Tennessee Court of Appeals

Tennessee Court of Appeals
Established1925 (1925)
JurisdictionTennessee, United States
LocationKnoxville, Nashville, and Jackson
Composition methodExecutive selection plus
Non-partisan retention
(Tennessee Plan)
Authorized byTennessee General Assembly
Appeals toTennessee Supreme Court
Judge term length8 years; renewable
Number of positions12
WebsiteOfficial website
Chief Judge
CurrentlyFrank G. Clement, Jr.[1]

The Tennessee Court of Appeals (in case citation, Tenn. Ct. App.) was created in 1925 by the Tennessee General Assembly as an intermediate appellate court to hear appeals in civil cases from the Tennessee state trial courts. Appeals of judgments made by the Court of Appeals may be made to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Judges

The Court has twelve judges who sit on three-judge panels. The Court is further divided into three sections, each with four judges, based around Tennessee's Grand Divisions: the Eastern Section based in Knoxville, the Middle Section based in Nashville, and the Western Section based in Jackson.[2]

Judges are chosen via the Tennessee Plan: they are first nominated by the Governor and then must be confirmed or disapproved by the General Assembly. If the General Assembly is in session at the time of the nomination, it must then vote within 60 days of the nomination; if it is not in session, it must vote within 60 days of the convening of the next session. If no vote is taken within 60 days, the nominee is considered to have been confirmed by default. After the judge is confirmed, they face a retention election after each eight-year term.[3]

If a vacancy occurs between election cycles (for example, if a judge dies or retires), the 11-member Tennessee Governor's Council for Judicial Appointments interviews applicants and recommends three candidates to the Governor. The Governor then appoints a new judge to serve in the interim period until the next August general election.[4]

The twelve judges sitting on the Court as of February 2026 are:[5]

Section Judge Joined Appointer Law school Succeeded
Eastern Kristi M. Davis[6] August 3, 2020 Bill Lee (R) Tennessee Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Thomas R. "Skip" Frierson II[7] February 14, 2013 Bill Haslam (R) Tennessee Herschel P. Franks
John Westley McClarty[8] January 27, 2009[9] Phil Bredesen (D) Southern Sharon G. Lee
Vacant D. Michael Swiney
Middle Andy D. Bennett[10] September 28, 2007[11] Phil Bredesen (D) Vanderbilt William C. Koch, Jr.
Frank G. Clement, Jr.[12] October 1, 2003 Phil Bredesen (D) Nashville Ben Cantrell
W. Neal McBrayer[13] May 29, 2014 Bill Haslam (R) William & Mary Patricia J. Cottrell
Jeffrey Usman[14] September 1, 2022 Bill Lee (R) Vanderbilt Richard H. Dinkins
Western Carma Dennis McGee[15] July 19, 2019 Bill Lee (R) Memphis Brandon O. Gibson
Valerie L. Smith[16] May 19, 2025[17] Bill Lee (R) Memphis Arnold B. Goldin
J. Steven Stafford[18] June 12, 2008[19] Phil Bredesen (D) Samford W. Frank Crawford
Vacant Kenny Armstrong

See also

References

  1. ^ In re John W. et al., No. M2025-00833-COA-R3-PT, 2026 WL 497040, at *1 (Tenn. Ct. App. February 23, 2026).
  2. ^ "About the Court of Appeals". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  3. ^ Article VI, Section 3, Constitution of Tennessee, 2014
  4. ^ "Governor's Council for Judicial Appointments". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  5. ^ "Court of Appeals Judges". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  6. ^ "Judge Kristi Davis Joins the Court of Appeals". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. August 3, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  7. ^ "Frierson to be sworn in Thursday". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. February 2, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  8. ^ "Bredesen Appoints McClarty to Court of Appeals". Tennessee State Government. January 14, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  9. ^ "John W. McClarty Oath of Office" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. February 27, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  10. ^ "BREDESEN APPOINTS BENNETT TO TENNESSEE COURT OF APPEALS". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. September 18, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  11. ^ "Andy D. Bennett Oath of Office" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. September 28, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  12. ^ "Clement On Appeals Court" (PDF). Rooker Report. Vol. 11, no. 8. Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. September 2003. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  13. ^ "Investiture for Appellate Court Judge McBrayer Planned for May 29". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. May 22, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  14. ^ "Professor Jeffrey Usman Confirmed to Court of Appeals in Joint Session of Tennessee General Assembly". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. May 3, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  15. ^ "Judge Carma Dennis McGee Publicly Sworn In As Member of Tennessee Court of Appeals". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. July 24, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  16. ^ "Judge Valerie L. Smith Confirmed to Court of Appeals". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  17. ^ Thornton, Azya (May 2, 2025). "Gov. Lee to Preside Over Investiture of Judge Valerie L. Smith". Tennessee Bar Association. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  18. ^ "Bredesen Announces Appointments to Tennessee Appellate Courts". Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. June 9, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  19. ^ "Faculty Profile: J. Steven Stafford". Tennessee Bar Association. Retrieved March 11, 2026.


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