Sheriff-Elect Austin Garrett announces attorney Brian Bush to serve on his Executive Staff as General Counsel for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

The General Counsel serves as the primary legal representative for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and provides assistance with a variety of legal matters including contractual agreements, MOU’s, subpoenas, human resources related issues, legal training for both new cadets and annual in-service training, and is responsible for the open records process. General Counsel also serves as liaison between the HCSO, the District Attorney’s Office, the Hamilton County Attorney’s Office, and the Hamilton County Judiciary. 

“I am excited to have Brian join my Executive Staff and we look forward to the experience and skills he brings to our agency’s operations,” Garrett said. “The role of General Counsel is vital to the efficient and professional delivery of services we provide to the citizens of Hamilton County.”  

In addition to the aforementioned responsibilities, the General Counsel’s  duties also includes addressing issues involving Corrections Services with attorney-client visitation, inmate medical inquiries, sentence calculation, and general information that attorneys and court personnel need regarding specific inmates. Counsel also assists with Internal Affairs, Public Relations inquiries, and the overall support for Sheriff’s Office operations.

General Counsel Bush is a proud Hamilton County native. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Maryville College, in Maryville, Tennessee.

Brian Bush

Prior to joining the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office as General Counsel, Bush served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Hamilton County District Attorney General’s Office prosecuting violent crimes and felonies. Most recently, his practice involved civil litigation as an attorney at the firm of Spears, Moore, Rebman, & Williams, P.C.

Bush is also a commissioned intelligence officer, serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He serves his community on various boards, and he is dedicated to serving the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Brian and his wife, Mauriel, enjoy calling Chattanooga home.

General Counsel Bush officially joins the HCSO today, August 7, 2022.