The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee mourns the loss of our colleague and friend, Judge Jon P. McCalla, as well as his wife, Dr. Mary McCalla. Judge McCalla served our Court from 1992 until his death on May 15, 2026, including as Chief from 2008 to 2013.  Dr. McCalla died just weeks before her husband, on April 9, 2026.  The couple had been married for over 50 years.

Judge McCalla was a dedicated public servant, committed to fairness and justice for all who appeared before him. He was always prepared and demanded the same of those who appeared in his courtroom as part of his commitment to see that every party would have its day in court. 

Judge McCalla’s commitment to justice could be seen every day in his work, from his meticulously crafted voir dire that he designed to root out implicit bias, to his pointed and probing questions posed to get at the root of disputes between the parties before him.

Dr. McCalla left her imprint on Judge McCalla’s work and on the Court, encouraging him and all of us in our work. They are both sorely missed but have left a lasting mark on our Court which we will always strive to live up to.