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Tennessee Supreme Court elections

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There are five justices on the Tennessee Supreme Court. For more information about these elections, visit the Tennessee judicial elections page.

Judicial selection

See also: Judicial selection in Tennessee

The five justices on the Tennessee Supreme Court are selected through assisted appointment. The governor selects a nominee from a list of recommended candidates from a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by the Tennessee General Assembly. Justices face retention elections at the end of their terms.[1][2][3]

The appointment system was adjusted in 2014 with the passage of a state ballot measure titled Tennessee Judicial Selection, Amendment 2. The measure added the required confirmation by the Tennessee legislature. While Tennessee state law changed in 2014 to eliminate the judicial nominating commission and require legislative approval of the governor’s appointee, Gov. Bill Haslam’s Executive Order No. 54 and Gov. Bill Lee’s subsequent Executive Order No. 87 re-established the judicial nominating commission for appointments. Accordingly, Tennessee’s process is effectively assisted appointment with legislative confirmation.

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a judge must be:

  • authorized to practice law in the state;
  • a state resident for five years; and
  • at least 35 years old.[2]

Chief justice

According to the Tennessee Constitution, the justices of the supreme court select the chief justice.[4] The chief justice serves a four-year term.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the governor appoints a replacement justice from a list from a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by both chambers of the state legislature. If filling an interim vacancy, the appointee stands for retention in the next general election at least 30 days after the vacancy occurred. The retained judge serves out the remainder of the unexpired term before again running for retention to serve a full eight-year term.[1][2] Judges are voted upon by the voters of the whole state.[5]

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.

Elections

2024

See also: Tennessee Supreme Court elections, 2024

Eastern Section

General election

General election for Tennessee Supreme Court Eastern Section

Incumbent Dwight Tarwater won election in the general election for Tennessee Supreme Court Eastern Section on August 1, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dwight Tarwater
Dwight Tarwater (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
390,549

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 390,549
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2022

See also: Tennessee Supreme Court elections, 2022

Candidates and results

Middle Section

Bivins' seat

Tennessee Supreme Court Middle Section, Bivins' seat

Jeff Bivins was retained to the Tennessee Supreme Court Middle Section on August 4, 2022 with 71.5% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
71.5
 
 462,036
No
 
28.5
 
 183,853
Total Votes
 645,889

It has been certified. Source

Campbell's seat

Tennessee Supreme Court Middle Section, Campbell's seat

Sarah Campbell was retained to the Tennessee Supreme Court Middle Section on August 4, 2022 with 72.9% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
72.9
 
 466,860
No
 
27.1
 
 173,306
Total Votes
 640,166

It has been certified. Source

Eastern Section

Lee's seat

Tennessee Supreme Court Eastern Section, Sharon Lee's seat

Sharon G. Lee was retained to the Tennessee Supreme Court Eastern Section on August 4, 2022 with 73.0% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
73.0
 
 463,799
No
 
27.0
 
 171,522
Total Votes
 635,321

It has been certified. Source

Western Section

Kirby's seat

Tennessee Supreme Court Western Section, Kirby's seat

Holly Kirby was retained to the Tennessee Supreme Court Western Section on August 4, 2022 with 73.8% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
73.8
 
 468,351
No
 
26.2
 
 166,200
Total Votes
 634,551

It has been certified. Source

Page's seat

Tennessee Supreme Court Western Section, Roger A. Page's seat

Roger A. Page was retained to the Tennessee Supreme Court Western Section on August 4, 2022 with 72.1% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
72.1
 
 450,681
No
 
27.9
 
 174,269
Total Votes
 624,950

It has been certified. Source



2016

Three justices faced retention on August 4, 2016.

Justices who faced retention

■ Jeff Bivins (Retained)
■ Holly Kirby (Retained)
■ Roger A. Page (Retained)

Election results

Tennessee Supreme Court Retention, Jeff Bivins, 2016
Name Yes votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Bivins70.79%
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State Official Results
Tennessee Supreme Court Retention, Holly Kirby, 2016
Name Yes votes
Green check mark transparent.pngHolly Kirby71.00%
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State Official Results
Tennessee Supreme Court Retention, Roger A. Page, 2016
Name Yes votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRoger A. Page70.88%
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State Official Results

2014

See also: Tennessee judicial elections, 2014 and Tennessee Supreme Court elections, 2014

Retention

JudgeElection Vote
WadeGary R. Wade56.6%   ApprovedA
LeeSharon Lee56.0%   ApprovedA
ClarkCornelia Clark55.3%   ApprovedA

2010

See also: 2010 State Supreme Court elections

Sharon Lee faced retention and was retained.

Tennessee Supreme Court
2010 General election results
Candidates Votes Percent
Sharon Lee Green check mark transparent.png n/a 68.2%

2008

See also: State Supreme Court elections, 2008

William Koch, Jr. faced retention and was retained.

Tennessee Supreme Court
2008 General election results
Candidates Votes Percent
William Koch, Jr. Green check mark transparent.png n/a n/a

See also

Tennessee Judicial Selection More Courts
Seal of Tennessee.png
Judicialselectionlogo.png
BP logo.png
Courts in Tennessee
Tennessee Court of Appeals
Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Tennessee Supreme Court
Elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Tennessee
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Justia Law, "Tennessee Code Annotated § 17-4-101," accessed April 16, 2025 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "VacancyCode" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," archived September 11, 2014
  3. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee; Judicial Nominating Commissions," accessed September 30, 2021
  4. ↑ TNCourts.gov, "JUSTICE SHARON LEE ELECTED CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT," August 14, 2014
  5. ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Tennessee," accessed August 5, 2016

Tennessee courts

Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee

State courts:

Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Appeals • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Tennessee Circuit Court • Tennessee Chancery Courts • Tennessee Criminal Court • Tennessee Probate Court • Tennessee General Sessions Court • Tennessee Juvenile Court • Tennessee Municipal Court

State resources:

Courts in Tennessee • Tennessee judicial elections • Judicial selection in Tennessee

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