2023 Tennessee Code › Title 16 - COURTS (§§ 16-1-101 — 16-22-114) › Chapter 2 - JUDICIAL DIVISIONS AND DISTRICTS (§§ 16-2-101 — 16-2-522) › Part 5 - TRIAL COURTS (§§ 16-2-501 — 16-2-522) › Section 16-2-508 - District attorneys general - Powers and duties - Assistant district attorneys general - Criminal investigators - Other positions

(a)
All incumbent district attorneys general shall hold office in and serve the judicial district to which they are assigned by §
16-2-506
. The district attorneys general shall exercise and possess the jurisdiction, powers and duties within the judicial districts created by this part as are conferred by law upon district attorneys general. This part shall not be construed to make any reduction in the staff of any district attorney general, and any legislative act that creates assistant district attorney general, criminal investigator or other positions, or that otherwise affects or involves the office of district attorney general in a particular judicial district or attorney's district as it is presently numbered or identified is made applicable to the judicial district to which the present district attorney general is assigned by this part. Nothing in this part shall be construed as affecting a county's authority to provide staff and other resources to the district attorney general of the district in which the county is located.
(b)
Except in the judicial districts comprised of the urban counties of Shelby, Davidson, Knox, Hamilton and Sullivan, the district attorney general of each judicial district shall be entitled to at least one (1) assistant district attorney general position for each trial court judge in the judicial district to which the district attorney general is assigned, as well as either one (1) additional assistant district attorney general position if the judicial district is comprised of four (4) or more counties, or two (2) additional assistant district attorney general positions if the judicial district is comprised of more than six (6) counties. If an additional trial court judge is added to a judicial district, and that district does not already have sufficient assistant district attorney general positions to satisfy the formula set out in this subsection (b), an additional assistant district attorney general position shall be created for that district upon the effective date of the creation of the new judicial position.
(c)
The district attorney general of any judicial district in which an assistant district attorney general position is created by this part shall appoint a suitable person to serve as assistant district attorney general. The person so appointed shall serve at the pleasure of the district attorney general, and shall perform the duties the district attorney general requires. Each person so appointed shall be compensated as provided for by general law.
(d)
Except for the assistant district attorney general position created annually by former subsection (c) and those created when, pursuant to §
16-2-506
, an additional trial court judge is elected in 1986, 1988 or 1990, the number of such assistant positions set out in §
16-2-506
shall be the total number of positions to which the corresponding district attorney general is entitled, and nothing in this section shall be construed as creating any assistant positions in excess of such number.
(e)
(1)
The district attorneys general shall appoint suitable individuals to the position of criminal investigator. The individuals so appointed shall perform such duties as the district attorney general may direct, and shall serve at the pleasure of the district attorney general.
(2)
In carrying out the duties of the criminal investigator's office, each of the criminal investigators shall possess the same power and authority as deputies of the county sheriffs or if the judicial district includes a metropolitan form of government then their power and authority shall include all police powers of law enforcement officers in that area metropolitan government. The compensation of such investigators shall be as provided by general law.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 68, s 3, eff. 7/1/2013.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 21, s 2, eff. 3/20/2013.
Acts 1984, ch. 931, § 8; 1986, ch. 813, §§ 2, 3; 1989, ch. 144, § 2; 1996, ch. 996, § 2.