| January 31, 1797 1 Stat. 496 |
Tennessee organized as a single judicial district with one judgeship. The judicial district of Tennessee, not being assigned to a judicial circuit, was granted the same jurisdiction as a U.S. circuit court, except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. | |
| February 13, 1801 2 Stat. 89 |
The Judiciary Act of 1801 abolished the U.S. district court in Tennessee and authorized the U.S. Circuit Court for the Sixth Circuit to hold court in the districts of East and West Tennessee and exercise the full jurisdiction of district and circuit courts. | |
| March 8, 1802 2 Stat. 132 |
The repeal of the Judiciary Act of 1801 restored the judicial organization in effect before 1801, thereby reestablishing the U.S. District Court for the District of Tennessee, with the trial jurisdiction of a circuit court, effective July 1, 1802. | |
| April 29, 1802 2 Stat. 165 |
Act divided Tennessee into the Eastern and Western Districts, with one judgeship serving both districts. | |
| February 24, 1807 2 Stat. 420 |
The act repealed the circuit court jurisdiction of the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee, assigned the districts to the Seventh Circuit, and established a U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Tennessee. | |
| March 3, 1837 5 Stat. 176 |
Congress assigned the judicial districts of Tennessee to the Eighth Circuit. | |
| June 18, 1839 5 Stat. 313 |
Act established the Middle District and provided for the existing judgeship to serve all three districts. | |
| July 15, 1862 12 Stat. 576 |
Congress assigned the judicial districts of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit. | |
| June 14, 1878 20 Stat. 132 |
A separate judgeship authorized for the Western District and the existing judgeship was assigned to the Eastern and Middle Districts. | |
| September 14, 1922 42 Stat. 837 |
A separate judgeship authorized for the Middle District. | |
| May 31, 1938 52 Stat. 584 |
Temporary judgeship authorized to serve both the Eastern and Middle Districts. | |
| November 27, 1940 54 Stat. 1216 |
Temporary judgeship authorized to serve both the Eastern and Middle Districts was made permanent and assigned exclusively to the Eastern District. | |
| February 10, 1954 68 Stat. 8, 10 |
Temporary judgeship authorized for the Middle District. This position never made permanent. | |
| May 19, 1961 75 Stat. 80 |
One additional judgeship authorized for each of the three districts. | |
| June 2, 1970 84 Stat. 294 |
One additional judgeship authorized for the Western District. | |
| October 20, 1978 92 Stat. 1629 |
One additional judgeship authorized for the Middle District. | |
| July 10, 1984 98 Stat. 333 |
One additional judgeship authorized for the Eastern District and one additional judgeship was authorized for the Western District. | |
| December 1, 1990 104 Stat. 5089 |
One additional judgeship authorized for each of the three districts. | |