Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159 (2026)
Appeals
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) The juvenile court shall be a court of record; and any appeal from any final order or judgment in a delinquency proceeding, filed under this chapter, except a proceeding pursuant to § 37-1-134, may be made to the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction that shall hear the testimony of witnesses and try the case de novo. However, if the child pleads guilty or no contest in a delinquency or unruly proceeding, the child waives the right to appeal the adjudication. If the plea includes an agreement as to disposition, the child also waives the right to appeal the disposition. Any appeal from any final order or judgment in an unruly child proceeding or dependent and neglect proceeding, filed under this chapter, may be made to the circuit court that shall hear the testimony of witnesses and try the case de novo. The appeal shall be perfected within ten (10) days, excluding nonjudicial days, following the entry of the juvenile court's order. If a hearing before a judge of a matter heard by a magistrate is not requested or provided pursuant to § 37-1-107, the date of the expiration of the time within which to request the hearing shall be the date of disposition for appeal purposes, and the parties and their attorneys shall be so notified by the magistrate. If there is a rehearing by the judge, the appeal period shall commence the day after the order of disposition is entered. All parties to the juvenile court proceeding shall be parties to the de novo appeal.
- (b) An appeal does not suspend the order of the juvenile court, nor does it release the child from the custody of that court or of that person, institution or agency to whose care the child has been committed. Pending the hearing, the criminal court or circuit court may make the same temporary disposition of the child as is vested in juvenile courts; provided, that until the criminal court or circuit court has entered an order for temporary disposition, the order of the juvenile court shall remain in effect. A juvenile court shall retain jurisdiction to the extent needed to complete any reviews or permanency hearings for children in foster care as may be mandated by federal or state law.
- (c) When an appeal has been perfected, the juvenile court shall cause the entire record in the case, including the juvenile court's findings and written reports from probation officers, professional court employees or professional consultants, to be taken forthwith to the criminal court or circuit court whose duty it is, either in term or in vacation, to set the case for an early hearing. When an appeal is taken from a juvenile court's decision that involves the removal of a child or children from the custody of their natural or legal parents or guardian or from the department of children's services, or when the decision appealed involves the deprivation of a child's liberty as the result of a finding that such child engaged in criminal activity, such hearing shall be held within forty-five (45) days of receipt of the findings and reports. In its order, the criminal court or circuit court shall remand the case to the juvenile court for enforcement of the judgment rendered by the criminal court or circuit court. Appeals from an order of the criminal court or circuit court pursuant to this subsection (c) may be carried to the court of appeals as provided by law.
- (d) There is no civil or interlocutory appeal from a juvenile court's disposition pursuant to § 37-1-134. If and only if a nonlawyer judge presides at the transfer hearing in juvenile court, then the criminal court, upon motion of the child filed within ten (10) days of the juvenile court order, excluding nonjudicial days, shall hold a hearing as expeditiously as possible to determine whether it will accept jurisdiction over the child; provided, that if no such motion is filed with the criminal court within the ten-day period, excluding nonjudicial days, such child shall be subject to indictment, presentment or information for the offense charged and thus subject to trial as an adult. At this hearing, which is de novo, the criminal court shall consider:
- (1) Any written reports from professional court employees, professional consultants as well as the testimony of any witnesses; and
- (2) Those issues considered by the juvenile court pursuant to § 37-1-134(a) and (b).
- (e) Following a hearing held pursuant to subsection (d), the criminal court may:
- (1) Remand the child to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for further proceedings and disposition pursuant to § 37-1-131, such remand order reciting in detail the court's findings of fact and conclusions of law; or
- (2) Enter an order certifying that it has taken jurisdiction over the child. This order shall recite, in detail, the court's finding of fact and conclusions of law. Following the order, the child shall be subject to indictment, presentment or information for the offenses charged. The criminal court judge who conducted the hearing to accept jurisdiction shall not thereby be rendered disqualified to preside at the criminal trial on the merits.
- (f) Appeals from an order of the criminal court pursuant to subsection (e) may be carried to the court of criminal appeals in the manner provided by the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure only following a conviction on the merits of the charge. This is the exclusive method of appeal from a finding that the criminal court accepts jurisdiction. The state may appeal to the court of criminal appeals a finding that the child be remanded to the juvenile court upon the ground of abuse of discretion. Pending the appeal by the state, the criminal court shall make a determination of whether or not the child shall be released on the child's own recognizance, or on bond, or held in the custodial care of the sheriff of the county.
- (g)
- (1) The criminal court, or court having criminal jurisdiction, shall review a juvenile court's determination pursuant to Section 6, upon motion of the child or the prosecution.
- (2) If a motion to appeal is filed, then the clerk of the juvenile court shall file the record on appeal no later than fifteen (15) days after the entry of the juvenile court's order.
- (3) The criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction shall conduct a de novo review of the juvenile court's determination, and the court's review must be expedited. The review by the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction is a review of the record only and must be conducted without an evidentiary hearing.
- (4) The state shall serve and file a brief no later than fifteen (15) days after the date on which the record is filed with the clerk of the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction. Counsel for the child shall serve and file a brief within fifteen (15) days after the state's brief is filed with the clerk. Reply briefs are not permitted. The criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction must issue a decision within forty-five (45) days after the date on which the record is filed with the clerk of the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction.
- (5) If a motion to appeal is filed, then the juvenile court's jurisdiction over the alleged delinquent conduct under de novo review by the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction pursuant to this subsection (g) is automatically stayed until the review by the criminal court or court having criminal jurisdiction is completed.
- (h)
- (1) Notwithstanding this section to the contrary, a petitioner or the state may appeal a court's determination under § 37-1-190(e) to the criminal court or a court having criminal jurisdiction. The criminal court, or court having criminal jurisdiction, shall hear the case de novo.
- (2) An appeal from a court's determination under § 37-1-190(e) must be filed within ten (10) days, excluding nonjudicial days, following the entry of the juvenile court's order.
- (i) Appeals in all other civil matters heard by the juvenile court are governed by the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1007,s 11, eff. 1/1/2025.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 973,s 12, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 312, s 10, eff. 5/8/2019.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 637, Secs.s 1, s 2 eff. 7/1/2016.
Acts 1970, ch. 600, § 58; 1976, ch. 745, § 6; 1980, ch. 558, § 1; 1981, ch. 370, § 1; 1981, ch. 449, § 2(24); 1983, ch. 254, § 4; T.C.A., § 37-258; Acts 1985, ch. 328, § 1; 1986, ch. 612, §§ 2, 3; 1992, ch. 704, § 1; 1993, ch. 386, § 1; 1994, ch. 810, §§ 1, 2; 1996, ch. 1079, §§ 73, 104; 1997 , ch. 516, § 1; 2009 , ch. 235, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 165
cases (25 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: State Dep't of Human Servs. v. Defriece, 937 S.W.2d 954 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996).
State Dep't of Human Servs. v. Defriece, 937 S.W.2d 954 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996). “The amended version of T.C.A. § 37-1-159 (Supp. 1995) eliminated the de novo trial in circuit court and provided instead for an appeal as of right directly to this court.”
In Re Valentine, 79 S.W.3d 539 (Tenn. 2002). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159. Under § IT—2—118(f)(2), a “judicial officer shall only serve as a special judge in matters related to that officer’s duties as a judicial officer.”
In Re Isaiah L., 340 S.W.3d 692 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2010). “NOTES [1] Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-159 governs appeals from the juvenile courts.”
In Re Caleb L.C., 362 S.W.3d 581 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2011). “6 Even if the statute applies, we find Father’s issue to be without merit because this Court has previously held that the 45 day provision in Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159 is directory in nature and Father has not shown that he was prejudiced by the delay.”
State Dep't of Child.'s Servs. v. Owens, 129 S.W.3d 50 (Tenn. 2004). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-159 governs the appeal of judgments of the juvenile court.”
State v. Rodgers, 235 S.W.3d 92 (Tenn. 2007). “Section 37-1-302 allows a juvenile to seek the protections afforded under the Act even after the time for an appeal under section 37-1-159 has expired. The notice of appeal was filed more than one year before his nineteenth birthday and his appellate brief was served within five…”
State v. Hood, 221 S.W.3d 531 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “” Citing T.C.A. § 37-1-159, 2 the defendant filed a notice of appeal, requesting a de novo trial by jury 3 in the Sullivan County Criminal Court (“the trial court”).”
In re M.J.B., 140 S.W.3d 643 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “did not pursue a de novo appeal to the circuit court pursuant to Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (2001), most likely because the juvenile court permitted her lawyer to withdraw on March 11, 2002.”
In Re Hannah S., 324 S.W.3d 520 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2010). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159 (emphasis added).”
In re D.Y.H., 226 S.W.3d 327 (Tenn. 2007). “This is true even if a petition for a change of custody does not reference the dependency and neglect hearing and even if it is filed years after the final order is entered.”
State v. Burns, 205 S.W.3d 412 (Tenn. 2006). “…court or court having criminal jurisdiction that shall hear the testimony of witnesses and try the case de novo.” Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (2005).”
Barabas v. Rogers, 868 S.W.2d 283 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1993). “Since juvenile courts are courts of record, Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (Supp.1993), appeals in proceedings such as this one proceed directly to this court.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) — 41 cases
State Dep't of Human Servs. v. Defriece, 937 S.W.2d 954 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996). “The amended version of T.C.A. § 37-1-159 (Supp. 1995) eliminated the de novo trial in circuit court and provided instead for an appeal as of right directly to this court.”
In re M.J.B., 140 S.W.3d 643 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “did not pursue a de novo appeal to the circuit court pursuant to Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (2001), most likely because the juvenile court permitted her lawyer to withdraw on March 11, 2002.”
State v. Burns, 205 S.W.3d 412 (Tenn. 2006). “…court or court having criminal jurisdiction that shall hear the testimony of witnesses and try the case de novo.” Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (2005).”
State Dep't of Child.'s Servs. v. Owens, 129 S.W.3d 50 (Tenn. 2004). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-159 governs the appeal of judgments of the juvenile court.”
State v. Rodgers, 235 S.W.3d 92 (Tenn. 2007). “Section 37-1-302 allows a juvenile to seek the protections afforded under the Act even after the time for an appeal under section 37-1-159 has expired. The notice of appeal was filed more than one year before his nineteenth birthday and his appellate brief was served within five…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(b) — 1 case
IN Re Ethan R. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(c) — 15 cases
In Re Isaiah L., 340 S.W.3d 692 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2010). “NOTES [1] Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-159 governs appeals from the juvenile courts.”
Cornelius v. State, Dep't of Child.'s Servs., 314 S.W.3d 902 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2009).
In Re Caleb L.C., 362 S.W.3d 581 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2011). “6 Even if the statute applies, we find Father’s issue to be without merit because this Court has previously held that the 45 day provision in Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159 is directory in nature and Father has not shown that he was prejudiced by the delay.”
In Re Mjb, 140 S.W.3d 643 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004).
In Re Hailey S. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(d) — 9 cases
State v. Hale, 833 S.W.2d 65 (Tenn. 1992).
State of Tennessee v. D'Angelo Barnes & Monterrio Watson (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
State of Tennessee v. Mario A. Reed (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
Frank Taylor v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2014).
Tut Mayal Tut v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(f) — 1 case
Mozella Newson v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2006).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-159(g) — 8 cases
Barabas v. Rogers, 868 S.W.2d 283 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1993). “Since juvenile courts are courts of record, Tenn.Code Ann. § 37-1-159(a) (Supp.1993), appeals in proceedings such as this one proceed directly to this court.”
In Re Dyh, 226 S.W.3d 327 (Tenn. 2007).
In Re: Britany P. D. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013).
Ronnie Lyn Christ v. Kery N. Homonai (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006).
In the Matter of: Tony W. Hedge (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003).
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