Juvenile Court
Juvenile Court is a special court for children under 18.
In most Tennessee counties, the General Sessions Court also handles Juvenile Court cases. But in some counties, there is a separate Juvenile Court.
Types of Cases Handled by Juvenile Court
Juvenile courts are for civil cases involving children under 18, such as for children who:
- Break the law (juvenile delinquents)
- Are unruly, and
- Have traffic violations.
Juvenile court also handles cases that involve the parents of children, such as:
- Child custody and visitation
- Child support
- Guardianship
- Parentage of children whose parents are not married
- Ending parents’ rights
- Child abuse and neglect
- Dependency
- Parents who do not make sure their children go to school
Other Resources About Juvenile Court
Click on any link below for more information about:
- Basic Custody Guide, by Legal Aid of East Tennessee
- Child Support, by the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands
Resources from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
- Forms and Publications
- Answers to Common Questions
- Your Rights in Juvenile Court
- Information about Court-Appointed Guardians
- Legal help for Child Dependency and Parents’ Rights Cases
For information on the juvenile court in your county, you can:
- Click on your county on the map or list of counties,
- Find the juvenile court judges in your county,
- Find the juvenile court clerks in your county,
- Find the juvenile court staff in your county.
Important! Court employees are not allowed to make referrals to lawyers, do legal research, or give legal advice.