Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509 (2026)

Presiding judges

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) The judges in each judicial district shall assemble for the purpose of selecting a presiding judge of the district. In August of each year, the judges within each district shall assemble at the call of the presiding judge and select a successor to such presiding judge who shall serve until September 1 of the following year. If upon any selection date the judges in any district fail to choose or are unable to agree upon the selection of a presiding judge, the chief justice of the supreme court shall designate one (1) of their number to serve.

(b) It is the duty of the presiding judge to:
- (1) Reduce docket delays and hold congestion to a minimum;
- (2) Seek and maintain an equitable distribution of the workload and an equal sharing of the bench and chambers time necessary to dispose of the business of the district;
- (3) Promote the orderly and efficient administration of justice within the district; and
- (4) Take immediate and affirmative action to correct or alleviate any caseload imbalance, or any condition adversely affecting the administration of justice within the district over which the judge presides.

(c) To effectuate the duties enumerated in subsection (b), the presiding judge may assign cases to judges and chancellors within the district over which the judge presides. In assigning cases, the presiding judge shall, whenever possible and not detrimental to the orderly and efficient administration of justice, give due regard to the court upon which the judge or chancellor serves, the judge's or chancellor's particular background, experience and preference and economy of judicial travel time.

(d) If a presiding judge is unable to correct a caseload imbalance or reduce docket delays utilizing the available judges within the district over which the judge presides, it is the affirmative duty of the presiding judge to contact other presiding judges and request assistance or contact the supreme court and request assistance pursuant to § 16-3-502.

(e) This part shall not be construed as altering or modifying any law concerning interchange by agreement.

Acts 1984, ch. 931, § 9; 2005, ch. 26, § 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2000–2026 · leading case: Ferrell v. Cigna Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 33 S.W.3d 731 (Tenn. 2000).

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Ferrell v. Cigna Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 33 S.W.3d 731 (Tenn. 2000). · cites it 8× “; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509 (d); 4 *739 (3) The presiding judge of the judicial district shall effect an interchange with…”

Maxwell Med., Inc. v. Chumley, 282 S.W.3d 893 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 8× “; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-2-509(d); (3) The presiding judge of the judicial district shall effect an interchange with a judge…”

State Of Tennessee, Dep't Of Child.'s Servs. v. Ruth Sails - Dissenting (Tenn. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 8× “Moreover, Tenn. Code Ann. §16-2-509 (e) provides: (e) If a presiding judge is unable to correct a caseload imbalance or reduce docket delays utilizing the available judges within the district over which the judge presides, it is the affirmative duty of such presiding judge to…”

Brittni (Gray) Haggard v. Joe Michael Carroll (Tenn. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “§ 17-2-202 ; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509…”

Andrew J. Withers v. Withers Collection, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 4× “’ Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 11, section VII(c)(2) in turn provides that the recusing judge ‘shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of…”

In Re Est. of Henry C. Ellis, III (Tenn. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 3× “Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 11, section VII(c)(2) in turn provides that the recusing judge “shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of…”

Alton Earl Ingram v. Lisa Marie Glode (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 3× “§ 17-2-202 ; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509…”

State of Tennessee v. Malique Nicolas Gray (2022). · cites it 2× “§ 17-2-202 ; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509…”

Benjamin Mccurry v. Agness Mccurry (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). “’” This argument is based upon Defendant’s understanding of Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-2-509(d) as well as Tenn. Sup. Ct. R.”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509(c) — 1 case

In Re Est. of Henry C. Ellis, III (Tenn. Ct. App. 2020). “Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 11, section VII(c)(2) in turn provides that the recusing judge “shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying judge is the presiding judge, the presiding judge pro tempore of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of…”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509(d) — 2 cases

Maxwell Med., Inc. v. Chumley, 282 S.W.3d 893 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008). “; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-2-509(d); (3) The presiding judge of the judicial district shall effect an interchange with a judge…”

Benjamin Mccurry v. Agness Mccurry (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). “’” This argument is based upon Defendant’s understanding of Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-2-509(d) as well as Tenn. Sup. Ct. R.”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509(e) — 3 cases

Ferrell v. Cigna Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 33 S.W.3d 731 (Tenn. 2000). “; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge of the judicial district to effect an interchange with a judge of that judicial district in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-2-509 (d); 4 *739 (3) The presiding judge of the judicial district shall effect an interchange with…”

State Of Tennessee, Dep't Of Child.'s Servs. v. Ruth Sails - Dissenting (Tenn. Ct. App. 2009). “Moreover, Tenn. Code Ann. §16-2-509 (e) provides: (e) If a presiding judge is unable to correct a caseload imbalance or reduce docket delays utilizing the available judges within the district over which the judge presides, it is the affirmative duty of such presiding judge to…”

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