NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee has announced that she will retire from the state’s highest court next year.
Lee is currently the longest serving member of the Tennessee Supreme Court after being appointed by former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen in 2008. Before that, she was an appeals judge for four years.
She is also the only remaining justice on the five-member court to be appointed by a Democrat after Justice Cornelia Clark died last year.
Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, will now be tasked with appointing a replacement. His selection must be confirmed by state lawmakers. Republicans have supermajority control in both legislative chambers.
Supreme Court justices face “yes-no” retention elections every eight years.
