Understanding Tennessee's Courts: A Davidson County Guide
If you've ever gotten a jury summons, watched a friend go through a divorce, or wondered where a business dispute actually gets decided, you've probably run into Tennessee's layered court system and found it a little confusing. Tennessee doesn't have one court that handles everything. Instead, like many municipalities, it splits cases across several different courts based on the type of dispute, the amount of money involved, and whether state or federal law is at issue.
This guide breaks down four of the most commonly encountered courts — General Sessions, Circuit, Chancery, and federal court — using Davidson County (Nashville) as the working example, since its court system is well documented and fairly typical of how larger Tennessee counties are organized.
The Big Picture: State vs. Federal, and Law vs. Equity
Before getting into each court, it helps to understand two dividing lines that shape the whole system:
State courts vs. federal courts. Most disputes — landlord-tenant issues, car accidents, divorces, most crimes — are handled by state courts. Federal courts only get involved when federal law, the U.S. Constitution, or certain jurisdictional rules (like disputes between citizens of different states over large sums) are in play.
Law vs. equity. This is a historical distinction that still shapes Tennessee's state court structure. "Law" courts traditionally awarded monetary damages. "Equity" courts could order someone to actually do something (or stop doing something) — think injunctions, specific performance, or overseeing a trust. Circuit Court grew out of the "law" tradition and Chancery Court grew out of the "equity" tradition, and while their jurisdictions overlap heavily today, that origin helps explain why Tennessee has both.
With that framework in mind, here's how the four courts fit together.
General Sessions Court: The Front Door of the System
General Sessions Court is where most people's only encounter with the legal system happens. It's a court of limited jurisdiction, meaning it can only hear certain kinds of cases and, in civil matters, only up to a certain dollar amount. For Davidson County, this dollar amount is $25,000.
What it handles:
Civil disputes involving smaller amounts — traditionally the informal, faster track for things like unpaid debts, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims
Misdemeanor criminal cases
Traffic violations and local ordinance violations
Preliminary matters in felony cases, such as setting bond and holding probable cause hearings, before the case moves to a higher court
Because it's designed for speed and volume, General Sessions is often the least formal court a person will deal with — cases move quickly, and many litigants (especially in small civil claims) represent themselves without a lawyer. If a case is appealed out of General Sessions, in Tennessee it typically gets a completely fresh hearing — a "trial de novo" — in Circuit Court, rather than a review of what already happened.
Circuit Court: The Generalist
Circuit Court is Tennessee's court of general jurisdiction — the workhorse court that can hear almost any civil or criminal matter not specifically assigned elsewhere. Tennessee's 95 counties are divided into 32 judicial districts, and within each district are Circuit Courts and Chancery Courts, as provided by the state constitution.
What it handles:
Civil lawsuits such as contract disputes, personal injury claims, and property condemnation cases
Felony criminal cases (in counties without a separate Criminal Court)
Domestic relations matters like divorce and child custody cases, in counties where those aren't routed elsewhere
Probate and estate administration, in some counties
Appeals from General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal courts
Circuit Court judges can hear civil and criminal cases and appeals of decisions from Juvenile, Municipal, and General Sessions Courts and their jurisdiction often overlaps that of the chancery courts.
Chancery Court: The Court of Equity
Chancery Court is Tennessee's direct descendant of the old English "courts of equity," and it still specializes in cases where the remedy sought isn't simply monetary damages, but sometimes a court order requiring specific action, or requiring specialized oversight of an ongoing relationship. This is primarily where Anderson Legal, PLLC attorneys work cases.
What it handles:
Contract and business disputes, especially those requiring an equitable remedy
Real property disputes
Adoptions
Constitutional challenges to state or local laws
Trust, guardianship, and certain estate matters
Injunctions and other non-monetary court orders
Davidson County's Chancery Court hears Tennessee constitutional issues, contract disputes, employment lawsuits, construction, real property, and commercial (business) litigation matters.
A bit of history that explains the overlap: Circuit and Chancery Court didn't start out as cleanly separated as they are today. In 1822, equity jurisdiction was taken away from the Circuit Court and given to the Supreme Court; five years later that was reversed, and two chancellors were appointed to hold equity courts statewide. It wasn't until the Constitution of 1834 that Circuit Court and Chancery Court became distinct and separate courts, a split that has persisted ever since. In Davidson County specifically, the Circuit Court has existed continuously since 1810, while Chancery Court wasn't established there as its own entity until 1846 — before which, Chancery matters for the area were handled in neighboring Williamson County.
That history is why Circuit and Chancery Court jurisdiction still overlaps in many areas today (both can hear certain contract or property disputes, for example) — but Chancery retains its role as the go-to court whenever a case calls for equitable relief rather than just a monetary judgment. Many lawyers prefer this route because it gives Plaintiffs more options for relief.
Federal Court: A Different System Entirely
Everything above is part of Tennessee's state court system. Federal court is a separate system altogether, with its own judges (appointed, not elected), its own rules, and its own — much narrower — scope of authority.
What it handles in relation to Davidson County: Nashville sits within the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, one of three federal judicial districts covering the state (alongside the Eastern and Western Districts). Federal court only has jurisdiction over:
Cases involving a "federal question" — claims arising under the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, or federal regulations (civil rights claims, federal employment discrimination, federal criminal charges, bankruptcy, patent and copyright disputes, and similar matters)
"Diversity jurisdiction" cases — civil disputes between citizens of different states (or a U.S. citizen and a foreign party) where the amount in controversy exceeds a statutory threshold (currently $75,000)
Federal crimes, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office rather than a local district attorney
Unlike Circuit or Chancery Court, federal district judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and they serve lifetime appointments rather than standing for election. Appeals from the Middle District of Tennessee go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and from there, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court — a separate appellate track from Tennessee's own state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
Putting It All Together
General Sessions
Jurisdiction Type: Limited
Typical Cases: Small civil claims, misdemeanors, traffic, preliminary felony hearings
Judges: Elected, 8-year terms
Circuit
Jurisdiction Type: General
Typical Cases: Civil torts, contracts, some felonies, domestic relations, appeals from lower courts
Judges: Elected, 8-year terms
Chancery
Jurisdiction Type: Equity
Typical Cases: Contract/business disputes, real property, adoptions, constitutional challenges, trusts
Judges (Chancellors): Elected, 8-year terms
Federal (Middle District of TN)
Jurisdiction Type: Limited to federal matters
Typical Cases: Federal questions, diversity cases over $75,000, federal crimes
Judges: Appointed for life (but some magistrate judges can have shorter terms)
A useful rule of thumb: if the dispute is small and needs to move fast, it likely starts in General Sessions. If it's a more substantial civil or criminal matter under state law, it's probably Circuit Court. If the remedy desired could be a court order (rather than or in addition to money), or the matter involves things like trusts, adoptions, or constitutional questions, that's likely Chancery Court's territory. And if federal law or citizens of different states are involved, the case moves out of the state system entirely and into federal court.