Find Lawyers in Tennessee

Within the Tennessee judicial branch, there are various levels of courts. There are three federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, a state court of criminal appeals, and trial courts

• City Courts
• District Courts
• Circuit Courts
• Tennessee Court of Appeals
• Tennessee Supreme Court

It’s interesting to note that the vast majority of cases will be held in front of a District Court, then depending on the outcome, the case can be elevated to higher courts.  In the end,  the Supreme Court is considered the highest authority. The 95 counties of Tennessee are split up into 31 judicial districts. According to the state constitution, Circuit Courts and Chancery Courts are located inside each district. Additionally, certain districts have Probate Courts and Criminal Courts that were formed by legislation. 

Trial courts:

Chancery courts

Cases involving contracts, name changes, applications for injunctions, and litigation are all handled by chancery courts. Either the chancery court or the circuit court can hear a variety of cases, including those involving divorce, adoption, and workers’ compensation.

Circuit court

Tennessee’s circuit courts have broad legal authority. Judges in circuit courts consider appeals of judgments from the juvenile, municipal, and general session courts as well as civil and criminal proceedings. Circuit courts frequently have jurisdictional overlap with chancery courts. Except in regions where separate criminal courts established by the General Assembly are located, criminal cases are heard in circuit court.

Criminal court

Tennessee Criminal Courts are trial courts with jurisdiction over criminal matters in Tennessee.   Judges in criminal courts have the authority to handle misdemeanor appeals from subordinate courts in addition to criminal proceedings. Circuit court judges preside over criminal trials in districts without criminal courts.

Probate court

Tennessee Probate Courts have “exclusive jurisdiction over probate of wills and administration of estates. The courts also handle conservatorships and guardianships” . 

General sessions court

The General Sessions Court is a court in Tennessee that hears civil and criminal cases. 

Juvenile court

Cases involving minors are handled by Tennessee’s Juvenile Court. These courts occasionally have jurisdictional overlap with Circuit, Chancery, and Probate Courts.

Municipal Court

The Municipal Courts deal with violations of city or municipal laws.

Facts:

Did you know there are 18,818 lawyers currently practicing in the state?

Other Links:

• Tennessee Judiciary
• Tennessee State Bar
• Tennessee Bar Association/ Legal Aid
• Judges
• Senior Judges
• Business Court
• Clerks
• Court Forms
• Three-Judge Panels
• Local Rules of Practice
• Presiding Judges List