Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-304

This is the official text of Tenn. Code Ann. § 17-2-304, part of Tennessee’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of Tennessee, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Assignment - Powers, duties and immunities

Official statutory text

(a) The chief justice may, with the senior justice's or judge's consent, assign the senior justice or judge to any state court. (b) The assignment of a senior justice or judge shall be made by an order that designates the court to which the judge is assigned and the duration of the assignment. Promptly after the assignment of a senior justice or judge, the clerk of the supreme court in the grand division to which the assignment is made shall cause a certified copy of the order to be sent to the senior justice or judge and another certified copy to the presiding judge of the court to which the justice or judge is assigned. (c) A senior justice or judge assigned as provided in this section has all the powers, duties and immunities while serving under the assignment of a regularly elected and qualified justice or judge of the court to which the senior justice or judge has been assigned. Without assignment, senior justices and judges may perform routine ministerial acts, including the solemnization of marriages and the administering of oaths, but shall not admit to bail any person accused of a crime. (d) A senior justice or judge who has sat by designation and assignment on any court may, notwithstanding the expiration of the designation and assignment, decide or join in the decision and final disposition of all matters submitted to the justice or judge during the period of the assignment and may decide or join in the consideration and disposition of petitions for rehearing or further proceedings in the matters, including matters relating to cases on appeal. Acts 1990, ch. 1025, § 4.
(a) The chief justice may, with the senior justice's or judge's consent, assign the senior justice or judge to any state court.
(b) The assignment of a senior justice or judge shall be made by an order that designates the court to which the judge is assigned and the duration of the assignment. Promptly after the assignment of a senior justice or judge, the clerk of the supreme court in the grand division to which the assignment is made shall cause a certified copy of the order to be sent to the senior justice or judge and another certified copy to the presiding judge of the court to which the justice or judge is assigned.
(c) A senior justice or judge assigned as provided in this section has all the powers, duties and immunities while serving under the assignment of a regularly elected and qualified justice or judge of the court to which the senior justice or judge has been assigned. Without assignment, senior justices and judges may perform routine ministerial acts, including the solemnization of marriages and the administering of oaths, but shall not admit to bail any person accused of a crime.
(d) A senior justice or judge who has sat by designation and assignment on any court may, notwithstanding the expiration of the designation and assignment, decide or join in the decision and final disposition of all matters submitted to the justice or judge during the period of the assignment and may decide or join in the consideration and disposition of petitions for rehearing or further proceedings in the matters, including matters relating to cases on appeal.
Acts 1990, ch. 1025, § 4.

Status: in_force

Need a lawyer in Tennessee?

Find a Tennessee lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.