Tennessee Federal Court Structure at a Glance
Court Locations in Tennessee — 28 U.S.C. § 123
The district structure of Tennessee is set by statute, quoted below from 28 U.S.C. § 123:
“Tennessee is divided into three judicial districts to be known as the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Tennessee.”
Court locations under the statute:
Court for the Northern Division shall be held at Knoxville.
Court for the Northeastern Division shall be held at Greenville.
Court for the Southern Division shall be held at Chattanooga.
Court for the Winchester Division shall be held at Winchester.
Court for the Nashville Division shall be held at Nashville.
Court for the Northeastern Division shall be held at Cookeville.
Court for the Columbia Division shall be held at Columbia.
Court for the Eastern Division shall be held at Jackson and Dyersburg.
Court for the Western Division shall be held at Memphis.
Court for the Western District of Tennessee on such date.
Court for the Western District of Tennessee on the effective date of this section.
Federal White-Collar Cases in Tennessee
Federal fraud offenses committed in Tennessee are prosecuted in the district where the offense occurred. Jurisdiction is statutory: “The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.” (18 U.S.C. § 3231).
Circuit assignment is statutory as well. 28 U.S.C. § 41 provides:
“Sixth Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee.”
The Sixth Circuit hears appeals from the district courts in Tennessee. The district courts listed above maintain public websites with local rules, judge information, and case-location details; the federal court finder at uscourts.gov also covers Tennessee.
The principal federal fraud statutes — mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), wire fraud (§ 1343), and bank fraud (§ 1344) — apply in every federal district. Bank fraud carries a statutory maximum of 30 years: “shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.” (18 U.S.C. § 1344).
This page is part of the White-Collar Case Law Research Desk reference library. Additional research notes are published as new court decisions are issued.
Primary sources
- 28 U.S.C. § 123 — Tennessee (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “Tennessee is divided into three judicial districts to be known as the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Tennessee.”
- 28 U.S.C. § 41 — Number and composition of circuits (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “Sixth Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee.”
- 18 U.S.C. § 3231 — District courts (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.”
- 18 U.S.C. § 1344 — Bank fraud (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.”
White-Collar Federal Defense Reference by State
About the Research Desk
Whitecollardefensefirm is maintained as an editorial research archive for this topic. It summarizes public materials, case law, and statute-level references without offering intake or representation.
Editorial Policy
Every page is written in a neutral research voice. We do not publish attorney persona copy, client-matching language, fake reviews, or consultation CTAs.
Citations Notice
Case references, statute numbers, and procedural rules are cited where relevant. Readers should verify authorities before relying on any summary.
Related: About the Publisher | Andrew For Oklahoma — Federal Defense Resource — About the Publisher | Andrew For Oklahoma — Federal Defense Resource Andrew For Oklahoma Home Practice Areas FAQ About R
Related: John D. Kirby — Author and Publisher — John D. Kirby — Author and Publisher John D. Kirby Federal Criminal Defense Attorney John D. Kirby is the named author a