Court System:  Attorneys General

The office of district attorney general, including assistant district attorneys and criminal investigators, is covered by title 8, chapter 7 of Tennessee Code Annotated. Section 16-2-506 of T.C.A. establishes the judicial districts of the trial courts and establishes the number of assistant district attorneys general and criminal investigators in each judicial district. According to T.C.A. §16-2-506, Jefferson County is in the 4th judicial district.

The following acts once affecting Jefferson County are no longer in effect but are listed here for historical purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1796, Chapter 8, Page 22, provided for the appointment of three Attorney-Generals, one to serve in each of the Washington District, the Hamilton District, and the Mero District, whose duty it would be to prosecute all offenses in the name of the State, or to which the State was a party. The Attorney-General must attend all sessions of the Court and would be paid $40 for each session, regardless of any other fees he might receive.
2. Acts of 1817, Chapter 65, Page 73, Section 3, set up ten Solicitorial Districts in Tennessee. The Third Solicitorial District included the Counties of Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier, and Blount.
3. Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 28, Page 127, in its implementation of the new State Constitution made each Solicitorial District to coincide with each Judicial Circuit in the State which had criminal jurisdiction.
4. Public Acts of 1931, Chapter 64, created the position of Assistant Attorney-General for the Second Judicial Circuit to which Jefferson County was assigned at the time.
5. Public Acts of 1939, Chapter 65, established a position of Criminal Investigator for the Second Judicial Circuit to which Jefferson County belonged, prescribed the duties, and set the compensation for whoever might fill the job. One of the qualifications was that the Criminal Investigator be a practicing attorney.
6. Public Acts of 1976, Chapter 611, Page 550, amended Chapter 65, Public Acts of 1939, Item 5, above, so as to remove the qualification that the Criminal Investigator be a practicing attorney.
7. Public Acts of 1984, Chapter 931, T.C.A. §16-2-506, provided for the redistricting of the state trial court system into judicial districts which consolidated the Circuit Court judicial circuits and the Chancery Court chancery divisions, established concurrent jurisdiction for trial court judges, created new trial court judgeships in several districts, created new positions for assistant district attorneys in several districts, and maintained all existing court clerk offices.