NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers on Thursday confirmed Dwight Tarwater to serve on the state's highest court starting this summer.

Tarwater will replace outgoing Justice Sharon Lee upon her retirement on Aug. 31. Justice Lee announced in November that she would retire from the Tennessee Supreme Court after serving on the bench since 2008, when she was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Justice Lee is the only remaining justice on the five-member court to be appointed by a Democrat after Justice Cornelia Clark died in 2021.

Tarwater has been a partner at Knoxville-based Paine, Tarwater, Bickers, LLP. He previously served as former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's chief legal counsel.

Gov. Lee selected Tarwater for the job early last month.

The governor's selection required confirmation by state lawmakers. Republicans have supermajority control in both legislative chambers.

Supreme Court justices face "yes-no" retention elections every eight years.

Additionally on Thursday, lawmakers confirmed the governor's pick of Matthew Wilson to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. Wilson has served as an assistant federal prosecutor in the Western District of Tennessee.

Wilson fills a vacancy created by the death of Judge John Everett Williams.