on February 21, 1992.

They were remarried on August 8, 1997, just after the new judgeship was created. The question raised is whether this is all a coincidence or a planned conspiracy to hide assets.

Why would the two people divorce, continue to live together and represent themselves as man and wife and transfer all assets to the wife -- especially when the husband was a target of a serious fraud investigation?  The ethics involved in this matter raise serious questions for the candidate.  The transfer of assets to avoid a potential lawsuit, or to hide assets from creditors, is certainly a violation of the law.  These questions deserve an answer.