Court System - Historical Notes

Board of Jury Commissioners - Jurors

The following acts once affected jurors or boards of jury commissioners in Houston County, but are no longer operative.

1. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 433, established a grand jury system for Houston County. It was abolished by the Private Acts of 1941, Chapter 382.
2. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 161, created a Board of Jury Commissioners in Houston County.

Chancery Court

The following acts form an outline of the development of equity jurisdiction in Houston County, although they no longer have the force of law since they have either been superseded by general law, repealed, or failed to receive local ratification.

1. Acts of 1903, Chapter 277, set the time for holding Chancery Court on the second Mondays in January and July.
2. Acts of 1905, Chapter 286, changed the time for holding Chancery Court to the first Mondays in June and December.
3. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 455, set the time for holding Chancery Court to the third Mondays in April and October.
4. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 729, set the salary of the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court at $500 per year and required that an annual statement be filed with the County Judge, listing all the fees paid into that office during the year. This was amended by Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 732, to raise the annual salary to $850 per year.
5. Private Acts of 1941, Chapter 27, created the office of County Judge in Houston county and provided for his duties, compensation and tenure of office.

Circuit Court

1. The following acts were once applicable to the circuit court of Houston County but now have no effect, having been repealed, superseded, or having failed to win local approval.
2. Acts of 1870-71, Chapter 75, provided that the Criminal Court Judge of Montgomery County was to hold Circuit Court in Houston County.
3. Acts of 1877, Chapter 166, authorized the Judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit to hold court in Houston County.
4. Acts of 1903, Chapter 29, set the time for holding Circuit Court in Houston County on the third Mondays in March, July and November. This was amended by Acts of 1909, Chapter 329, to change the time to the fourth Mondays in March, July and November.
5. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 731, set the salary of the Circuit Court Clerk between $900.00 and $1,200.00 per year.
6. Public Acts of 1971, Chapter 56, created the office of Assistant District Attorney General for the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit.
7. Public Acts of 1971, Chapter 277, empowered the judge of the Twenty-first judicial circuit to employ and appoint a suitable and qualified person as secretary.
8. Public Acts of 1972, Chapter 781, created an additional office of full-time Assistant District Attorney General for the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit.
9. Public Acts of 1974, Chapter 527, created an additional Assistant District Attorney General to the District Attorney General for the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit of the State of Tennessee.
10. Public Acts of 1976, Chapter 519, created an additional office of full-time Assistant District Attorney General for the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit.
11. Public Acts of 1976, Chapter 655, created the office of an additional Circuit Judge for the Twenty-first Judicial Circuit. This act was amended by Public Acts of 1978, Chapter 800