Ed joined The Miller Firm in January of 2021 after retiring as the Public Defender for the Fourth Judicial District, a position he held for 32 years.  Ed is a native of Morristown, Tennessee where he graduated from Morristown West High School in 1982.  His parents were the late Judge James K. (Jimmy) and Jean Miller of Morristown.  Upon graduation from law school in 1988, Ed went to work for the Dandridge Law Firm of Strand and Goddard where he stayed until he was appointed by Governor Ned McWherter as the youngest Public Defender in Tennessee History at age 25.  Ed was elected to four eight-year terms as Public Defender of the Fourth Judicial District (Jefferson, Cocke, Grainger and Sevier counties).  As Public Defender Ed tried an estimated 250 jury trials and conducted hundreds of preliminary hearings.  He has obtained not guilty verdicts on charges from ranging from misdemeanors to First Degree Murder. Ed has tried eight death penalty cases through the penalty phase and has no clients on death row.  He has also handled approximately 150 appeals to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, the Tennessee Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and The United States Supreme Court.  A passion of Ed's has been serving as the President of the Fourth Judicial District Recovery Services which oversees operation of the Fourth Judicial District Recovery Court.   He and his wife Lea Anna have three children, Matt, Luke and Ali.  The love of his live is his three-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, who is expecting a baby sister in July. He and Lea Anna attend and serve at Arrowhead Church in Morristown.

Practice Areas

  • Criminal Defense
  • Personal Injury
  • Consumer Protection Law

Education

University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. 1988

  • Honors: Harold C. Warner Centurian Scholarship
  • Honors: Winner of the College's Intramural Tennis Championship

Carson Newman College, B.A. 1985

 Honors:

  • Phi Beta Phi and Alpha Chi academic honor societies
  • Graduated 16th in Class, Summa Cum Laude and Outstanding Political Science Student of the year.
  • Four-year letterman varsity tennis.
  • Three-time Academic Award winner varsity tennis team
  • United States Tennis Association Academic Athlete of the year 1984.
  • Academic All-American team 83, 84, 85.
  • All American Tennis Team 1985

Morristown West High School, 1982

  • Honors: 3-year letterman Varsity Tennis
  • 3 year All District and All Conference Varsity Tennis
  • 2 year All Region Varsity Tennis
  • Team MVP 80, 81.

Bar Admissions

  • Tennessee
  • United States District Court for Eastern District of Tennessee 
  • United States Court of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court