Court System - Historical Notes

The following acts once affected jurors or boards of jury commissioners in Crockett County, but are no longer operative.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1913 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 91, created a three (3) member Board of Jury Commissioners in Crockett County to be appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Court.  The Commissioners were empowered to compile a list of thirty (30) names from which the grand and petty jury for the circuit court would be selected.  Penalties and compensation were provided for in the Act where applicable.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 805.
2. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 805, expressly repealed Private Acts of 1913 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 91, above, which had created a Board of Jury Commissioners for Crockett County.  The Board was abolished by this 1937 Act and all authority conferred withdrawn.
3. Private Acts of 1951, Chapter 476, created a five (5) member Board of Jury Commissioners.  The county was divided into five (5) jury commission districts with one (1) member from each district being elected every two (2) years by the Crockett County Quarterly County Court to the Board.  The Commissioners were empowered to compile a list of not less than five hundred (500) nor more than one thousand (1000) names and to place same in a box, from which a child of tender years, unable to read or write at the beginning of each regular term would draw the names of forty (40) jurors to compose the panel for regular jury service at said term of court.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 362.
4. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 362, repealed in its entirety Private Acts of 1951, Chapter 476, above, which had created a Board of Jury Commissioners for Crockett County.

The following acts form an outline of the development of equity jurisdiction in Crockett County, although they no longer have the force of law since they have either been superseded by general law, repealed, or failed to receive local ratification.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1845-46, Chapter 25, being one of the Acts which created Crockett County also provided for bills in chancery to be filed either in the Chancery Court held at Trenton or Brownsville. 
2. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 195, another Act purporting to establish the new county of Crockett, also, provided for the bills in chancery to be filed in either the Chancery Court held at Trenton or Brownsville.
3. Public Acts of 1865-66 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 19, another Act that established Crockett County, placed said county in the Sixth Chancery Division with court terms scheduled to begin on the first Monday in February and August.
4. Public Acts of 1869-70, Chapter 89, another Act that  established the county of Crockett, assigned said county to the Eleventh Chancery Division with the Chancery Court to be held on the fourth Monday in May and November at Cageville.
5. Public Acts of 1871, Chapter 132, established Crockett County and provided for the Chancery Court to be held in said County on the fourth Monday in May and November and for said county to be in the Eleventh Chancery Division.
6. Public Acts of 1875, Chapter 32, changed the court terms for the Chancery Court of Crockett County to the second Monday in June and December with same to be held at Alamo.
7. Acts of 1885 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 20, divided Tennessee into eleven (11) Chancery Divisions.  The Ninth Chancery Division was composed of Hardeman, McNairy, Chester, Madison, Henderson, Carroll, Henry and Crockett counties.  The Chancery Court term for Crockett County was the fourth Monday in May and November.
8. Public Acts of 1887, Chapter 111, amended Acts of 1885 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 20, above, by changing the time for the Chancery Court to be held in Crockett County to the second Monday in March and September.
9. Public Acts of 1899, Chapter 427, divided Tennessee into ten (10) Chancery Divisions.  The Eighth Chancery Division was composed of the counties of Decatur, Hardin, Chester, Benton, McNairy, Henderson, Carroll, Henry, Madison, Perry and Crockett.  The time for holding Chancery Court in Crockett was the fourth Monday in February and August.
10. Acts of 1903, Chapter 36, changed the times for holding the Chancery Court in the Eighth Chancery Division.  The term for the Chancery Court in Crockett County would be the second Monday in March and September.
11. Acts of 1903, Chapter 311, amended Acts of 1903, Chapter 36, above, and changed court terms for the Chancery Court in Crockett County to the fourth Monday in May and November.
12. Acts of 1903, Chapter 484, amended Acts of 1903, Chapter 36, above, and appears to be a duplicate of Acts of 1903, Chapter 311, above, which changed the term for holding the Chancery Court in Crockett County to the fourth Monday in May and November.
13. Public Acts of 1931 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 38, separated Tennessee into fourteen (14) Chancery Divisions.  The Eighth Chancery Division consisted of Carroll, Henry, McNairy, Hardeman, Henderson, Decatur, Hardin, Benton, Chester and Crockett counties.  The Chancery Court would be held in Crockett County on the fourth Monday in May and November. 
14. Public Acts of 1975, Chapter 245, amended Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 16-244 and 16-245 by transferring Crockett County from the Eighth Chancery Division to the Ninth Chancery Division.
15. Public Acts of 1976, Chapter 577, provided that Crockett County being in Part II of the Chancery Court of the Ninth Chancery Division, would hold Chancery Court on the fourth Monday in May and November.  The Chancellor elected for Part II of the Ninth Chancery Division would preside over Part II consisting of Tipton, Lauderdale, Haywood and Crockett counties.

The reference list below contains acts which once applied to the clerk and master in Crockett County.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 52, set the salary of the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court in Crockett County at six hundred dollars ($600) annually, with half to be paid on the first of July, and the other half on the first of January of each year.  A sworn, itemized statement was required to be filed with the County Judge or Chairman of the County Court by the Clerk and Master showing the amount of fees collected in the office.  If the fees collected were less than the stated salary, the County would pay the deficiency to the Clerk and Master.
2. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 270, amended Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 52, above, by increasing the salary of the Clerk and Master from six hundred dollars ($600) to one thousand dollars ($1,000) per year.
3. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 274, set the salary of the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court in Crockett County at one thousand three hundred fifty dollars ($1,350) per year, payable quarterly.  A sworn, itemized statement was required to be filed quarterly, with the County Judge or Chairman of the County Court, showing the amount of fees collected in the office, except those fees received from acting as Receiver. If the fees collected were less than the stated salary, the County would pay the deficiency to the Clerk and Master, any excess fees above the stated salary were required to be paid over to the county treasury.
4. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 812, set the salary of the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court of Crockett County at two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) annually.  If the fees collected in the office exceeded the stated salary, the excess would be paid into the county treasury; however, if they were less than the stated salary, then that amount would constitute the salary of the Clerk and Master. No exception was made for Receiver fees in this Act.
5. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 334, set the salary of both the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court and the Circuit Court Clerk in Crockett County at one thousand three hundred fifty dollars ($1,350) with any excess above the stated amount being paid into the county treasury annually.  An itemized statement of fees collected in the respective offices was required to be filed with the County Judge, or Chairman.  All fees would be retained by them as payment of their salaries.  If the fees collected were deficient, then the difference between the stated salary and the fees collected would be paid out of the county treasury.
6. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 391, amended Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 334, above, by increasing the salary of the Clerk and Master to two thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400) a year.

Circuit Court

The following acts have no current effect, but once applied to the Crockett County Circuit Court Clerk.  They were repealed, superseded, or never received local approval.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1903, Chapter 255, established the salary ranges of the Circuit Court Clerks according to the population of the counties.  The salary of Crockett County's Circuit Court Clerk under this Act would have been seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) annually, based upon its population in 1900.  The Clerk was required to file a sworn itemized statement with the County Judge, or Chairman, showing the amount of fees collected in the office.  If the fees were less than the stated salary, the County would pay the difference; if the fees were more than the stated salary, the Clerk could retain the excess.
2. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 410, set the annual salary of the Circuit Court Clerk of Crockett County at one thousand dollars ($1,000,) to be paid semi-annually.  The Act required the Clerk to file semi-annually, sworn itemized statements showing the amount of fees collected in the office.  If the fees received in the office were less than the stated salary, the county would pay the deficiency; if the fees were more the excess could be retained by the Clerk.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 176.
3. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 776, was identical to Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 410, above, which had set the annual salary of the Circuit Court Clerk of Crockett County at one thousand dollars ($1,000).
4. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 273, amended Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 410, above, by increasing the salary of the Circuit Court Clerk in Crockett County to one thousand three hundred fifty dollars ($1,350), payable quarterly.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 176.
5. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 811, set the salary of the Circuit Court Clerk in Crockett County at two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) annually.  If the fees of the office exceeded the stated salary the excess would be paid into the county treasury; if the fees were less, then that sum would be the salary of the Clerk. 
6. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 334, set the annual salary of the Circuit Court Clerk, and the Clerk and Master each at one thousand three hundred fifty dollars ($1,350), to be paid quarterly.  A sworn itemized statement of all fees collected in the respective offices was required to be filed with the County Judge, or Chairman quarterly.  Any excess in fees received in the office above the stated salary would be paid into the county treasury, and a deficiency in fees below the stated salary would be paid out of the county treasury.
7. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 176, repealed Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 410 and Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 273, above.  These repealed Acts had set the annual salary of the Circuit Court Clerk.
8. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 391, amended Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 334, above, by increasing the salary of the Circuit Court Clerk to two thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400) annually.

The following acts are no longer in effect but are listed here for historical purposes.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Public Acts of 1939, Chapter 71, created the position of Stenographer for the Chancellor of the Eighth Chancery Division to which Crockett County was then assigned
2. Public Acts of 1951, Chapter 36, created the position of Stenographer to the Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.  The salary was set at nine hundred dollars ($900) annually.  The Stenographer would be appointed by the Judge and work at his pleasure and perform such work as may be required in connection with the official duties of the Judge.
3. Public Acts of 1963, Chapter 308, amended Public Acts of 1951, Chapter 36, above, and increased the salary of the Stenographer to the Judge from nine hundred dollars ($900) annually to one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800).