Tennessee Court Information, System and Jurisdiction

There are a lot of similarities in the hierarchy of the court systems among the various states of the U.S.. There are however many differences as well, and these differences are in the number of courts these states have. There is also some difference in the jurisdiction that the states allow these individual courts to enjoy.

In the case of Tennessee, the number of courts is rather larger. Here are the various Tennessee courts in the state:

•    The Supreme Court
•    The Court of Appeals (there are 3 divisions)
•    The Criminal Appeals Court (3 divisions)
•    The Circuit Courts (these are present in 31 districts)
•    The Probate and Chancery Courts (to be found in 31 districts)
•    The Criminal Courts (present in 31 districts)
•    The City and Municipal Courts
•    The Family and Juvenile Courts
•    The General Sessions Court

The fact that there are a large number of courts in the state means that each court has a particular task assigned to it. Specialization of course leads to better and quicker justice, and so there is some logic in this.

The presence of so many courts can also lead to confusion. For example, when you need to approach a court for some legal opinion or intervention, you might get confused as to which one to approach. This situation can arise when you do not know the exact court that has the jurisdiction to hear your case. After all, if you approach the wrong TN Court, your case might not be accepted. The main website for all TN Courts is http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/index.htm.

Tennessee Supreme Court

The Supreme Court in Tennessee is the highest legal body in the state. According to the constitution of the state which came into being in 1870, there are 5 justices in this Tennessee court. A minimum number of 1 but less than 3 must belong to the 3 Grand Divisions in the state (Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee and East Tennessee). This law was made to ensure that there is no regional bias. Supreme Court justices in Tennessee have serve of 8 years. The Supreme Court of Tennessee sits in Nashville, Jackson and at Knoxville. In recent times, the court has met in many other places as well.

Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals in the state came into being in 1925. This is a Tennessee court that can hear appeals for civil cases from the lower trial courts in the state. Please note that it hears only civil cases as those that are criminal must go to the Criminal Appeals Court. If you are not happy with the judgment of the Court of Appeals, you must appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeals in Tennessee has 12 judges and for each case there is a panel comprised of 3 judges. Judges in the state serve terms of 8 years and if there is a vacancy, it is filled by the Governor of the state. The Court of Appeals' website is http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/geninfo/Bio/Appeals/Biotca.htm.

Criminal Appeals Court

The Criminal Appeals Court of Tennessee is among the two appellate courts in the intermediate level. This Tennessee Court has the jurisdiction to hear cases of misdemeanors and felonies, and the petitions are filed once a conviction has taken place. Judges in this court serve terms of 8 years and in case there is a vacancy the position is filled by the state's Governor.

The Criminal Appeals Court sits every month in Nashville, Knoxville and Jackson, and there are always panels of 3 judges. The court can however meet in other places too. In this appellate court, there is no jury system and no witness testimony. Decisions are made based on oral as well as written arguments made by the attorneys. If you are not happy with the judgment passed by this court, then you can appeal to the state Supreme Court with permission.

Tennessee Chancery Courts

Chancery Courts in the state are trial courts that have general jurisdiction. This Tennessee court shares jurisdiction with Circuit Courts in the state. Chancellors, however, are allowed to make changes to the application of rules to provide relief in some individual cases based on certain circumstances.

Tennessee Probate Courts

Probate Courts in the state have exclusive jurisdiction on matters of estate administration and will probates. These Tennessee courts can also hear cases of guardianships and conservatorships. These courts are not present in all the counties. In fact, the only counties where you will find them are Shelby and Davidson.

Other TN Courts

City and Municipal Courts in the state have jurisdiction on matters where there is a violation in any city ordinance. On the other hand, a Juvenile Court in Tennessee has the exclusive jurisdiction over all cases that involve a minor.