Section 17-1-301 - Vacancies in office(a) If a vacancy occurs during the term of office of a judge of the supreme court, the court of appeals, or the court of criminal appeals, then the governor shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. The governor's appointee shall be confirmed and shall stand for election in a retention election in accordance with chapter 4, part 1 of this title.(b) If a vacancy occurs in the office of a chancellor, circuit court judge, criminal court judge, or judge of any other state trial court of record, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with chapter 4, part 3 of this title.Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 528,s 7, eff. 1/28/2016.Acts 1870, ch. 24, § 6; 1871, ch. 128, §§ 1, 2; 1895, ch. 76, § 6; Shan., §§ 381, 6316; mod. Code 1932, §§ 637, 10609; modified; Acts 1965, ch. 289, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1967, ch. 226, § 3; 1969, ch. 138, § 1; 1979, ch. 384, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 17-112; Acts 1999, ch. 315, § 1; 2007, ch. 190, § 1.