Appeals Court upholds state law halving Metro Nashville Council

Historic Nashville Courthouse. (Photo: John Partipilo)

A split Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the state’s effort to cut the Metro Nashville Council in half, overturning a trial court decision in a battle between state and local governments.

The three-judge panel upheld a 2023 bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature cutting the size of metropolitan government councils to 20, a move that would dramatically reduce the size of the Metro Nashville Council from 40 members — 35 from districts and five elected at-large.

The appeals court overruled a Davidson County Chancery Court’s decision that the state law violated two sections of the state Constitution, the home rule amendment that prevents the state from targeting specific local governments and a clause exemp