Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 (2026)
Duty to interchange
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) Each state trial court judge has an affirmative duty to interchange if:
- (1) A judge has died or is unable to hold court;
- (2) Two (2) or more judges have agreed to a mutually convenient interchange; or
- (3) The chief justice of the supreme court has assigned by order a judge to another court pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 11.
- (b) A failure to comply with an interchange order of the supreme court is a judicial offense under § 17-5-301(j)(1)(B). The chief justice shall report such failure to comply immediately to the presiding judge of the board of judicial conduct. The clerk of the supreme court shall maintain such reports for public inspection.
Acts 1859-1860, ch. 105, § 3; Shan., § 5713; mod. Code 1932, § 9899; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 17-208; Acts 1997 , ch. 430, § 1; 2012 , ch. 789, § 5; 2012 , ch. 819, § 4.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1993–2025 · leading case: Boarman v. Jaynes, 109 S.W.3d 286 (Tenn. 2003).
Boarman v. Jaynes, 109 S.W.3d 286 (Tenn. 2003). “On November 5, 1998, the chancellor and circuit judges of the First Judicial District recused themselves from hearing this case and, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 17-2-202(2), Chancellor Thomas R.”
Ferrell v. Cigna Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 33 S.W.3d 731 (Tenn. 2000). “) Accordingly, reading these statutes and rules together, we conclude that a trial judge should appoint a clerk and master to act as a special/substitute judge in his or her absence only if the trial judge determines it is not possible either to interchange pursuant to Tenn.Code…”
State Dep't of Child.'s Servs. v. A.M.H., 198 S.W.3d 757 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “The Court concluded that a trial judge should appoint a judicial officer such as a juvenile court referee to act as a special or substitute judge in his or her absence only if the trial judge determines it is not possible either to interchange pursuant to T.C.A. § 17-2-202 or to…”
Maxwell Med., Inc. v. Chumley, 282 S.W.3d 893 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008). “) Accordingly, reading these statutes and rules together, we conclude that a trial judge should appoint a clerk and master to act as a special/substitute judge in his or her absence only if the trial judge ■ determines it is not possible either to interchange pursuant to…”
Wilson v. Wilson, 877 S.W.2d 271 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1993). “T.C.A. § 17-2-202 provides that “where a judge is incompetent to try any cause pending in his circuit, and the same cannot be transferred by change of venue to some other circuit, it shall be the positive duty of the circuit judge of any adjoining circuit, .”
State Of Tennessee, Dep't Of Child.'s Servs. v. Ruth Sails - Dissenting (Tenn. Ct. App. 2009). “§17-2-202 provides: -3- (a) Each state trial court judge has an affirmative duty to interchange if: (1) A judge has died or is unable to hold court; (2) Two (2) or more judges have agreed to a mutually convenient interchange; (3) The judge is incompetent under the provisions of…”
Jennifer McClain Swan v. Frank Edward Swan (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008). “As pertinent to this appeal, Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 provides: 17-2-202.”
Lou Ann Zelenik v. Crowell Homebuilding, LLC (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 (2021). purchased earlier in the year for $140,500.”
Alton Earl Ingram v. Lisa Marie Glode (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). “Special permission to skip the sequential steps may be 5 The referenced sections of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 11 provide: (1) The judge shall seek interchange in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 ; (2) The judge shall apply to the presiding judge or, if the applying…”
State of Tennessee v. Woody Dozier (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 (1994)(repealed and replaced June 13, 1997) (emphasis added).”
Sandi D. Jackson v. Mitchell B. Lanphere (Tenn. Ct. App. 2011). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 provides that state trial court judges have a duty to interchange with one another under certain circumstances.”
Gregory Norman v. Thomas C. Coleman, Jr. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202 provides judges have a duty to interchange if there is cause or if two (2) judges “have agreed to a mutually convenient interchange.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-202(2) — 1 case
Boarman v. Jaynes, 109 S.W.3d 286 (Tenn. 2003). “On November 5, 1998, the chancellor and circuit judges of the First Judicial District recused themselves from hearing this case and, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 17-2-202(2), Chancellor Thomas R.”
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