Rutherford County Court

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116 W Lytle St Murfreesboro, TN 37130

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Rutherford County, Tennessee, has county courts in multiple locations, although most are located within the same area.

Rutherford County Courthouse
229 N Main St # 203
Rutherfordton, NC 28139
(828) 288-6100

Rutherford County Circuit Court
116 W Lytle St
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 898-7820

Juvenile Court
1710 South Church Street
Suite 1
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 898-7972

Recovery Court
525 N University Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615-217-7124

Murfreesboro City Court
111 W. Vine St.
Second Floor
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615-890-2142

Smyrna Municipal Court
Enon Springs Road East
Smyrna, TN 37167

La Vergne City Court
5093 Murfreesboro Road
La Vergne, TN 37086

Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk is an elected official who serves a 4-year term. The Clerk is responsible for all Circuit Court filings and processing and disposition of cases. The Circuit Court Clerk also takes the position of the Juvenile Court Clerk.

Melissa Harrell
Circuit Court Clerk
Room 201, Judicial Building
20 Public Square North
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 898-7820
District Court

Rutherford County falls under the 16th Judicial Circuit in Tennessee. This includes the Chancery Court, Circuit Court, Civil Sessions Court, Criminal Court, Probate Court, Family Court, and Juvenile Court.

Chancery Court

Chancery Court is based on the English court system that made decisions based on equity rather than the letter of the law. A Chancellor presides over each court as a judge and hears cases that are mostly related to civil and family court matters. For example, this court hears cases involving divorce, adoption, name changes, contract disputes, and workman’s compensation.

The Civil Sessions Court falls under the Chancery Court and is for small claims, with cases involving less than $25,000. Probate Courts also fall under the Chancery Court.

Probate Court

Probate Courts have jurisdiction over the administration of estates and execution of wills. Probate Court is part of the Chancery Courts and also hears cases regarding guardianships. A Clerk and Master oversees the administration of such matters.

Circuit Court

Circuit Courts have the widest jurisdiction in Tennessee. These courts hear civil and criminal cases, along with appeals of decisions from Juvenile and General Sessions Courts. Circuit Court jurisdiction can overlap with that of Chancery Court. Most criminal cases are tried in Circuit Court, unless a district has separate criminal courts.

Criminal Court

In counties with heavy caseloads, the state legislation has established Criminal Courts. Criminal Court judges obviously hear criminal cases, but they also hear appeals of misdemeanor convictions from lower courts.

Juvenile Court

Juvenile Court hears virtually all cases that involve minors, unless those cases have been transferred to adult court. In addition to criminal offenses of minors, Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over cases involving neglect and child abuse, custody and visitation rights, child support, and treatment for mental health of a minor.

Drug Court

Drug Court is an intensive drug treatment program for adults who have been charged with a crime in Rutherford County and are struggling with drugs and/or alcohol. Offenders must not have a past or present violent crime felony conviction.

This program is a minimum of 18 months. Inpatient and/or outpatient treatment, counseling, court appearances, and drug and alcohol testing are parts of the program. The offender must be enrolled in school, employed, or doing community service for the length of the program.

Veterans Court

This program is for veterans who have been charged with a crime and who are struggling with addiction and/or mental health issues. The program promotes sobriety and is partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The program includes inpatient and/or outpatient treatment, counseling, court appearances, and mentoring. The program is a minimum of 12-18 months, depending on how much treatment is needed. All participants are required to maintain employment or perform community service, along with submitting to frequent alcohol and drug testing.

Municipal Court

Municipal courts can hear cases involving violations of city/town ordinances. Most commonly, these are speeding tickets and other traffic violations. Typically, a municipal court can set a fine up to $50 plus court costs for violations.