Appeals court finds Tennessee can cut size of Nashville Metro Council, reversing lower court ruling

An appeals court has ruled that the state can go forward with a plan to cut in half the membership of Nashville’s Metro Council. Two judges on the Tennessee Court of Appeals supported the decision; the third dissented.  

Tuesday’s ruling from overturns a lower court decision from 2024, which found that a state law shrinking the Metro Council violated the “home rule” amendment to the Tennessee constitution. That principle holds that the state can’t pass laws targeting a specific local community without the approval of the local government. 

The appeals court now says the state law did not target Metro Nashville because it limits the size of local councils across Tennessee — and that Nashville just happens to be the only local government that’s over the size limit. 

Rep. William Lamberth, the Tennessee House majority leader, praised Tuesday’s decision.

“This action reins in excessive government growth while ensuring local municipalities across the Volunteer State remain accountable and responsive to their constituents,” he said.

More: Nashville’s unusually large Metro Council — will voters shrink it? (2015)

Nashville Vice Mayor Angie Henderson says she’s disappointed.

“Metro Nashville was first in the nation to fully consolidate a city and a county government, and in so doing, a 40-member, highly representative, local legislative branch was created by the voters,” she said. “I am disappointed that today’s Court of Appeals decision failed to respect the will of our voters.”

The vice mayor says she will speak with Metro Legal about next steps, and an appeal is possible.