Tennessee Courthouse Dress Code & Attire Rules (2026)

Short answer: Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 8 courthouses in Tennessee. Updated 2026-11-04

All 8 county courthouses in Tennessee enforce judicial decorum dress codes: shorts, flip-flops, tank tops, halter tops, pajamas, and hats are prohibited in courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may refuse entry or reset your hearing if you are improperly dressed. Tennessee county courthouses are split: Shelby County (Memphis 201 Poplar Criminal Justice Center) and several regional counties strictly ban public cell phones with no lockers inside the building, whereas Davidson County (Nashville Historic Courthouse) permits silenced phones.

County Courthouse	City	Courtroom dress code	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Shelby County Walter L. Bailey Jr. Criminal Justice Center (201 Poplar) & Shelby County Courthouse (Memphis) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Shelby County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Memphis	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Davidson County Davidson County Courthouse (Nashville) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Davidson County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Nashville	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Knox County Knox County Courthouse (Knoxville) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Knox County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Knoxville	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Hamilton County Hamilton County Courthouse (Chattanooga) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Hamilton County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Chattanooga	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Rutherford County Rutherford County Courthouse (Murfreesboro) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Rutherford County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Murfreesboro	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Williamson County Williamson County Courthouse (Franklin) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Williamson County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Franklin	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Montgomery County Montgomery County Courthouse (Clarksville) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Montgomery County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Clarksville	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Sumner County Sumner County Courthouse (Gallatin) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Sumner County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Gallatin	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wear jeans or shorts to court in Tennessee?

Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 8 courthouses in Tennessee.

How is this courthouse policy data verified?

We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.