General Sessions Courts

General Sessions Court jurisdiction varies from county to county based on state laws and private acts. Every county is served by this court of limited jurisdiction, which hears both civil and criminal cases. Learn more here.

 

NEWS

First Graduation Held in Gibson County Juvenile Court Judge Mark Johnson's Safe Baby Court

Gibson County Safe Baby Court (SBC) held its first graduation ceremony on Friday, March 13, reuniting a mother with her four children.

“If I didn't have Safe Baby…

Retired Henry County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Snyder Received the Jim Pryor Award for Child Advocacy.

Retired Henry County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Vicki S. Snyder is the 2026 recipient of the Jim Pryor Award for Child Advocacy. She accepted the award from…

Outgoing General Sessions Judges Conference President Victoria Bowling passes the gavel to newly elected President, Judge Lonnie Thompson

Shelby County General Sessions Court Judge Lonnie Thompson was one of five children born to a single mother in an impoverished neighborhood in South Memphis. He attended…

Judge Bradley Owens with one of his Choices & Consequences classes

Not long after taking the bench in Gibson County, General Sessions Court Judge Bradley Owens made a startling observation- many of the defendants before him did not…

Judge James Y. Ross Accepts the Sharon G. Lee Award of Excellence from Justice Lee

Wayne County General Sessions & Juvenile Court Judge James Y. Ross received the Sharon G. Lee Award of Excellence at the 2024 Annual Tennessee Municipal Court Judges…