Tennessee Code Title 6. Cities and Towns § 6-21-501

(b)(1) At the regular general election in August 1990, the candidate for city judge who receives the highest number of votes shall be elected to the position of city judge for a term of eight (8) years and shall be a licensed attorney authorized to practice in the courts of this state. The city judge shall be not less than thirty (30) years of age and shall be a resident of the county within which the city lies. The city judge shall receive such compensation as the board by ordinance may establish; provided, that such compensation shall not be altered for the term for which the city judge is elected.

(2) All fees shall be paid into the treasury of the city and are not to be considered as part of the compensation of the city judge. In the absence or disability of the city judge, a general sessions court judge of the county within which the city lies shall sit temporarily as city judge. Any vacancy in the office of city judge shall be filled by the board until the next regularly scheduled election is conducted.

(3) This subsection (b) is local in effect and shall become effective in a particular municipality upon the contingency of a two-thirds ( 2/3 ) vote of the legislative body of the municipality approving this subsection (b). Unless the municipality's charter provides otherwise, by the same vote, the legislative body of the municipality may revoke the approval of this subsection (b), and this subsection (b) shall become ineffective upon the end of the term of the city judge elected under this subsection (b).