Judges to Be Lawyers — Exceptions

1. Law
2. Tennessee Code
3. Judges and Chancellors
4. General Provisions
5. Qualifications and Selection
6. Judges to Be Lawyers — Exceptions

1. In addition to the qualifications provided for judges by Tenn. Const. art. VI, §§ 3 and 4, judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, chancery courts, circuit courts, criminal courts, and courts exercising the jurisdiction imposed in one (1) or more of the chancery courts, circuit courts or criminal courts, shall be learned in the law, which must be evidenced by the judge being authorized to practice law in the courts of this state.
2. 1. This section shall not apply to courts of general sessions in counties of this state having a population according to the federal census of 1960 or any subsequent federal census as follows:

      not less than  nor more than

      4,000 4,500

      4,700 4,800

      4,900 4,950

      5,100 5,200

      5,250 5,300

      5,900 6,000

      6,250 6,300

      7,250 7,300

      7,800 7,825

      8,000 8,400

      8,400 8,500

      8,500 8,600

      9,500 9,571

      10,600 10,700

      11,500 11,511

      11,512 11,525

      11,850 11,900

      11,900 11,950

      12,170 12,200

      12,500 12,600

      13,000 13,500

      14,300 14,400

      15,400 15,500

      16,100 16,200

      17,000 17,500

      18,000 18,500

      18,800 18,850

      19,000 19,100

      19,100 20,000

      21,000 21,100

      21,450 21,500

      21,500 21,600

      22,200 22,300

      24,200 24,240

      25,500 25,600

      26,950 27,000

      27,650 27,700

      28,600 28,650

      30,400 30,500

      39,100 39,200

      41,550 41,600

      42,150 42,200

      250,000 300,000

   2. This section shall not apply to judges of the county courts nor to chairs of county courts in the various counties of this state except in those counties where such judges or chairs exercise general criminal jurisdiction normally exercised by the criminal and circuit courts, jurisdiction of purely civil cases in which a jury is provided for, except insanity proceedings and condemnation of land proceedings, and jurisdiction to hear and determine divorce cases.
3. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (b) to the contrary, this section shall apply to any county having a population of not less than two hundred eighty-seven thousand seven hundred (287,700) nor more than two hundred eighty-seven thousand eight hundred (287,800), according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census.
   2. Subdivision (c)(1) shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the county legislative body of any county to which it may apply. Its approval or nonapproval shall be proclaimed by the presiding officer of the county legislative body and shall be certified by such officer to the secretary of state.
4. Notwithstanding any other public or private act, law or charter provision, subsection (a) shall also apply to judges of city courts of all cities of this state having a population in excess of one hundred sixty thousand (160,000), according to the federal census of 1980 or any subsequent federal census.

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