Orders of Protection - As enacted, expands the courts in Shelby County that can hear a petition for an order of protection to include a criminal court when the criminal court is hearing a criminal matter involving a dome, the official text

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State ef J etvnessee

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 246

                                                     SENATE BILL NO. 406

                                               By Gardenhire, Lamar, Powers

                                            Substituted for: House Bill No. 361

                                                     By Parkinson, Powers

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16; Title 18 and Title 36, relative to orders of
          protection.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-3-601 (3)(A), is amended by deleting
"matters;" and substituting:

          matters, or a circuit court exercising criminal jurisdiction when the court is hearing a criminal
          matter involving a domestic abuse victim, sexual assault victim, or stalking victim. This
          definition does not grant jurisdiction to the criminal court for matters relating to child custody,
          visitation, or support;

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-3-601 (3)(8), is amended by deleting
"and the general sessions court" and substituting ", a circuit court exercising criminal jurisdiction when
the court is hearing a criminal matter involving a domestic abuse victim, sexual assault victim, or
stalking victim, or the general sessions court"; and by deleting "to the general sessions court" and
substituting "to the criminal court or the general sessions court".

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-3-601, is amended by deleting
subdivision (3)(C) and substituting:

                    (C) "Court," in all other counties, means a court of record with jurisdiction over domestic
          relations matters, a circuit court exercising criminal jurisdiction when the court is hearing a
          criminal matter involving a domestic abuse victim, sexual assault victim, or stalking victim, or
          the general sessions court. This definition does not grant jurisdiction to the criminal court for
          matters relating to child custody, visitation, or support;

          SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-3-601 (3)(E), is amended by deleting "or
the general sessions criminal court" and substituting ", the general sessions criminal court, or a
criminal court when the criminal court is hearing a criminal matter involving a domestic abuse victim,
sexual assault victim, or stalking victim"; and by deleting "to the general sessions court" and
substituting "to the criminal court or the general sessions court".

          SECTION 5. This act takes effect ·upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 406

PASSED:  Apri I 14, 2025

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                          '              RAND)f McNALLY

                             SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                             CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
                             HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ape~, ~ APPROVED this
         day of                          2025

         ~U.A.
                     BILL LEE, GOVERNOR