The Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled against Hamilton County in a case involving vending machines and the commissary at the workhouse at Silverdale and vending machines at the MLK Building on Oak Street.
The Department of Human Services in November 2006 had notified the county that the operations needed to be turned over to blind vendors under state law.
The county filed an appeal, but an administrative law judge ruled for DHS.
The county appealed to Chancery Court, but got an unfavorable ruling from Chancellor Ellen Lyle of Nashville.
The case was then appealed on to the Court of Appeals.
The county had relied on a 1941 private act giving the county control over its buildings.