Tennessee Courthouses That Ban Cell Phones (2026)

Short answer: It depends on the county administrative order: 0 of 8 tracked courthouses in Tennessee allow silenced cell phones, while 8 prohibit cell phones for general visitors and traffic court defendants. Updated 2026-11-04

Of the 8 county courthouses we track in Tennessee, 0 (0%) allow visitors to bring cell phones inside on silent mode, while 8 (100%) ban cell phones for the general public at the security checkpoint. Warning: 8 courthouses ban phones AND provide no storage lockers at the entrance. 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	Cell phones banned	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Shelby County Walter L. Bailey Jr. Criminal Justice Center (201 Poplar) & Shelby County Courthouse (Memphis) “Shelby County Sheriff Court Security Order (201 Poplar Ave): "No cell phones or electronic devices are allowed inside 201 Poplar for defendants, witnesses, or spectators. There are no lockers inside the building. Summoned jurors with a juror summons and attorneys with a bar card are exempt."”	Memphis	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Davidson County Davidson County Courthouse (Nashville) “Davidson County Courthouse (Nashville) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Nashville	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Knox County Knox County Courthouse (Knoxville) “Knox County Courthouse (Knoxville) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Knoxville	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Rutherford County Rutherford County Courthouse (Murfreesboro) “Rutherford County Courthouse (Murfreesboro) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Murfreesboro	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Hamilton County Hamilton County Courthouse (Chattanooga) “Hamilton County Courthouse (Chattanooga) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Chattanooga	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Williamson County Williamson County Courthouse (Franklin) “Williamson County Courthouse (Franklin) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Franklin	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Montgomery County Montgomery County Courthouse (Clarksville) “Montgomery County Courthouse (Clarksville) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Clarksville	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated
Sumner County Sumner County Courthouse (Gallatin) “Sumner County Courthouse (Gallatin) Sheriff Security Order: "Cell phones are strictly prohibited past the security checkpoint for defendants and general visitors. Deputies will not hold phones. Leave phones in your car."”	Gallatin	Phones banned · NO lockers at door	No lockers	Free Validated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring my cell phone to a courthouse in Tennessee?

It depends on the county administrative order: 0 of 8 tracked courthouses in Tennessee allow silenced cell phones, while 8 prohibit cell phones for general visitors and traffic court defendants.

Which courthouses in Tennessee ban phones and have no lockers at the door?

Shelby County (Memphis), Davidson County (Nashville), Knox County (Knoxville), Rutherford County (Murfreesboro), Hamilton County (Chattanooga) and 3 more prohibit public cell phones and have no entrance storage lockers. If you arrive by Uber or bus with a phone, bailiffs will turn you away.

Are summoned jurors allowed to bring cell phones in Tennessee?

In 8 of 8 counties in Tennessee, summoned jurors presenting an official Jury Summons are permitted to bring cell phones into the Jury Assembly Room even when general visitors are banned.

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.