Tennessee Code Annotated

Tennessee Code Annotated
Name	Tennessee Code Annotated
Jurisdiction	Tennessee
Publisher	LexisNexis (historically other publishers)
Language	English
Subject	Statutory law

Tennessee Code Annotated is the codified statutory law collection for the State of Tennessee, serving as the principal repository of enacted statutes and organized provisions. It functions as a reference for judges, attorneys, legislators, and scholars and is cited in opinions from the Tennessee Supreme Court, filings in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, and legislative debates in the Tennessee General Assembly. The compilation is maintained with editorial annotations and historical notes used by practitioners in matters ranging from criminal prosecutions in the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County to regulatory matters involving the Tennessee Valley Authority and municipal issues in Memphis, Tennessee.

History and Publication

The codification roots trace to early territorial statutes enacted during the era of Andrew Jackson and the era following the War of 1812, with successive compilations responding to major legislative reforms such as those overseen by governors including Ray Blanton and Bill Haslam. Publication history includes private publishers who produced annotated editions relied upon by litigators appearing before judges like Frank F. Drowota III and legislators serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives and Tennessee Senate. The compilation has evolved alongside landmark events affecting state law such as litigation against the United States Department of Justice and administrative restructuring involving the Tennessee Department of Health.

Organization and Structure

The code is organized into titles, chapters, and parts that mirror statutory subjects addressed by lawmakers in sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly and committees chaired by members associated with districts like Shelby County, Tennessee and Knox County, Tennessee. Each title aligns with practice areas encountered by attorneys arguing before the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals or the Tennessee Court of Appeals, and often cross-references statutes enacted after sessions presided over by speakers of the house such as Glen Casada. The internal structure aids citation practices used in briefs submitted to federal judges like those on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Updating and Annotations

Annotated editions include editorial notes, historical statutes, and case annotations drawn from opinions by jurists such as William M. Barker and administrative rulings from agencies including the Tennessee Regulatory Authority. Periodic supplements reflect enactments from annual sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly and special sessions called by governors like Don Sundquist and Phil Bredesen. Annotations often cite decisions from courts such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Sixth Circuit, and Tennessee appellate courts, and are used by practitioners in disputes involving entities like the Nashville Predators or regulatory matters tied to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Legal Authority and Status

The statutory text as enacted by the Tennessee General Assembly and authenticated by the Secretary of State of Tennessee carries the force of law, and courts including the Tennessee Supreme Court and trial judges in counties such as Davidson County, Tennessee and Williamson County, Tennessee rely on the code for statutory interpretation. While annotated versions published by private firms provide editorial enhancements, official legislative compilations and session laws adopted by bodies like the Tennessee General Assembly and certified under seals issued by the Governor of Tennessee are determinative in disputes involving state authority and preemption questions adjudicated in venues including the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Access and Availability

Access to annotated editions is available through commercial services used by bar associations such as the Tennessee Bar Association, law libraries at institutions like the University of Tennessee, and online platforms frequented by practitioners in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville, Tennessee. Legislative text and session laws are also obtainable from archives maintained by the Tennessee State Library and Archives and public terminals at county courthouses such as those in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Attorneys preparing filings for matters before judges in courts like the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee commonly consult both print volumes and digital databases.

Notable Features and Supplements

The annotated code contains historical notes, cross-references, and reporter decisions that assist in areas like family law cases in Rutherford County, Tennessee, municipal charters for cities such as Knoxville, Tennessee, and regulatory enforcement tied to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Supplements include pocket parts, replacement volumes, and annual revisions reflecting acts passed by legislative sessions in Nashville under governors from Lamar Alexander to Bill Lee. Special compilations address topics implicated in litigation involving institutions like Vanderbilt University and infrastructure projects associated with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Category:Tennessee law Category:State codes of the United States