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.