Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-4-308 (2026)

• (a) After February 1, 2016, when a vacancy occurs in the office of chancellor, circuit court judge, criminal court judge, or judge of any other state trial court of record by death, resignation, retirement, or otherwise, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing one (1) of the three (3) persons nominated by the commission. The governor may require the commission to submit one (1) other panel of three (3) additional nominees. Within sixty (60) days following receipt of the additional panel of nominees, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing any one (1) of the six (6) nominees certified by the commission.

• (b) The term of a judge appointed under this section shall expire on August 31 after the next regular August election occurring more than thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs.

• (c) The commission shall, at the earliest practicable date, hold a public meeting in the judicial district from which the vacancy is to be filled.

• (d) Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting shall be given by newspapers, radio news, or television news and by such other means as the commission deems proper.

• (e) Any person shall be entitled to attend the meeting and express orally or in writing the citizen's approval of or objections to any suggested nominee for the trial court vacancy. Any licensed attorney may appear and make a statement, oral or written, in support of the attorney's own nomination.

• (f) After one (1) public hearing, the commission may hold such additional interviews with the candidates as it deems necessary. The commission shall make independent investigation and inquiry to determine the qualifications of possible nominees for the trial court vacancy and shall endeavor to encourage qualified attorneys to accept nomination and agree to serve if appointed to the trial court vacancy. All hearings, interviews, and meetings of the commission shall be conducted publicly and shall comply with title 8, chapter 44, part 1. Deliberations among the commission members shall occur immediately after the conclusion of the interviews. The commission shall adjourn the public hearing and interviews and deliberate in executive session. The deliberations shall not be open to the public and shall not be required to comply with title 8, chapter 44, part 1. At the conclusion of deliberations among commission members, the commission shall reconvene the public hearing for purposes of voting. When selecting nominees, commission members shall vote anonymously by written ballots, but such ballots shall be collected, announced, and tallied at the meeting by the presiding officer, and a majority of those present and voting shall decide questions. After receiving the commission's panel or panels of nominees, but prior to making an appointment pursuant to subsection (a), the governor shall direct the Tennessee bureau of investigation or other appropriate agencies to perform appropriate financial and criminal background investigations and inquiries of the prospective appointees, and the governor shall review and assess the results of the background investigations and inquiries.

• (g)
  • (1) The application for the position of trial judge shall contain an authorization form permitting the commission to request from the board of judicial conduct and the board of professional responsibility any information, records, files, or other documents, whether in an electronic format or written form, that the board maintains on the applicant. Signing the authorization form has the effect of waiving any statutory or common law confidentiality that may attach to those documents.
  • (2) If an applicant signs the authorization form, upon request of the commission, the board of judicial conduct and the board of professional responsibility shall furnish the commission with all information, records, files, or other documents, whether in an electronic format or written form, that the board maintains on a person who applies to be a candidate to fill a trial court vacancy.

• (h) As soon as practicable, and no later than sixty (60) days from receipt of written notice from the governor that a vacancy has occurred, the commission, with the assent of a majority of all the members to which it is entitled under § 17-4-301(a), shall select three (3) persons whom the commission deems best qualified and available to fill the vacancy, and shall certify the names of the three (3) persons to the governor as nominees for the trial court vacancy. However, if the commission is reliably informed that a vacancy is impending for any other reason, then the commission may meet, select such persons, and certify the names of the nominees to the governor prior to actual receipt of written notice from the governor that a vacancy has occurred.

• (i) If the judicial district is one (1) of the five (5) smallest judicial districts according to the 2010 federal census or any subsequent federal census, the commission may submit two (2) names to the governor, although the governor may require the commission to submit one (1) other panel of two (2) additional nominees.

• (j) At the next regular August election occurring more than thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs, the qualified voters of the district shall elect a candidate to fill the remainder of the unexpired term or a complete term, as provided in the general election law in title 2; provided, however, the qualifying deadline for candidates to fill the vacancy shall be determined by the date of the vacancy as follows:
  • (1) If the vacancy occurs on or before the tenth day prior to the regular qualifying deadline, then the regular qualifying deadline shall apply;
  • (2) If the vacancy occurs after the tenth day before the qualifying deadline but on or before the thirty-eighth day prior to the next regular August election, then the qualifying deadline shall be twelve o'clock (12:00) noon, prevailing time, on the tenth day after the vacancy is created;
  • (3) If the vacancy occurs after the thirty-eighth day but on or before the thirty-first day prior to the next regular August election, then the qualifying deadline shall be twelve o'clock (12:00) noon, prevailing time, on the twenty-eighth day before the election; and
  • (4) Candidates qualifying under subdivisions (j)(2) and (3) must withdraw no later than twelve o'clock (12:00) noon, prevailing time, on the third day after the qualifying deadline; however, no candidate shall withdraw after twelve o'clock (12:00) noon, prevailing time, on the twenty-eighth day before the election.

Added by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 528,s 17, eff. 1/28/2016.