Approved judicial district plans to expand in-person hearings are available here.
The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts is open and is prepared to assist judges, court staff, and others to the best of its ability during the coronavirus outbreak. Almost all AOC staff has the ability to work remotely and will continue to work in the office or remotely. Per the CDC Guidelines, the AOC is limiting the number of individuals in our Nashville office and is unable to receive visitors at this time. If you need assistance, please call (615) 741-2687 or email webmaster@tncourts.gov
If you are looking for legal help for a legal situation you are in please visit: Help4TN.org
If you are looking for eviction resources click here.
Tennessee Court Orders, Rules, Policies Related to Coronavirus
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Ending State of Emergency - June 8, 2023
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Eliminating Distancing Requirement - February 16, 2022
- Order Regarding 2020 Continuting Legal Education - September 15, 2021
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Encouraging Facial Coverings and Other Means Of Conducting Business - August 26, 2021
Tennessee Supreme Court Order Encouraging Facial Coverings and Other Means of Conducting Business - Concurrence/Dissent - August 26,2021 - Tennessee Supreme Court Order Modifying Capacity, Distancing and Facial Covering Requirements - May 14, 2021
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Modifying Certain Provisions of TN SCT R7 In Order For July 2021 Bar Exam To Be Virtual - February 16, 2021
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Easing Suspension on In-Person Proceedings - February 12, 2021
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Extending State of Emergency and Suspension of In-Person Proceedings - January 15, 2021
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Extending State of Emergency and Reinstating Suspension of In-Person Court Proceedings - December 22, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order -Supplementing Nov. 17 Order, Clarifying Restrictions On Entering Courthouse - December 7, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Regarding 2021 Continuing Legal Education - December 3, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Extending State of Emergency, Suspending Jury Trials - November 17, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Continuing Suspension of Board of Professional Responsibility's Proceedings and Extending Deadlines - October 27, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Temporarily Modifying Certain Provisions of TN SCT R7 Related to the February 2021 Bar Examination - October 23, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Temporarily Modifying Certain Provisions of TN SCT R7 Related to the February 2021 Bar Examination - October 8, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Temporarily Modifying Certain Provisions of the TN Supreme Court Rule 7 Related to the February 2021 Bar Exam - September 25, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Canceling Fall In-Person Bar Exam, Directing On-Line Exam and Modifying Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7 - July 13, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Regarding Joint Petition for Court Action to Protect the Public's Constitutional Right of Access to the Courts - July 13, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Requiring Facial Coverings - July 9, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Canceling July 2020 Bar Exam - July 2, 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order - May 26
- Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order - April 24
Approved judicial district plans to expand in-person hearings are available here.
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order in response to Petition to Reduce Jail Populations - April 27
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Continuing Suspension of BPR Proceedings - April 27
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order on July 2020 Bar Exam - May 11
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order on Bar Exam Related Modifications - April 2
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order on Electronic Signatures - April 2
For more information on notarization, please see Executive Order 26 under TN Government Actions
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order on Continuing Legal Education
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order on Continuing Legal Education for 2020
- Tennessee Supreme Court Order Suspending BPR Proceedings
- Tennessee Executive Branch/Administrative Courts Order
- Court of Workers' Compensation Claims - COVID-19 Memo.
- Sample Letter to Law Enforcement Regarding Orders of Protection
- Serving Process on the State of Tennessee During the Coronavirus Outbreak
- Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program Open, Ready to Serve Attorneys In Need
- Guidance for Drug Courts from the DOJ
Local Court Orders and Policies - Middle Tennessee
Judicial district plans to expand in-person hearings are available here.
- Davidson County General Sessions Reduced Docket Order - December 4, 2020
- Davidson County General Sessions Support Person Order - December 7, 2020
- Davidson County General Sessions Order. Revising General Sessions dockets.
- Davidson County General Sessions Order - Traffic School Extension.
- Davidson County Juvenile Court Policy for Coronavirus. Includes listing of which hearings will be heard.
- Davidson County Juvenile Court COVID-19 Policy
- Davidson County Sixth Circuit Chamber Rules.
- Davidson County Probate Court Rules.
- 17th Judicial District order
- 17th Judicial District E-Filing Order
- 19th Judicial District order on parenting plans during school closures
19th Judicial District - Memo to the Bar - Violation of COVID-19 Protocols - November 25 - Montgomery County General Sessions Modified Docket Order - December 8, 2020
- 20th Judicial District Criminal Court Memo - includes scheduling information
- 20th judicial district, second circuit, Judge Amanda McClendon schedule (Davidson). Includes information on daily remote audio dockets.
- 20th judicial district, chancery court, part III, Chancellor Lyle protocol (Davidson)
- 20th Judicial District Chancery Court Pt. III Update - Chancellor Lyle Protocol (Davidson)
- 20th judicial district, chancery court, part I, Chancellor Moskal (Davidson)
- 20th Judicial District Chancery Court Pt. II - Chancellor Martin (Davidson)
- 21st Judicial District (Woodruff & Binkley) Civil and Domestic motion dockets. Includes scheduling information.
- 21st Judicial District Order.
- 21st Judicial District Order Supplement
- 22nd Judicial District (Giles, Lawrence, Maury, Wayne Counties) Order. Includes information on what cases will be rescheduled and which will be heard.
- 22nd Judicial District (Giles, Lawrence, Maury, Wayne Counties) Order.
- Maury County Juvenile Court Order. Includes information on what cases will be heard.
- Putnam County Temporary Suspension of In-Person Hearings - November 10, 2020
- Rutherford County Supplemental Order re: Suspending In-Person Court Proceedings March 27, 2020
- Rutherford County Juvenile Court Order.
- White Bluff Municipal Court Order (Dickson). Includes information on how court and clerks will operate.
Local Court Orders and Policies - West Tennessee
Judicial district plans to expand in-person hearings are available here.
- 29th Judicial District Juvenile Courts - Dyer and Lake Counties regarding parenting schedules during school closures
- 30th Judicial District announcement. Includes information on motions and orders.
- Shelby County Juvenile Court Order for Coronavirus. Includes schedule of hearings.
- Shelby County Juvenile Court Order Extension of Deadlines
- Shelby County General Sessions Civil Scheduling Memo.
- Hardeman County General Sessions and Juvenile Order
- Henry County - News story, includes information on scheduling
- Madison County Juvenile Order
Local Court Orders and Policies - East Tennessee
Judicial district plans to expand in-person hearings are available here.
- First Judicial District Oder AMENDED (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi Washington Counties)
- First Judicial District Order (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, Washington counties). Includes scheduling information.
- First Judicial District Order - Criminal Court (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, Washington counties). Includes scheduling information.
- Fourth Judicial District Order - re In-Person Court Proceedings
- Fourth and Fifth Judicial District Chancery Court Instructions for Attorneys
- 6th judicial district criminal court order.
- Knox County General Sessions Civil Court Procedure Order - December 11, 2020
- Knox County General Sessions Criminal Court Updated Procedure - December 11, 2020
- Knoxville Bar Association listing schedules for Knox County courts.
- Blount County General Sessions - Revised Scheduling - November 25, 2020
- Blount County Order. Includes scheduling information.
- Blount County Order: Includes scheduling information regarding child support cases
- Claiborne County General Sessions & Juvenile Order. Includes scheduling information.
- Cocke County General Sessions and Juvenile Memo. Includes scheduling information.
- Hamilton County Order and Protocols - March 27, 2020
- Hamilton County Criminal Court COVID-19 Website. Includes extensive information on scheduling and case management.
- Hamilton County Criminal Court Order and Protocol.
- Hamilton County Criminal Court E-Filing Order
- Hamilton County Circuit and Chancery FAQs.
- Hamilton County Circuit and Chancery Protocols.
- Hamilton County Juvenile Court Memo.
- Monroe County General Sessions Updated Scheduling and Procedure - December 11, 2020
- 12th Judicial District - Pretrial Detention Order.
- 12th Judicial District - Pretrial Detention Order Amendment
- Sullivan County Civil Circuit and Chancery Order.
- Sullivan County Criminal Court Order
Tennessee Government Actions & Information
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order #82 - July 30, 2021
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order #70 - December 20, 2020
- State of Tennessee Vaccination Plan - December 2, 2020
- State of Tennessee Vaccine News Release - December 14, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee's COVID-19 Bulletins
- Executive Order #27 - April 13, 2020
- Executive Order #26 - Notarization - April 9, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order #23 - Stay Home - April 2, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order 22 - Stay Home Unless Engaging in Essential Activities - March 30, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order 18 - Limiting Non-Emergency Healthcare Procedures - March 23
- Governor Lee Creates COVID-19 Unified Command - March 23
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order 17 - Limiting Gatherings - March 22
- Governor Bill Lee Executive Order 16 - Open Government During COVID-19 - March 20
- Governor Bill Lee guidance on school closures - March 16, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee guidance on mass gatherings, state employees, schools - March 13, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee declares state of emergency as Tennessee works to combat spread of coronavirus - March 12, 2020
- Governor Bill Lee Issues Executive Order Declaring State of Emergency in Response to COVID-19 - March 12, 2020. Order will free up funds, resources to help combat coronavirus spread
- Formation of Coronavirus Task Force Announced by Governor Lee
- Governor's news conference announcing first case, featuring Commissioner of Health Lisa Piercey, MD
Tennessee Law Specific Information:
- TBA Journal article on Tennessee law during a pandemic.
- TBA webcast on Tennessee law during a pandemic - March 20, noon CDT
- TLAP Resource Guide for Coping with Covid-19
Coronavirus Specific Health Material:
- TN Department of Health. Information on coronavirus. To view up-to-date information select CDC Daily Key Points located under Public Health title.
- Centers for Disease Control. Information on the outbreak.
- World Health Organization. International information on the outbreak.
Coronavirus Specific Law and Court Information
- Video for Judges on Eviction Cases and the CARES Act
- COVID-19 Resources for Treatment Courts NADCP
- National Judicial College Webinar: The Judges' Role in a Pandemic. March 19, 2 p.m. CDT. Free.
- Law.com Story On The Response of Courts Nationwide. This March 10 story reviews how courts nationwide have responded, including limiting visitors, rescheduling oral arguments, and more.
- Lawline Free Online CLE on Employer Preparedness During Coronavirus. The course opens March 13, 2020 and will be available for free until June 30, 2020. The focus is creating a employer-related response plan.
- American Bar Association Coronavirus Page. Includes webinars on pandemics.
National and Other State Legal Resources
- National Center for State Courts Benchbook. This 85-page guide explores legal issues that arise during a pandemic, including search and seizure, quarantine, privacy and other topics. In addition, the Benchbook provides information on closing courts and other government facilities.
- National Pandemic Summit. This summit was organized by the Nebraska Chief Justice and the State Justice Institute in order to review the court's response to Ebola cases. The material includes sample orders for quarantine.
- Control Measures and Public Health Emergencies. A Texas Bench Book. While this bench book focuses on Texas law, it asks and answers questions every judge should be considering during a pandemic
- FEMA Online Court on Pandemic Awareness. This one-hour online course reviews pandemics and public responses.
- Florida Courts Pandemic Bench Guide. Includes planning and preparedness materials.
- Virginia Court System Benchbook for pandemic outbreaks.
- Georgia Pandemic Bench Guide.
- Barron County Wisconsin Court System Strategies for a Pandemic. Focuses on when to close courts.
- Guidelines for Pandemic Planning for Courts. A Roadmap for Courts. Bureau of Justice Assistance. 2007.
- Ohio Pandemic Preparedness for Courts.
- Oklahoma 12th Judicial District Pandemic Benchbook.