Tennessee
Tennessee’s highest court is the Tennessee Supreme Court. The court has four justices and one chief justice, who is chosen by a majority of the court’s members. (Source: Tennessee Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor nominates Tennessee Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The governor’s nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state House and Senate. After at least 30 days on the court, a justice may stand in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Tennessee’s next general election. Justices serve eight-year terms unless they were first appointed to fill an unexpired term, in which case they serve the remainder of the unexpired term. Justices may stand for additional eight-year terms in the same retention process. When a seat becomes open in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor nominates a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state house and senate. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Tennessee has had three state constitutions adopted between 1796 and 1870. As of January 1, 2026, it had 47 amendments. (Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)
The Tennessee Constitution: “Least Imperfect and Most Republican of the State Constitutions”
Filters
Fines, Fees, and Bail in State Courts
Recent state supreme court cases, including a major California ruling last week, address the burden of court-imposed financial obligations on criminal defendants.
The Aftermath of Callais
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling will embroil state courts in a new wave of battles over gerrymandering and voting rights.
How Are State Judges Selected?
Thirty-eight states use elections as part of their system for choosing high court judges.
Behind the Movement Toward Humane Punishment
A recent Pennsylvania decision barring mandatory life without parole for felony murder is part of an accelerating trend toward broad state constitutional protections for people in the criminal justice system.
Closing Remarks
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
The Tenacious Power of Constitutional Torts
Despite hurdles, civil rights litigation is a critical tool for people who have been harmed by the government and for those seeking long-lasting change.
Who’s Hiring State Supreme Court Clerks?
State-by-state information to aid law students and young attorneys in securing a state clerkship.
Religious Freedom and Abortion
Religious liberty protections have been steadily extended in both state and federal court over the last two decades. In some states, plaintiffs are arguing religious liberty includes a right to an abortion, with some success.