The Honorable John W. Forcum is a retired Superior Court judge. Before serving 24 years as an elected judge, he was a small-town general practice lawyer. After college Judge Forcum was a middle and high school teacher. He went to law school at night while teaching school during the day. For over 3 decades Judge Forcum was a member of a national service club focused on helping children. His life of service to others began at a young age in Boy Scouts and continues in retirement. He now volunteers with Smoky Mountain Service Dogs a non-profit organization that provides skilled service dogs to America’s veterans with physical disabilities.

After retirement, Judge Forcum moved to the state of Tennessee. The author’s mother was raised on a farm beside the Tennessee River. She told her children about the family history and described events that occurred on the farm during the Civil War. When TVA built the Chickamauga Dam at Chattanooga in 1940, the family’s ownership of the farm ended after more than 100 years. Based on research of the family history and the history of Rhea County, Judge Forcum believed there was a story that should be told.  The Company of Girls 1862-1865 as a historical novel, illuminates the hardships endured by the southern women and the courage they displayed during the years of America’s civil war.

Judge Forcum’s second book On Justice – Finding Justice in America is a memoir describing a young lawyer’s search for justice and how a basic understanding of justice was a guide for his judicial career. We all want justice. To be worthy of receiving justice, we must act justly and pursue “justice for all” as stated in our Pledge of Allegiance. To make good decisions in government, business, and our individual lives; we need an understanding of the fundamental nature of justice. A guiding statement of principle can direct us toward the goal of justice for all. This book provides that statement as a basic principle of justice.