News  Release  

 
 
Attorney  General  Robert  E.  Cooper,  Jr.  
 
 
 
FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE     CONTACT:   Sharon  Curtis-­Flair  
Nov.  15,  2010     (615)  741-­5860  
#10-­39  
 
TENNESSEE  SOLICITOR  GENERAL  MICHAEL  E.  MOORE  DIES  FOLLOWING  LENGTHY  
ILLNESS  

It is with great sadness WKDWWKH7HQQHVVHH$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO¶V2IILFHDQQRXQFHVWKHSassing of its

Solicitor General Michael E. Moore.

Mr. Moore, 60, who VHUYHGDV7HQQHVVHH¶Vsolicitor general for 17 years, died Sunday morning
after a lengthy illness. As solicitor general, he headed the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)
which oversees and coordinates all appellate litigation practice in the Tennessee Supreme Court,
Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Supreme Court and Sixth
Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Moore also supervised the drafting of opinions issued by the
Office. Mr. Moore also served as Acting Attorney General in October 2006 pending
appointment of the current attorney general.

³:RUGVFDQQRWH[SUHVVZKDWZHKDYHORVWERWKSHUVRQDOO\DQGSURIHVVLRQDOO\´$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO
Bob Cooper sDLG³$V6ROLFLWRU*HQHUDO0LNHZDVEULOOLDQWSULQFLSOHGDQGIHDUOHVVDQGXQGHU
his leadership, our solicitor general's office was second to none. As a friend, Mike was a
delightful companion who was always ready with a quick wit, kind word or helpful thought as
the situation required.´

In addition to numerous appearances representing the State in the Tennessee Supreme Court and
Sixth Circuit, Mr. Moore argued three cases before the United States Supreme Court: Rogers v.
Tennessee (2001), Bell v. Cone (2002) and Tennessee v. Lane (2004). The National Association
of Attorneys General awarded him its U.S. Supreme Court Best Brief Award during the 1999
Term for his contribution to the amicus brief for the states in Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents,
528 U.S. 62 (2000).

3ULRUWRMRLQLQJWKH7HQQHVVHH$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO¶V2IILFHLQ'HFHPEHU0U0RRUHserved
as Director of Law for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County from
1985 to 1987 under Mayor Richard Fulton. He worked in private practice for the Nashville law
firm of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis from 1979 to 1985 and 1987 to 1993. He served as law
clerk to Judge Gilbert S. Merritt, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1978-
1979, and as an attorney in the Appellate Section, Criminal Division, United States Department
of Justice in Washington, D.C., 1975-1978. He served on the Charter Revision Commission of
the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Page  2  

Mr. Moore obtained his J.D. from Stanford University in 1975 and was admitted to the
California and Tennessee bars. He received his A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1972 (summa
cum laude with high distinction). He graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport
in 1968.

He was an avid sports fan, enjoying his beloved alma mater Stanford University football and
basketball games. He also rooted for the Tennessee Volunteers, whom friends said he was
thrilled to see win on Saturday. He was also a Boston Red Sox baseball fan.

Mr. Moore was a student and enthusiast of French language and culture, traveling several times
to France and participating in the Nashville chapter of the Alliance Francaise. He often spoke of
KLVIDWKHU¶VPLOLWDU\VHUYLFHin France in World War II.

Mr. Moore was born in Leominster, MA, in 1950 and grew up in Kingsport, TN. He is survived
by his brother, Robert, and sister-in-law, Barbara, who reside in Oswego, N.Y. and two nieces,
Sarita of Pittsburgh, PA, and Laura of Toronto, Canada.