Tennessee § 16-15-201 - Judge of court — Qualifications — Number.

§ 16-15-201. Judge of court — Qualifications — Number.

There shall be one (1) judge for each court with the same qualifications and term of office as provided by the constitution of Tennessee for inferior courts. In addition to the qualifications prescribed in subsection (a), the judges of courts of general sessions of counties of the eighth class having a population of not less than nine thousand two hundred thirty (9,230) nor more than nine thousand two hundred fifty (9,250), according to the 1960 federal census or any subsequent federal census, shall have the qualifications required for the courts of record provided for in § 17-1-106. In addition to the qualifications prescribed in subsection (a), the judges of courts of general sessions of counties of the seventh class having a population of not less than fourteen thousand six hundred fifty (14,650) nor more than fourteen thousand six hundred seventy (14,670), according to the 1960 federal census or any subsequent federal census, shall have the qualifications required for the courts of record provided for in § 17-1-106. In addition to the qualifications prescribed in subsection (a), the judges of courts of general sessions of counties of the fifth class having a population of not less than twenty-eight thousand six hundred sixty (28,660) nor more than twenty-eight thousand six hundred ninety (28,690), according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census, shall have the qualifications required for the courts of record provided for in § 17-1-106. This section shall not be construed to affect or change the number of judges prescribed for any court of general sessions in any county by private act in effect as of March 11, 1959, or any private act that may be thereafter enacted prescribing more than one (1) judge for a court of general sessions in a particular county. In event of any conflict between this section and a private act as to the number of judges presiding over the court of general sessions in any particular county, the private act shall control. Acts 1959, ch. 109, § 9; 1965, ch. 114, § 2; 1967, ch. 276, § 2; 1968, ch. 635, § 2; 1969, ch. 44, § 2; modified; T.C.A., § 16-1105; Acts 1982, ch. 564, § 1. Compiler's Notes. Section 1 of Acts 1968, ch. 635 amended Acts 1965, ch. 114 by providing for local approval, and § 2 of Acts 1968, ch. 635 validated Acts 1965, ch. 114. Acts 1968, ch. 635 has been approved by the local governing body. Section 1 of Acts 1969, ch. 44 amended Acts 1967, ch. 276 by providing for local approval and § 2 of Acts 1969, ch. 44 validated Acts 1967, ch. 276. Acts 1969, ch. 44 has been approved by the local governing body. For table of U.S. decennial populations of Tennessee counties, see Volume 13 and its supplement. Cross-References. Compensation and qualifications of judges, jurisdiction, title 50, ch. 15, part 50. Qualifications of judges of inferior courts, Tenn. Const., art. VI, § 4. Textbooks. Tennessee Criminal Practice and Procedure (Raybin), §§ 6.1, 7.1. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 17 Tenn. Juris., Justices of Peace and General Sessions Courts, § 4. Law Reviews. The Impossible Balance: A Tennessee judge makes the case for abolishing state's part-time judgeships (Judge James L. Cotton Jr.), 37 No. 5 Tenn. B.J. 12 (2001). The Tennessee Court System — General Sessions Court (Frederic S. Le Clercq), 8 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 375.