First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart is stepping up as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, replacing the outgoing U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran, Jr., who is leaving the Office by the end of the month. The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee will be led by Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart beginning March 1, 2021, pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Through Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, the Department of Justice has requested the remaining 55 U.S. Attorneys, who have previously been appointed by former President Donald Trump, to vacate their positions, as is customary in the transition process from one administration to another. Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart will remain as the interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the Middle District of Tennessee for a maximum of 300 days, or until President-elect Joe Biden has put forth nominations for the position, which are then subjected to the approval of the United States Senate.
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Appointment
Entering the month of March with a new Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee welcomes First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart as the new interim Top Federal Prosecutor for the district. The incumbent U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran, Jr. is leaving his post on February 28, 2021, in line with the request of the White House and of the Department of Justice, calling for the remaining 55 Trump-appointed United States Attorneys to vacate the highest positions in the Office and make way for the appointment of new United States Attorneys across the nation. On behalf of the Biden Administration, Acting U.S. Attorney General Robert M. “Monty” Wilkinson made the announcement last February 9, 2021, during an all-U.S. Attorney call, to which U.S. Attorney Cochran responded by submitting his letter of resignation to President-elect Joe Biden a week later. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart will take over in Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee on March 1, 2021, and shall remain in the position for up to 300 days following her appointment.
Educational Background and Bar Admission
Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart attended the University of Georgia Law School, where she received her Juris Doctorate. She has been licensed to practice in the State of Georgia since June 11, 1980, and has dedicated all of her years in the legal field, serving in the government sector.
Legal Career – Government Service
Three years before joining the United States Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Stewart served as an Assistant City Solicitor, providing legal advice and conducting legal research and work in the City of Atlanta’s Solicitor’s Office. She was also once an Assistant District Attorney for the Clayton County Judicial Circuit in Jonesboro, Georgia, wherein she was responsible for enforcing the law and representing the State of Georgia on behalf of the District Attorney.
Legal Career – Department of Justice
Acting U.S. Attorney Stewart later became a part of the Department of Justice. Initially, he came into the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1983. Within the subsequent 34 years of her career in the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart developed expertise in the prosecution of cases, particularly involving bank robberies, drug offenses, firearm violations, and public corruption. Eventually, U.S. Attorney Stewart was called upon to lead the Office’s drug unit as a Deputy Chief. Apart from that, she has also been a part of the Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) as an Attorney. Acting U.S. Attorney Stewart was also previously a Senior Litigation Counsel and a Training Officer in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. In the fall of 2017, the United States Attorney Stewart joined the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee after being appointed as First Assistant U.S. Attorney to the outgoing U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran, Jr. For a little over three years, Acting U.S. Attorney Stewart and outgoing U.S. Attorney Cochran worked hand-in-hand to efficiently lead the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Office Jurisdiction
The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee is currently being led by Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart. As the Office’s interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official, U.S. Attorney Stewart leads a staff of approximately 65 employees, including 32 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 33 support personnel. They are all committed to serving the citizens of the district. The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee oversees 32 of the 95 counties within the State of Tennessee. It is responsible for handling all criminal prosecutions and civil litigations within its jurisdiction.
Contact Details
Full Name: Mary Jane Stewart
District/State: Middle District of Tennessee
Public email ID: mary.jane.stewart@usdoj.gov
Nashville Office
United States Attorney’s Office
110 9th Avenue South
Suite A-961
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
(615) 736-5151
Main
(615) 401-6626
Fax
Social Media Profiles of Mary Jane Stewart
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YouTube
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Username: U.S. Attorney-Middle District of Tennessee
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URL: https://twitter.com/usao_mdtn
Updated: July 6, 2021
Mark H. Wildasin is the next State’s Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. His biography can be found here.
Updated: August 1, 2022