Chattanooga native Robert E. Cooper, Jr., was sworn in Wednesday as Tennessee's 26th attorney general.
The oath of office was administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice William M. Barker as attorney Cooper's father, former Chief Justice Robert E. Cooper, held the Bible.
The new attorney general's father served on the Supreme Court from 1974 until his retirement in 1990.
Gov. Phil Bredesen and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh spoke at the ceremony in the Old Supreme Court Chambers at the state Capitol.
The ceremony was attended by an overflow crowd, including Justice Cornelia Clark, retired Justices Frank F. Drowota and Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., and three former attorneys general.
The Supreme Court
appointed Cooper to an eight-year term as the state's chief legal
officer.