Municipal court fines retained by the city and legal analysis memo, Form 401, and Form 414

These documents address common questions asked by municipal courts, including what fines are retained by the cities, and which fines are submitted to the Department of Safety, as well as what statutes are in the Tennessee Code Annotated that permit cities to retain certain fines, and which statutes mandate those fines be forwarded to the Department of Safety. The memo provides guidance on how to properly establish jurisidiction of motor vehicle offense in municipal courts and subsequently properly retain the fine money for most offenses.

Documents attached: 

• Form 401 General Sessions Itemizations--Cheat Sheet
• Memorandum on Fines to Send to Safety 2023
• Form 414 Litigations Fines and Fees for General Sessions Courts -- Cheat Sheet (updated Aug. 2025)