Jurisdiction of Municipal Courts

  1. Law
  2. Tennessee Code
  3. Courts
  4. Municipal Courts—judges
  5. Municipal Court Reform Act
  6. Jurisdiction of Municipal Courts

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  1. For any municipality that does not have, on May 5, 2009, a municipal court that was ordained and established by the general assembly, a municipal court is created to be presided over by a city judge. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary:
    1. A municipal court possesses jurisdiction in and over cases:
      1. For violation of the laws and ordinances of the municipality; or
      2. Arising under the laws and ordinances of the municipality; and
    2. A municipal court also possesses jurisdiction to enforce any municipal law or ordinance that mirrors, substantially duplicates or incorporates by cross-reference the language of a state criminal statute, if and only if the state criminal statute mirrored, duplicated or cross-referenced is a Class C misdemeanor and the maximum penalty prescribed by municipal law or ordinance is a civil fine not in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00).
  2. Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(2) or any other law to the contrary, in any municipality having a population in excess of one hundred fifty thousand (150,000), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, a municipal court also possesses jurisdiction to enforce any municipal law or ordinance that mirrors, substantially duplicates or incorporates by cross-reference the language of any of the following state criminal statutes relative to:
    1. The offense of operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver license, § 55-50-301;
    2. The Class B misdemeanor offense of reckless driving, § 55-10-205;
    3. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage purchasing, possession, transportation or consumption of alcoholic beverages, wine or beer, § 1-3-113(b);
    4. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage consumption, possession or transportation of beer or any intoxicating liquor, § 57-3-412(a)(3);
    5. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage purchasing or attempting to purchase any alcoholic beverage, § 57-3-412(a)(5);
    6. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage purchasing, attempting to purchase or possession of any alcoholic beverages, § 57-4-203(b)(2);
    7. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage purchasing or attempting to purchase beer or alcoholic beverages, § 57-5-301(d); or
    8. The Class A misdemeanor offenses of underage possession or transportation of beer, § 57-5-301(e).
  3. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, in addition to jurisdiction authorized pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), a municipal court may also exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the court of general sessions if, and only if:
    1. The municipal court possessed and exercised such concurrent general sessions jurisdiction continuously on and before May 11, 2003; or
    2. After May 12, 2003, concurrent general sessions jurisdiction is duly conferred upon the municipal court in accordance with the procedures and requirements set forth in § 16-18-311.
  4. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a municipal court may exercise no jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction authorized by this section; provided, however, that this section shall not be construed to impair or in any way restrict the authority of a juvenile judge to waive jurisdiction over any cases or class of cases of alleged traffic violations, as authorized pursuant to § 37-1-146, or the authority of a municipal court to receive and dispose of such cases or classes of cases of alleged traffic violations.


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