A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Tennessee you can sue for up to $25,000 in the General Sessions Court (civil division), without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Tennessee doesn't require a demand letter before you file, but sending one first is recommended. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
The General Sessions civil clerk in the county where the defendant lives or does business, or where the deal or incident happened.
Civil Warrant from your county's General Sessions clerk (example: Davidson County Pro Se Civil Warrant). The court date is printed on the warrant, usually a few weeks after filing; many cases finish within about two months.
Each county sets its own fees, which include the clerk fee, sheriff service and local taxes. In 2026, Davidson County (Nashville) charges about $146 for one defendant including service, plus $52 per extra defendant; Rutherford County about $269. Call your county clerk for the exact amount. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency (pauper's oath).
The sheriff usually serves the warrant, and the fee is often included in the filing fee. You can also use an adult who isn't part of the case, or certified mail if the defendant signs the receipt. The warrant must be served within 60 days of being issued; if not, ask the clerk to reissue it.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. After the 10-day appeal period, ask the clerk for wage garnishment (up to 25% of disposable pay), a bank levy or a writ of execution, or record a lien on real estate. Judgments last 10 years and can be renewed.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Personal injury has only 1 year, and spoken slander only 6 months.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 6 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 6 years |
| Damaged property | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 1 year |
| Fraud | 3 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | Claims against a city or county must be filed within 12 months and usually go to Circuit Court; claims against the State go to the Tennessee Claims Commission. |
You can represent yourself, and lawyers are allowed. A corporation or LLC generally must use a licensed lawyer.
General Sessions Court hears civil cases up to $25,000 in every county; attorney fees and court costs don't count toward it. Tennessee has no court called small claims; you sue by filing a civil warrant. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can appeal to Circuit Court within 10 days of the judgment by filing a notice and posting a cost bond or pauper's oath. Circuit Court retries the whole case from the start.
Ask the clerk or court administration for an interpreter as early as possible.