Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (2026)

Probate jurisdiction and administration of estates in chancery court

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) In all counties where not otherwise specifically provided by public, private, special or local acts, all jurisdiction relating to the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature, including the estates of decedents and of wards under guardianships or conservatorships and related matters previously vested in the county court, the county judge or county chair, is vested in the chancery court of the respective counties. The chancery court in such counties shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature, including the estates of decedents and of wards under guardianships or conservatorships, and all matters relating thereto, previously vested in the county court.

(b) The clerk and master in such counties shall be authorized and empowered to grant letters of administration and letters testamentary, letters of guardianship and letters of conservatorship, appoint administrators and executors, appoint guardians and conservators, receive and adjudicate all claims, probate wills in common form, determine allowances to the surviving spouse and family of the deceased, preside over the assignment of homestead, preside over proceedings for the elective share, take and state all accounts and settlements, subject to the approval of the chancellor, direct and approve final distributions, and hear and determine all probate matters whether enumerated or not in this subsection (b). The chancellor shall hear all probates in solemn form and may hear such other probate matters as the chancellor may deem proper. All accounts, settlements and final orders of distribution shall be made subject to the approval of the chancellor. All action taken by the clerk and master shall be subject to review by the chancellor by simple motion, petition or the filing of exceptions as may be appropriate.

(c) The court of appeals shall have jurisdiction of appeals from the decisions of the chancery court in such probate matters.

(d) Notwithstanding any private act to the contrary, effective July 1, 2014, in counties having a population of not less than forty-one thousand (41,000) nor more than forty-one thousand one hundred (41,100), according to the 2010 federal census or any subsequent federal census, all jurisdiction relating to the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature, including the estates of decedents and of wards under guardianships or conservatorships and related matters presently in the court of general sessions shall be transferred to chancery court. On such date, the chancellor shall assume all duties and responsibilities with respect to the administration of estates, guardian appointments and other probate matters. All probate files, records and other documents maintained in the general sessions or circuit court in such counties shall be transferred to the custody of the clerk and master.

Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 756,s 2, eff. 4/22/2014.

Acts 1980, ch. 875, § 1; T.C.A., § 16-1301; Acts 1982, ch. 858, § 1; 1985, ch. 140, § 3; 2003, ch. 114, § 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 34 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1988–2026 · leading case: In Re Est. of Boote, 198 S.W.3d 699 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005).

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In Re Est. of Boote, 198 S.W.3d 699 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 14× “Acts 40 ; Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a) (Supp.2004); 1 PRITCHARD §§ 39, at 64, 351, at 536.”

In Re Est. of Ardell Hamilton Trigg, 368 S.W.3d 483 (Tenn. 2012). · cites it 11× “In 1985, the General Assembly added the phrase "of every nature” to the first sentence of Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-16-201(a). See Act of Mar.”

In Re Est. of Ina Ruth Brown, 402 S.W.3d 193 (Tenn. 2013). · cites it 4× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a) (2009). It also has the statutory jurisdiction to hear will contests, see Tenn.”

In Re Est. of White, 77 S.W.3d 765 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 8× “By necessary implication, Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-16-201(c) applies to these courts.”

In Re Est. of Barnhill, 62 S.W.3d 139 (Tenn. 2001). · cites it 2× “In addition, section 16-16-201(a) of Tennessee Code Annotated provides that [i]n all counties where not otherwise specifically provided by public, private, special or local acts, all jurisdiction relating to the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature .”

In Re: Est. of Joan Uhl Pierce, 511 S.W.3d 520 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 6× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (b). Thus, in many cases, the will can be admitted to probate in common form on the same day that the petition is filed.”

In re Est. of Powers, 767 S.W.2d 659 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 2× “T.C.A. § 16-16-201 transferred jurisdiction of probate matters from County Court to Chancery Court, “unless otherwise provided by public, private, special or local acts.”

Thompson v. Young, 952 S.W.2d 429 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 2× “In response to the Constitutional amendment the Legislature, with certain exceptions, transferred probate jurisdiction to the Chancery Court by enacting Chapter 875 of the Public Acts of 1980 (now codified as T.C.A. 16-16-201): WHEREAS, Article 7, Section 1 of the Constitution…”

State of Tennessee v. Roy B. Lipford, 67 S.W.3d 79 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 . Tenn.Code Ann.”

Hudson (Bankr. E.D. Tenn. 2025). · cites it 5× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a). That statute also states the following about the authority of a chancery court’s clerk and master, subject to the final approval of the chancellor: The clerk and master in such counties shall be authorized and empowered to grant letters of…”

Sherra Robinson Wright v. The Est. of Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 4× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a). Although this statute generally places probate jurisdiction in the chancery courts of Tennessee’s counties, it also recognizes that jurisdiction for estate administration in some counties may be provided by “public, private, special or local acts.”

In Re Est. of Henry C. Ellis, III (Tenn. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 4× “The chancery court in such counties shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature, including the estates of decedents and of wards under guardianships or conservatorships, and all matters relating thereto,…”

Show all 34 citing cases →

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201(a) — 9 cases

In Re Est. of Ardell Hamilton Trigg, 368 S.W.3d 483 (Tenn. 2012). “In 1985, the General Assembly added the phrase "of every nature” to the first sentence of Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-16-201(a). See Act of Mar.”

In Re Est. of Ina Ruth Brown, 402 S.W.3d 193 (Tenn. 2013). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a) (2009). It also has the statutory jurisdiction to hear will contests, see Tenn.”

In Re Est. of White, 77 S.W.3d 765 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). “By necessary implication, Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-16-201(c) applies to these courts.”

In Re Est. of Barnhill, 62 S.W.3d 139 (Tenn. 2001). “In addition, section 16-16-201(a) of Tennessee Code Annotated provides that [i]n all counties where not otherwise specifically provided by public, private, special or local acts, all jurisdiction relating to the probate of wills and the administration of estates of every nature .”

In re: Est. of Maple Ione Stocks, Gwyneth J. Huges, & Linda Lyons, Co-Administratrices C.T.A. v. Anna Gayle Ironside & William A. Grisham (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997).

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201(b) — 2 cases

In Re Est. of Boote, 198 S.W.3d 699 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Acts 40 ; Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201 (a) (Supp.2004); 1 PRITCHARD §§ 39, at 64, 351, at 536.”

In Re Est. of Floyd Edward Faulkner (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025).

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-16-201(c) — 2 cases

In Re Est. of White, 77 S.W.3d 765 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). “By necessary implication, Tenn.Code Ann. § 16-16-201(c) applies to these courts.”

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