Private Acts of 2012 Chapter 56

SECTION 1. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Court” means the juvenile court of Williamson County.
(2) “Judge” means the judge of the juvenile court of Williamson County.
(3) “Clerk” means the juvenile court clerk of Williamson County.

SECTION 2. There is created, in Williamson County, a juvenile court to be known and
styled as the juvenile court of Williamson County. Such court shall be a court of record and shall
be presided over by a judge who shall have the qualifications and salary provided by this act.

SECTION 3. A judge for such court shall be appointed by the Williamson County
legislative body prior to January 1, 2013 who shall be licensed to practice law in this state and
who possesses all other qualifications of judges of inferior courts, as provided by law. The
appointed judge shall take office on January 1, 2013 and shall continue to serve until the next
general election. Thereafter, the judge shall be elected in the 2014 August general election, and
then subsequent county general elections. The term of office shall be eight (8) years, and such
judge shall be licensed to practice law in the state and shall possess all the qualifications of the
inferior courts. The judge shall take and subscribe to the same oath of office as that subscribed
for the judges of the circuit and general session courts. In the event the office of the judge shall
become vacant by reason of death, resignation, retirement, or any other reason before the
expiration of said term of office, such vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the
Williamson County commission members until the next county general election.

SECTION 4. The Williamson County juvenile court clerk shall continue to serve as clerk
of the Williamson County juvenile court and any of such clerk's deputies shall also be deputies
for the juvenile court created by this Act.

SECTION 5. The judge and clerk of such juvenile court shall have all of the jurisdiction,
powers, duties, and authority of other juvenile court judges and clerks as provided in Tennessee
Code Annotated, Title 37 or any other general law.

SECTION 6. The judge shall be a full time juvenile judge and shall exercise exclusive
juvenile jurisdiction in Williamson County. Nothing in this Act shall restrict the ability of the
judge to participate in interchange with other judges should cause exist making an interchange
necessary or for mutual convenience under the provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated § 17-2-
208.

SECTION 7. Effective January 1, 2013, the annual salary of the position of Williamson
County juvenile judge shall be established by the county legislative body to be effective for the
entire term for which the judge is elected. The county legislative body shall annually appropriate
from such funds as are necessary and appropriate for the orderly operation and administration of
the court herein created.

SECTION 8. The judge is authorized to make and promulgate rules and regulations for
the administration and efficient operation of the court and to fix the times and places at which all
persons within the jurisdiction of the court shall have their causes set for disposition.

SECTION 9. The judge shall, pursuant to the laws and regulations of Williamson County,
appoint such personnel as may be necessary to efficiently carry on the business of the court. All
such appointments shall be limited by the total appropriations made for such personnel during
each fiscal year by the Williamson County legislative body.

SECTION 10. The Williamson County legislative body shall provide the court with
facilities adequate and sufficient to allow the court to perform its duties as a juvenile court.

SECTION 11. The juvenile judge shall have the power of appointment, retention, reappointment, and supervision of judicial commissioners subject to the applicable restrictions and qualification requirements and shall maintain supervisory authority over the judicial commissioners who shall have all powers granted to judicial commissioners pursuant to applicable law. The juvenile judge may appoint and supervise a temporary or part-time judicial commissioner to serve at the pleasure of the juvenile judge in cases of absence, emergency, or other need. All such appointments and salaries shall be limited by the total appropriations made for personnel by the Williamson County legislative body during each fiscal year and shall be subject to the provisions of Tenn. Code Ann. S 40-1-111 and all other applicable laws, rules, and policies concerning judicial commissioners and county employees;

SECTION 11. All unfinished and pending matters in the court or courts exercising
juvenile court jurisdiction, prior to the date this Act takes effect, shall be transferred to the court
created by this Act at the close of business on the day preceding the day this Act becomes
effective. On such date, all official books, records, and other documents pertaining to any matter
within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall be delivered to such court.

COMPILER'S NOTE:  Private Acts of 2017, Chapter 18, added a new Section 11 without repealing the existing Section 11 or renumbering subsequent sections, resulting in two sections that are numbered 11.

SECTION 12. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, or application of
the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end,
the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 13. This Act shall have no effect, unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3)
vote of the county legislative body of Williamson County on or before December 1, 2012
pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-3-202. Its approval or non-approval shall be
proclaimed by the presiding officer of the Williamson County legislative body and certified by
the presiding officer to the secretary of state.

SECTION 14. For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall
be effective upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, it shall
become effective as provided in Section 13.

Passed: April 16, 2012.