For most of Tennessee’s history, appellate judges, like other public officials, were selected in elections. But in 1971, the General Assembly decided to change things by adopting Tennessee’s current system for selecting appellate judges – the “Tennessee Plan.” The plan charges the governor with appointing all appellate judges in the state, including Supreme Court Justices, from a list of candidates submitted by a nominating commission. In June 2008, the Tennessee Plan will expire unless it is reauthorized by the legislature. This is, therefore, an opportune time to consider whether the Tennessee Plan has served the citizens of the state well. Please visit the links below to see recent media coverage on the state of the Tennessee Plan.

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