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Tennessee law

Commercial Litigation Laws in Tennessee.

Tennessee commercial litigation runs through the Circuit Court (law), Chancery Court (equity), or (in larger counties) specialized probate/civil divisions. Tennessee operates a Business Court Pilot Program in Davidson County (Nashville) for complex commercial cases. Tennessee follows the UCC. The Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (Tenn. Code § 47-18-101 et seq.) provides consumer-protection remedies with treble damages. Tennessee's 1-year personal injury SOL is among the shortest in the U.S.

Last verified: 2026-04-17

State law

Statute of Limitations

6 years (written contracts); 4 years (UCC sales); 1 year (most torts)Tenn. Code §§ 28-3-104, 28-3-109, 47-2-725

Written contracts: 6 years. Oral contracts: 6 years. UCC sales: 4 years. Most torts: 1 year — distinctively short. Fraud: 3 years from discovery.

State law

Key Tennessee Statutes

Tennessee UCC Article 2 (Sales)Tenn. Code § 47-2-101 et seq.

Governs sales of goods including warranties, remedies, statute of frauds ($500+), and breach. 4-year statute of limitations.

Chancery Court (Equitable Jurisdiction)Tenn. Const. Art. VI; Tenn. Code § 16-11

Tennessee retains a separate Chancery Court with equitable jurisdiction — handling matters including trusts, receiverships, injunctions, complex commercial disputes, and equitable remedies. Parties may choose between Circuit and Chancery for concurrent-jurisdiction matters.

Business Court Pilot (Davidson County)Tenn. Code § 16-2-509

Nashville-based Business Court Pilot Program handles complex commercial cases (threshold $150,000+) with specialized judges.

Tennessee Consumer Protection ActTenn. Code § 47-18-101 et seq.

Prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in consumer transactions. Private cause of action with actual damages and discretionary treble damages for willful violations plus attorney fees.

Prejudgment InterestTenn. Code § 47-14-123

Prejudgment interest on liquidated damages at discretionary rate (up to 10% per annum).

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Tennessee.

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