Court Rules & Dress Code

The Spring Hill Municipal Court enforces rules of procedure and decorum for the professional, efficient and respectful operation of our court. These rules are enforced out of respect for all of those who participate in the operation of our court, whether they be citizens, attorneys, law enforcement officers, court staff, witnesses, observers or the judge.

Rules for Attorneys

Pursuant to T.C.A. 16-18-310, the Spring Hill Municipal Court requires that Attorneys representing a party before the Court in any manner shall file a Notice of Appearance of Counsel with the Deputy Court Clerk.

Upon your arrival at Court:

• Notify Court Security upon check-in that you are an Attorney and provide the name of your client.
• Please sit on the front row before the Court.
• When you approach the Bench, please state your name and the County Bar of which you are a member.

General Courtroom Rules

General courtroom rules and dress code are applicable to all:

• Court sessions begin promptly at 9:00 A.M. Litigants should arrive at court no later than 8:45 A.M. to be processed through court security. Please remove all metal objects and place in one of the clear plastic containers prior to entering the metal detector.
• Persons arriving late to court will be put at the heel of the docket or their matter will be continued to a future date by the court at the judge's discretion.
• No chewing gum, food, or drink is allowed in the courtroom.
• No lights, matches, or smoking are allowed in the courtroom.
• All persons entering the courtroom for an official proceeding are subject to search.
• No weapons or explosives of any kind are allowed in the courtroom. The intentional, knowing, or reckless carrying of a weapon inside any room in which a judicial proceeding is in progress is a Class E felony under Tennessee law and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. T.C.A. 13-17-1306.
• Conversations, noise, and/or disruptive language and/or behavior that distract from court proceedings are prohibited, and persons engaging in such will be asked to leave the courtroom.
• Cell phones are to be muted or turned off during court sessions. Cell phones that activate during court sessions will be collected by court security and held for a 24-hour period after which time they may be returned to the owner by our clerk's office.
• Gentlemen wearing shirts are to tuck their shirts into their pants while in court. Pants are to be worn at the waist level.
• No baseball caps or sunglasses are to be worn in the courtroom. All hats must be removed.
• No revealing clothing (shorts, halter tops, etc.), bedroom shoes, or pajama tops and/or bottoms are to be worn in the courtroom.
• While the Spring Hill Municipal Court highly respects all persons' First Amendment freedoms, t-shirts with inflammatory messages that could incite violence in court are highly discouraged. Please use your wisdom and discretion. Our courtroom is a public place where all Citizens are welcome and should feel at ease around others.
• The determination of what clothing is inappropriate will be made by the judge. Please dress in a manner that is thoughtful of others.
• Children are welcome in court. Court can be an instructive learning experience for children. However, parents and guardians are expected to control their children and keep them quiet during court sessions. Cases in which a litigant is accompanied by a small child will be heard first on the Docket for the comfort of parent and child, and out of consideration for other court participants.
• When you approach the center podium when your matter is called, do not lean or slouch on the podium.