Tennessee Supreme Court Decisions
Under the Tennessee Constitution, the Tennessee Supreme Court hears appeals in Nashville, Jackson, and Knoxville, as well as other cities if needed. It reviews appeals of both civil and criminal cases from courts such as the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. If one of the lower appellate courts fails to reach a decision in an emergency situation, the Supreme Court may assume jurisdiction and decide the case. In addition, the Court may review cases that pose constitutional questions, cases that involve state tax rules, and cases that relate to the right to hold public office. The Court consists of five justices, each of whom serves a term of eight years.
Article 8-18-101 of the Tennessee Constitution provides specific requirements for a prospective justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court. In addition to meeting these requirements, a candidate must be at least 35 years old and must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee. They must have been a resident of the state for at least five years. The Governor of Tennessee appoints each new justice, and the Tennessee General Assembly must confirm each appointment. In the next general election after a justice is appointed, they must go through a retention election. If they are retained, they will need to go through another retention election at the end of their term to stay on the Court. This system has faced several legal challenges, but the Supreme Court has held that retention elections are constitutional. Only one justice has been removed or not retained under the current system.
The Chief Justice currently serves a term of two years, although this has varied during the history of the Court. The justices of the Court choose the Chief Justice, as provided by the Tennessee Constitution.
- 2025 (15)
- 2024 (20)
- 2023 (30)
- 2022 (22)
- 2021 (29)
- 2020 (41)
- 2019 (50)
- 2018 (31)
- 2017 (57)
- 2016 (41)
- 2015 (73)
- 2014 (50)
- 2013 (81)
- 2012 (70)
- 2011 (86)
- 2010 (118)
- 2009 (69)
- 2008 (64)
- 2007 (48)
- 2006 (69)
- 2005 (74)
- 2004 (64)
- 2003 (50)
- 2002 (52)
- 2001 (71)
- 2000 (65)
- 1999 (57)
- 1998 (50)
- 1997 (45)
- 1996 (46)
- 1995 (83)
- 1994 (59)
- 1993 (73)
- 1992 (67)
- 1991 (76)
- 1990 (48)
- 1989 (54)
- 1988 (57)
- 1987 (52)
- 1986 (50)
- 1985 (60)
- 1984 (72)
- 1983 (61)
- 1982 (48)
- 1981 (49)
- 1980 (52)
- 1979 (59)
- 1978 (88)
- 1977 (86)
- 1976 (78)
- 1975 (94)
- 1974 (47)
- 1973 (49)
- 1972 (35)
- 1971 (35)
- 1970 (37)
- 1969 (43)
- 1968 (59)
- 1967 (57)
- 1966 (81)
- 1965 (86)
- 1964 (84)
- 1963 (75)
- 1962 (63)
- 1961 (68)
- 1960 (77)
- 1959 (70)
- 1958 (48)
- 1957 (65)
- 1956 (84)
- 1955 (69)
- 1954 (75)
- 1953 (42)
- 1952 (51)
- 1951 (55)
- 1950 (63)
- 1948 (1)
- 1904 (1)
Recent Decisions From the Tennessee Supreme Court
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: E2022-00322-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a healthcare liability action filed by the plaintiff, Payton Castillo, against CHI Memorial Hospital and other entities and physicians, alleging negligence in the care provided to her husband, who died…
Date: April 29, 2025
Docket Number: M2021-00731-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Vanessa Turner (formerly Vanessa Colley) and John S. Colley, III were divorced in 2012, with a marital dissolution agreement (MDA) and a permanent parenting plan incorporated into the final decree. Post-divorce, John…
Date: April 25, 2025
Docket Number: M2021-00174-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: In 2014, Emergency Medical Care Facilities, P.C. (EMCF) filed a putative class action against BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Inc. (BCBST), alleging breach of contract due to a cap on certain payments for medical…
Date: April 25, 2025
Docket Number: M2022-00471-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: An elderly woman with severely impaired cognitive functioning was a resident at a skilled nursing facility. While an employee was helping her shower, the employee took a personal video call and propped her phone in a way…
Date: March 26, 2025
Docket Number: E2022-01058-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, an at-will employee, was terminated by her employer, a private organization, after she sent emails to members of the Tennessee General Assembly expressing grievances about the employer's COVID-19…
Date: March 10, 2025
Docket Number: W2023-01265-SC-R3-BP
Date: March 7, 2025
Docket Number: E2022-01577-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Robin M. McNabb, a former Municipal Court Judge for Lenoir City, filed an election contest against Gregory H. Harrison, who won the election for the same position in 2022. McNabb argued that Harrison was ineligible to…
Date: March 6, 2025
Docket Number: M2022-00794-SC-R11-CD
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a road-rage incident in Marion County, Tennessee, where William Rimmel, III, aggressively pursued Bobbie Burke on the interstate while riding his motorcycle. Rimmel eventually broke the passenger window…
Date: February 26, 2025
Docket Number: M2022-00083-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Leah Gilliam had a personalized license plate reading "69PWNDU" for over a decade. The State of Tennessee revoked the plate, deeming it offensive. Gilliam sued state officials, claiming that Tennessee's personalized…
Date: February 20, 2025
Docket Number: M2023-00345-SC-R11-CV
Date: February 6, 2025
Docket Number: E2023-01567-SC-R3-BP
Date: January 22, 2025
Docket Number: M2021-01504-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Charles Youree, Jr. filed a lawsuit against two business entities, Recovery House of East Tennessee, LLC and RHT Holdings, LLC, seeking to hold them liable for a judgment he previously obtained against another entity,…
Date: January 22, 2025
Docket Number: M2022-00597-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Clayton D. Richards underwent a medical procedure at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in August 2013, resulting in bilateral lower extremity paralysis. He initially filed a negligence lawsuit against VUMC in…
Date: January 8, 2025
Docket Number: M2021-01511-SC-R11-CV
Justia Opinion Summary: Robert Trentham slipped and fell on a pedestrian bridge at the Venue at Cool Springs apartment complex in Franklin, Tennessee, owned by Mid-America Apartments, LP (MAA). The incident occurred on a rainy morning, and…
Date: January 8, 2025
Docket Number: W2022-00814-SC-R11-CD
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the defendant was convicted in 2022 for unlawful possession of a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony crime of violence. The State introduced a certified judgment of conviction for the…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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