(a) The complaint may be filed in a county in which the defendant resides or may be found. If the defendant is in a hospital or treatment resource, the complaint shall be filed where the person is, and jurisdiction of the proceedings may be transferred for good cause to the court of residence. This venue requirement does not apply to complaints filed in accordance with § 33-7-301 or § 33-7-303.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 33-3-603

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Hospital: means a public or private hospital or facility or part of a hospital or facility equipped to provide inpatient care and treatment for persons with mental illness or serious emotional disturbance. See Tennessee Code 33-1-101
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Treatment resource: means any public or private facility, service, or program providing treatment or rehabilitation services for mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, including, but not limited to, detoxification centers, hospitals, community mental health centers, clinics or programs, halfway houses, and rehabilitation centers. See Tennessee Code 33-1-101
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this title, only the following courts have jurisdiction over the complaint:

(1) Chancery court;
(2) Circuit court;
(3) Juvenile courts in proceedings held by judges who are lawyers or by referees;
(4) Probate court in counties having a population of more than four hundred thousand (400,000) according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census; and
(5) Court of general sessions in counties having a metropolitan form of government and having a population of more than four hundred thousand (400,000) according to the 1990 federal census or any subsequent federal census; provided, that the jurisdiction conferred by this subdivision (b)(5) is conferred only for petitions concerning mandatory outpatient treatment.
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