Court System:  Juvenile Court

The Juvenile Court Restructure Act of 1982, as amended, is codified in Tennessee Code Annotated §§37-1-201 through 37-1-214. Its purpose is to provide adequate juvenile court services in every county.

Tennessee Code Annotated §37-1-203 provides that the general sessions courts shall exercise juvenile court jurisdiction except in counties or municipalities wherein juvenile courts are specially provided for by law.

Special juvenile courts may be created by law (private act) to exercise juvenile court jurisdiction in a county or in contiguous counties. Counties must provide funding for such special juvenile courts. T.C.A. §37-1-205.

Clerks of general sessions courts are required to maintain separate minutes, dockets, and records for all juvenile matters in those counties in which the general sessions court is also the juvenile court. T.C.A. §37-1-210. The clerk of a special juvenile court is a duly elected clerk of another court in the county designated by resolution of the county legislative body, except where a duly elected clerk is provided by law (private act or charter). Clerks of the special juvenile courts are given the same duties, authority and obligations provided for clerks of other courts of record. T.C.A. §37-1-211.

Tennessee Code Annotated §37-1-159 provides that the juvenile court shall be a court of record. Any appeal from final disposition of a case, except the transfer of a child to be dealt with as an adult under T.C.A. §37-1-134, may be made to the circuit court for a trial de novo.

The following acts once affecting juvenile courts in Jefferson County are included herein for reference purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Public Acts of 1981, Chapter 120, T.C.A. §37-1-102(4)(A)(ii) lowered the age from 21 to 19 years in the definition of a child under juvenile court jurisdiction.
2. Public Acts of 1982, Chapter 882, established time limits for the detention of an unruly child, T.C.A. §37-1-114, and considerations for the disposition of an unruly child, T.C.A. §37-1-132.
3. Public Acts of 1983, Chapter 88, T.C.A. §37-1-107, makes the recommendation of a Juvenile Court Referee the decree of the Court pending rehearing unless the Judge orders otherwise.
4. Public Acts of 1983, Chapter 387, T.C.A. §37-1-505, provides that the county shall pay the expenses of a Juvenile Judge attending training sessions if the State does not pay.
5. Public Acts of 1983, Chapter 408, T.C.A. §37-1-116, provides that after January 1, 1985 no juvenile may be detained or placed in a facility for detention of adults, except in certain circumstances.
6. Public Acts of 1983, Chapter 453, T.C.A. §37-1-104, grants concurrent jurisdiction to Juvenile Courts to order support for minor children.
   [Compiler's Note:  This chapter does not authorize a juvenile court to assume jurisdiction if another court with concurrent jurisdiction has assumed jurisdiction for the purpose of ordering such support.]