Moody, judge in ‘Baby Doe’ opioid case, dies at 79

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Sullivan County retired judge who oversaw the landmark “Baby Doe” case against opioid manufacturers that yielded a $35 million settlement has died.

E.G. Moody, 79, died at his home in Bristol earlier this month, less than two years after retiring following 16 years as chancellor of the 2nd Judicial District Chancery Court in Sullivan County.

It was in that role that Moody oversaw the case against Endo Pharmaceuticals, which had been brought collectively by district attorneys from three Northeast Tennessee judicial districts. The case was initially filed in Sullivan County in 2017 by 2nd District Attorney General Barry Staubus and was the first case featuring a child born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) as a plaintiff.

“I am saddened by the death of Chancellor Moody,” Staubus told News Channel 11 in a statement.

“He was a great judge — learned, conscientious and fair. He had a great heart — especially for children that needed an adoptive home. He will be missed by all that knew him.

Tricia Herzfeld, who was among the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the Baby Doe case, called Moody “a judge of amazing intellect and patience” in her statement to News Channel 11.

“He understood the tragic circumstances that caused so many babies to be born drug dependent,” said Herzfeld, who continues to represent Baby Doe in follow-up cases, including drug company bankruptcies, that continue to this day.

“He persevered through health issues and the COVID pandemic to ensure that the Baby Doe case could be heard. He was a dedicated judge and a great man. We will miss him.”

An obituary states that Moody is survived by his wife, Mary Frances Moody, three brothers and two sisters.

A 1971 graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Law, Moody practiced law in Kingsport for 35 years prior to his election to the bench. He retired at the end of September 2022.

The Baby Doe case lasted for several years, concluding in 2021. The obituary says Moody, who “had a deep admiration for Morgan horses and carriages,” also hosted an annual Farm Fest at his family farm that was open to all adopted children in Sullivan County.

A celebration of life will occur at a date that has not yet been scheduled.

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