2021 Tennessee Code
Title 37 - Juveniles

§ 37-1-153. Court Files and Records — Inspection Limited — Exceptions for Certain Violent Offenders — Confidentiality — Expunction - A juvenile court shall not expunge a juvenile record following...

§ 37-1-158. Contempt of Court - The court may punish a person for contempt of court...

§ 37-1-165. Contracts Among Counties to Pool Juvenile Justice Supplements - Any two (2) or more contiguous counties may contract to...

§ 37-1-167. Removal From Abusive Parent or Other Party - If a child has suffered either sexual abuse or aggravated...

§ 37-1-175. Temporary Legal Custody for Children With Mental Illnesses - IF AND ONLY IF THEN

§ 37-1-176. Providing Care, Training or Treatment in Least Drastic Alternative Way - IF THEN IF AND ONLY IF THEN

§ 37-1-177. Person Filing for Commitment - If an evaluation under § 37-1-128(d) shows that a child...

§ 37-1-178. Discharge - If a child no longer meets the standards under which...

§ 37-1-179. Reporting Status of Child Who No Longer Meets Commitment Standards — Retention of Custody - If a child no longer meets the standards under which...

§ 37-1-180. Rights of Child in Hearing to Review Custody - If the court sets a hearing to review the status...

§ 37-1-181. Judges to Conduct Proceedings - Proceedings under §§ 37-1-175 — 37-1-181 may be held only...

§ 37-1-183. Dependent and Neglected Child to Remain in Related Caregiver’s Custody if in Best Interest of Child - If the court finds that a child is dependent and...

§ 37-1-185. Report on Juvenile Justice Data Collection - The administrative office of the courts, the department of children's...

Part 2 - Juvenile Court Restructure Act of 1982

§ 37-1-202. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-1-203. Jurisdiction of General Sessions Court - The general sessions courts shall exercise juvenile court jurisdiction in...

§ 37-1-204. Procedure in General Sessions Court - Any general sessions court exercising juvenile court jurisdiction shall, when...

§ 37-1-205. Special District Juvenile Courts - Special juvenile courts may be created by law to exercise...

§ 37-1-206. Magistrates — Court Personnel — Signs - Judges of juvenile courts shall appoint magistrates where constitutionally required...

§ 37-1-207. Special Juvenile Courts — Judges - Any special juvenile court created by law shall have such...

§ 37-1-208. Contracts Between Counties - Unless otherwise provided by law, the counties within a special...

§ 37-1-209. Disbursements of Moneys - All moneys derived from fees, fines and costs assessed by...

§ 37-1-210. Clerks of General Sessions Courts - not less than nor more than 5,500 5,600 11,369 11,450...

§ 37-1-211. Clerks of Special Juvenile Courts - not less than nor more than 5,500 5,600 11,369 11,450...

§ 37-1-212. Rules and Regulations - The judge is authorized and empowered to make and promulgate...

§ 37-1-213. Deputies - The sheriffs of the various counties shall furnish the necessary...

§ 37-1-214. Compensation of Judges Pro Tempore - Any judge pro tempore elected under this part shall be...

Part 3 - Juvenile Post-Commitment Procedures Act

§ 37-1-301. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-1-302. Petition for Post-Commitment Relief - A juvenile in the custody of the department of children's...

§ 37-1-305. Grounds for Relief - Relief under this part shall be granted when petitioner's commitment...

§ 37-1-306. Court Action Upon Receipt of Petition - When the chancery or circuit court receives any petition applying...

§ 37-1-308. Application for Habeas Corpus — When Allowed - An application for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf...

§ 37-1-311. Scope of Hearing - The scope of the hearing shall extend to all grounds...

§ 37-1-313. Documents and Records Furnished to Indigent Petitioner - After a petition has been filed, if the judge finds...

§ 37-1-316. Evidence — Oral Testimony, Depositions, Affidavits - Evidence may be taken orally or by deposition or, in...

§ 37-1-318. Copies of Final Judgment - The clerk of the court shall send a copy of...

§ 37-1-320. Indigency - Indigency shall be determined, and counsel and court reporters appointed...

§ 37-1-321. Finality of Order — Appeal - The order granting or denying relief under the provisions of...

Part 4 - Mandatory Child Abuse Reports

§ 37-1-401. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-1-407. Guidelines for Child Safety Training Programs - By January 1, 2019, the department shall develop instructional guidelines...

§ 37-1-410. Immunity From Civil or Criminal Liability for Reporting Abuse — Damages for Employment Change Because of Making Report - IF the report arises from an examination of the child...

§ 37-1-411. Evidentiary Privileges Not Applicable to Child Abuse Cases - Neither the husband-wife privilege as preserved in § 24-1-201, nor...

§ 37-1-413. False Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse or False Accusation That a Child Has Sustained Any Wound, Injury, Disability or Physical or Mental Condition Caused by Brutality, Abuse or Neglect — Penalty - Any person who either verbally or by written or printed...

Part 5 - Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

§ 37-1-503. Executive Secretary of Council - The president of the council, with the approval of a...

Part 6 - Child Sexual Abuse

§ 37-1-604. Legislative Intent Relating to Investigations, Protective Services and Reports - The intent of §§ 37-1-604 — 37-1-615 is to provide...

§ 37-1-605. Reports of Known or Suspected Child Sexual Abuse — Investigations — Notification to Parents of Abuse on School Grounds or While Under School Supervision — Confidentiality of Records - who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a...

§ 37-1-607. Child Protective Teams — Investigations — Services - the department shall orally notify the team, the appropriate district...

§ 37-1-613. Immunity From Civil or Criminal Liability - Any person making a report of child sexual abuse shall...

§ 37-1-614. Evidentiary Privileges Inapplicable in Child Sexual Abuse Cases - The privileged quality of communication between husband and wife and...

§ 37-1-616. Rules and Regulations - The department may promulgate necessary rules and regulations in accordance...

Part 7 - Tennessee Teen Court Program of 2000

§ 37-1-701. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

Part 8 - Permanent Guardianship

§ 37-1-801. Power of the Juvenile Courts to Appoint a Permanent Guardian - The juvenile courts of Tennessee are empowered to appoint an...

§ 37-1-805. Jurisdiction of Court - The court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce, modify, or terminate...

Part 9 - Tennessee Zero to Three Court Initiative [Effective Until January 1, 2025.]

§ 37-1-901. Short Title. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-1-904. No Right to Participate in Zero to Three Court Program Established. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - Nothing contained in this part shall confer a right or...

§ 37-1-905. No Limitation on Ability to Create and Maintain Zero to Three Court Program. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - Nothing in this part shall be construed to limit the...

§ 37-1-906. Referral of Juvenile Court Matter to Safe Baby Court Program. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - A juvenile court matter that meets the safe baby court...

§ 37-1-907. Application for Grants Not Precluded. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - This part does not preclude the ability of a safe...

§ 37-1-908. Termination of Participation in Safe Baby Court Program. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - A party's participation in a safe baby court program may...

§ 37-1-909. Safe Baby Court Advisory Committee. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - To assist in the development of rules and regulations and...

§ 37-1-910. Repealer. [Effective Until January 1, 2025.] - This part is deleted on January 1, 2025, and is...

Chapter 2 - Placement of Juveniles

Part 2 - County Department of Children's Services Act of 1979

§ 37-2-201. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-2-202. Authority to Establish Department - The various counties are hereby authorized to establish and operate...

§ 37-2-203. Appointment of Director and Other Personnel - The county mayor may, with the approval of the county...

§ 37-2-204. Authority to Establish and Operate Homes - Counties and municipalities within this state are authorized and empowered...

§ 37-2-206. Modification of Court Order - The director of a county department of children's services, or...

§ 37-2-207. Use of Facilities of Another County - Any county legislative body within the provisions of this part...

§ 37-2-208. Authority to Appropriate Funds - The county legislative body is hereby authorized to appropriate funds...

Part 3 - Subsidized Receiving Homes

§ 37-2-301. Authority to Provide - Counties, through their county legislative bodies, are authorized and empowered...

§ 37-2-302. Appropriations and Tax Levy for Subsidizing Homes - County legislative bodies are authorized and empowered to appropriate from...

§ 37-2-303. State's Contribution to Cost of Subsidizing Homes - The state of Tennessee, through the department of human services,...

§ 37-2-304. Rules and Regulations of Department of Human Services - The department of human services is empowered and directed to...

§ 37-2-305. Inspection and License by Department of Human Services Required - No home in any county shall be approved as a...

§ 37-2-306. Licensed Home Requirements — Approval by Health and Fire Prevention Departments - No such license shall be issued unless the premises are...

§ 37-2-307. Contents of License — Limitation on Number of Children - The license shall state the name of the licensee, the...

§ 37-2-308. Record of License Kept by Department of Human Services and County Mayor - A record of the license so issued shall be kept...

§ 37-2-309. License Must Be Maintained on Premises - Such license shall be kept and maintained upon the premises...

§ 37-2-310. Revocation of License - Any license issued under this part may be revoked by...

§ 37-2-311. License Necessary to Receive Child or Subsidy Therefor - No person shall receive a child for care in any...

§ 37-2-312. Contract With Licensed Receiving Homes — Terms - The county mayor and the department of human services, through...

§ 37-2-313. Quarterly Reports Made by County to Department of Human Services - Each county maintaining a subsidized receiving home shall submit to...

§ 37-2-314. Commitment of Children to Homes - Any dependent, neglected or abandoned child or any child without...

§ 37-2-315. Period of Commitment - The period of commitment to the home shall be for...

§ 37-2-316. Case Record Kept on Each Child - The county office of the department of human services shall...

§ 37-2-317. Investigation by Department of Human Services - The department of human services, by its agents, has the...

§ 37-2-318. Exceeding Number of Children Authorized Prohibited — Keeping Children in Place Not Designated in License Prohibited - No greater number of children shall be kept at any...

§ 37-2-319. Violation of Part — False Statements or Reports — Penalty - Any person who violates this part or the regulations promulgated...

Part 4 - Foster Care

§ 37-2-402. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-2-405. Adoption of Guidelines - The department of children's services may, by regulation, adopt and...

§ 37-2-407. Department of Children's Services — Duties - The department of children's services shall prepare suggestions for review...

§ 37-2-410. Rehearing — Modification of Order - Any interested person, at any time while the child is...

Part 5 - Tennessee Runaway Act

§ 37-2-501. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-2-502. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-2-503. Registration Requirement for Runaway Houses - All houses, institutions or other organizations giving sanctuary to runaway...

§ 37-2-504. Minimum Standards for Runaway Houses — Establishment - The department shall establish minimum standards for runaway houses and...

§ 37-2-505. Minimum Standards — Contents - The standards established by the department shall include, but not...

§ 37-2-507. Violations — Penalties - The owner, operator or agent of any house or facility...

Part 6 - Extension of Foster Care

§ 37-2-604. Preparing Foster Children for Independent Living - In preparing a foster child for independent living prior to...

§ 37-2-605. Construction of Part - Nothing in this part shall be construed to require a...

Chapter 3 - Administration of Children and Youth Services

Part 1 - Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth Act of 1988

§ 37-3-101. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-3-104. Executive Director - The commission shall be administered by an executive director who...

§ 37-3-107. References to Predecessors — Prior Contracts, Rules, Etc - References to the commission on children and youth, the office...

§ 37-3-110. Definitions for §§ 37-3-110 — 37-3-115 - As used in this section and in §§ 37-3-111 —...

§ 37-3-113. Duties of Council - In addition to other duties imposed by law, the council...

§ 37-3-114. Additional Duties of Council - The council may perform each of the following duties:

Part 4 - Youth Investment Act of 1970

§ 37-3-401. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-3-402. Office of Community Contact — Creation — Director — Personnel - There is created within the department of education, in the...

§ 37-3-403. Duties of Office - The office of community contact shall establish programs to provide...

§ 37-3-405. Volunteers' Duties - It is the duty of the director to recruit volunteers...

§ 37-3-406. Application for Funds — Authorization - The director is authorized to make application for and to...

Part 5 - Teenage Pregnancy

§ 37-3-504. Information Concerning Conferences, Workshops, Hearings, Meetings - The department shall also collect and maintain, within the clearinghouse,...

§ 37-3-506. Similar Programs or Services Operating Within State - To the extent that, during the course of implementing this...

Part 6 - Safe Families and Family Preservation Act

§ 37-3-602. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-3-605. Statute Implementation - Beginning with fiscal year 1994-1995, the departments of children's services,...

Part 7 - Early Childhood Development Act of 1994

§ 37-3-701. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

Part 8 - Tennessee Second Look Commission

§ 37-3-801. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-3-802. Part Definitions - For purposes of this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-3-808. Meetings - The commission shall meet as necessary to transact business; provided,...

§ 37-3-809. Requests by the Commission - The child advocacy center directors or their designees, the department...

§ 37-3-811. Hiring of Staff and Consultants - To the extent that funds are available, the commission may...

§ 37-3-812. Immunity From Civil and Criminal Liability - Any person acting in good faith in compliance with this...

§ 37-3-813. Investigations or Reviews Authorized by Other Laws - Nothing in this part shall preclude any investigations or reviews...

§ 37-3-814. Sharing of Information Regarding Criminal Violations With Officials Charged With Investigating Criminal Matters - If, during the course of the commission's duties under this...

§ 37-3-815. Conflicts of Interest - The commission shall adopt and implement a policy related to...

Chapter 4 - Interstate Compacts

Part 1 - Interstate Compact for Juveniles

§ 37-4-101. Interstate Compact for Juveniles - The governor is hereby authorized and directed to execute a...

Part 2 - Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children

§ 37-4-201. Text of Compact - The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children is hereby...

§ 37-4-203. Compact Administrator - The commissioner of children's services shall act as compact administrator...

§ 37-4-204. Determination of Financial Responsibility - Financial responsibility for any child placed pursuant to the Interstate...

§ 37-4-205. Authorization of Agreements With Foreign States - The officers and agencies of this state and its subdivisions...

§ 37-4-206. Chapter 5, Part 4 Not Applicable to This Part - Chapter 5, part 4 of this title shall not apply...

§ 37-4-207. Jurisdiction of Courts - Any court having jurisdiction to place delinquent children may place...

Chapter 5 - Department of Children's Services

Part 1 - General Provisions

§ 37-5-103. Chapter Definitions - As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:...

§ 37-5-105. Powers and Duties of Commissioner - The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, has the following powers...

§ 37-5-108. Conflict of Interest - The department has the power and authority to establish by...

§ 37-5-109. Licensing - The responsibility for licensing children's programs, agencies, group homes, institutions...

§ 37-5-111. Funds - The department, through its commissioner, shall have the authority to...

§ 37-5-112. Rules - All current rules, regulations, orders, decisions and policies heretofore issued...

§ 37-5-113. Accreditation - The department shall have its youth development centers accredited by...

§ 37-5-115. Review - The department shall be reviewed pursuant to the requirements set...

§ 37-5-116. Non-Discrimination - No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national...

§ 37-5-117. Youth Service Officers — Qualifications - After July 1, 1989, any person employed as a youth...

§ 37-5-120. Library Region — Creation - There is created a library region to be composed of...

§ 37-5-124. Disclosure of the Death or Near Fatality of Persons in the Custody of the Department of Children's Services - within ten (10) business days of the fatality or near...

§ 37-5-126. Children's Mental Health Care — Development of Plan, Projects and Programs - Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the department shall assist...

§ 37-5-128. Review of Department Policies and Attached Protocol and Procedures That Affect Children the Department Serves — Uniformity of Applicability - Before March 1 of each year, the department shall appear...

§ 37-5-129. Review of New Departmental Policies - The department shall submit for review by the judiciary committee...

§ 37-5-130. Cessation of Operations — Permanent Education Records - In the event that a department of children's services provider...

Part 2 - Youth Development Centers

§ 37-5-202. Superintendents - There shall be a superintendent of each youth center to...

§ 37-5-207. Commitment for Federal Offense - Authority is given to the department for commitment of children...

§ 37-5-210. Buildings and Equipment - The commissioner shall be authorized, subject to the approval of...

§ 37-5-212. Instruction in Art of Barbering - The commissioner is hereby authorized to institute within the youth...

§ 37-5-213. Authorized Courses of Instruction - The commissioner is authorized to institute within the youth development...

Part 3 - Community Services Agency Act of 1996

§ 37-5-301. Short Title - This part shall be known and may be cited as...

§ 37-5-302. Purpose - The purpose of this part is to provide a mechanism...

§ 37-5-303. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-5-306. Community Services Agency Board — Powers - The board has the following powers and duties in addition...

§ 37-5-308. Executive Director — Employees and Expenses - The executive director, subject to approval of the board and...

§ 37-5-314. State Employees - Employees of the community services agencies shall be considered “state...

§ 37-5-315. Construction — Generally - This part shall be given the following construction:

Part 4 - Trafficking in Children

§ 37-5-401. Consent Required for Importation of Child - No person, agency, association, institution or corporation shall bring or...

§ 37-5-405. Penalty for Violations - Every person acting for that person or for any agency...

§ 37-5-406. Exemption of Relatives of Child - None of the provisions of this part shall apply when...

Part 5 - Child Care Agencies

§ 37-5-503. Program and Facilities Exempt From Licensing - The following entities, facilities or programs are excluded from licensing...

§ 37-5-504. Preexisting Agencies Subject to Chapter - All child caring institutions, child placing agencies and maternity homes...

§ 37-5-505. Receiving Children - Child caring institutions, and child placing agencies, family boarding homes,...

§ 37-5-515. Board of Review for Licensing Actions - Actions by the department to deny or revoke or to...

§ 37-5-519. Departmental Annual Report - The department shall prepare a comprehensive annual report of the...

Part 6 - Multi-Level Response System for Children and Families

§ 37-5-601. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:

§ 37-5-606. Training and Information - Before the demonstration program is instituted in an area, the...

§ 37-5-607. Independent Local Advisory Board - In each county in which the multi-level response system is...

§ 37-5-608. Rules and Regulations - The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to...

Chapter 10 - Miscellaneous Provisions

Part 1 - Liability of Parent or Guardian for Acts of Juveniles

§ 37-10-101. Recovery for Injury or Damage by Juvenile - Any municipal corporation, county, town, village, school district or department...

§ 37-10-102. Limitation on Amount of Recovery - The recovery shall be limited to the actual damages in...

Part 2 - Tennessee Missing Children Recovery Act

§ 37-10-202. Initial Missing Child Report — Statement of Identification Information - Whenever the parent knows, learns or believes that a child...

§ 37-10-203. Formal Missing Child Report — Entry of Report Into Ncic - Every law enforcement officer receiving information from a parent or...

§ 37-10-205. Forms — File of Missing Children — Monthly Reports of Missing Children — Dissemination of Information - The Tennessee bureau of investigation shall specify a uniform form...

§ 37-10-206. Child Fingerprint Cards - Parents are authorized to have official fingerprint cards made for...

§ 37-10-207. Children's Fingerprint Card File - The Tennessee bureau of investigation shall maintain a separate fingerprint...

§ 37-10-208. Impact Upon Interstate Compact on Juveniles - The provisions of §§ 37-10-201 — 37-10-207 are not intended...

Part 3 - Parental Consent for Abortions by Minors

§ 37-10-302. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

§ 37-10-305. Medical Emergencies - The requirements of § 37-10-303 shall not apply when, in...

§ 37-10-306. Violations - Any person who intentionally performs an abortion with knowledge that,...

§ 37-10-308. Severability - If any one (1) or more provision, section, subsection, sentence,...

Part 4 - Childhood Immunizations

§ 37-10-402. Conflict With Religious Tenets and Practices of Parent - In the absence of an epidemic or immediate threat thereof,...

§ 37-10-403. Immunity From Criminal and Civil Liability - No parent or legal guardian shall be criminally prosecuted nor...

Part 5 - Information on Child Abuse Prevention

§ 37-10-501. Promotion of Parental Help Line for Prevention of Child Abuse - In an effort to inform the citizens of Tennessee of...

Chapter 11 - Juvenile Offender Surcharges

§ 37-11-101. Legislative Findings and Intent - The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that the...

§ 37-11-102. Part Definitions - As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

<< Previous

Next >>

2021 Tennessee Code Title 37 - Juveniles

2021 Tennessee Code
Title 37 - Juveniles