Order Cases Online
The files located in the Tennessee Supreme Court Cases represent an especially valuable resource for historical and genealogical research at the Tennessee State Library and Archives [TSLA].
Use quotes for an exact search. ex. "J. W."
View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
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View Entry | 1876 | Burress Wilmeth v. State | Hamblen | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Charged along w/ Creed Taylor, Nathan Nelson, George Croft, & Robert Wright. For disturbing worship services of the Morristown Methodist Episcopal Church South by "...Whispering, talking Laughing Scoffing Walking about making a loud noise Jesturing [sic] and other wrongs..." |
East | Range: 20 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1649 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1920 | Corimer Shotwell v. State | Shelby | Disturbance of Public Worship | Middle | Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 393 | 40 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1874 | Joseph Hoge v. State | Rhea | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Plaintiff in error is accused of disturbing worship at a public schoolhouse with laughter, loud talking and other disruptive behavior. |
East | Range: 20 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1601 | 9 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1876 | John Hutchinson, in error v. State | Union | Disturbance of Public Worship |
In a previous case Plaintiff in error was convicted of disturbing public worship. Plaintiff in error filed this claim as an appeal. |
East | Range: 20 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1647 | 10 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1876 | State v. George Massey | Putnam | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Defendant was accused of disturbing public worship by noise, profanity, and indecent behavior. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 19 | 12 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1881 | State v. James Wright | Sumner | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Additional parties: William Branham also known as "Buck" Branham, James Branham, and G. Wright. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 62 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1916 | State v. Floid Laycock | Jackson | Disturbance of Public Worship | Middle | Range: 21 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 85 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1872 | State v. Charles Durham, et al. | Houston | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Additional Defendants: Charlie Madden, Tom R., and B. Brown. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 340 | 5 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. James Cartwright& Thomas King | Gibson | Disturbance of Public Worship | West | Range: 82 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 550 | 38 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1934 | State v. John Murr | Greene | Disturbance of Public Worship | East | Range: 7 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 767 | 14 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1885 | State v. Charles Jennings | Maury | Disturbance of Public Worship | Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 563 | 142 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1870 | State v. James Townsell | Sevier | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Opinion only. It quotes state law on the definition of disturbing a worship service. Also contains references to English law. Townsell charged with disturbing a Baptist congregation by cursing, making a loud noise, laughing, throwing dirt, and being drunk. Judgment was quashed. |
East | Range: 8 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 814 | 16 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1885 | State v. Charles Seward | Roane | Disturbance of Public Worship | Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 593 | 6 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1886 | State v. C. B. "Charly" Wright, Jr. & Buddie Burrow | Macon | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Charged with disturbing the service of Ebenezer Church. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 671 | 49 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1846 | State v. John H. Cockreham | Hawkins | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Defendant accused of interrupting a congregation of Methodists assembled to worship by "talking, cussing and swearing with a loud voice" and so disturbing public worship, said disturbance to be "against good morals" & "in contempt of religion." Transcript notes that one potential witness, William King, was "objected to as incompetent being of mixed blood." Also, judge told jury all that was necessary to constitute a disturbance was that 1 individual be disturbed, not entire congregation. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1127 | 42 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1880 | State v. Albert Hartman | Washington | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Hartman was charged with disturbing a gathering of people for the purpose of public worship. |
East | Range: 19 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1720 | 12 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1889 | State v. Aus Harman | Maury | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Plaintiff is accused of disturbing worship in Lasea Church in Maury County by making loud noise and behaving in a way that was indecent and profane. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 780 | 20 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1873 | State v. Robert Martin | Jefferson | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Martin charged with tickling, scratching, and scoffing Jacob Palmer Jr. and Alexander Biram during a congregation. Jury found him guilty and fined him $20. |
East | Range: 9 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1221 | 18 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1931 | State v. Park Saylor et al. | Hamblen | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Add. Def: Elbert Dyer, Carl Bernard, and Jim Atkins. This is an appeal by the State from an order sustaining a motion to quash. Def. are accused of disrupting a religious worship by loud and indecent talk, and throwing mud balls. |
East | Range: 10 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1325 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1890 | State v. Dock Allen | DeKalb | Disturbance of Public Worship |
The defendant is accused of entering a church and disrupting worship by speaking and shaking hands with members of the congregation. Witnesses note that the defendant was noticeably intoxicated at the time of the disruption. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 874 | 21 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1893 | State v. W. T. Donoho | Trousdale | Disturbance of Public Worship |
The defendant was accused of disturbing pubic worship during a Sunday service. Name of the church was unknown. Defendant admitted to making a disturbance at the church but stated that it was well before service began. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 965 | 14 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1895 | State v. Jack Anderson | Putnam | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Jack Anderson was charged with disturbing religious worship services by using "pofane discourse" and having "rude and indecent behavior." |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1046 | 7 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1872 | State v. John Brown | Henry | Disturbance of Public Worship |
On September 20, 1870 John Brown willfully interrupted, disturbed and disquieted a congregation for public worship by playing at the door of the church a Jew's harp(actual instrument) and by rude and improper behavior. |
West | Range: 84 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 17 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1876 | State v. Wilson C. Young | Jackson | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Alias Sonney Young. Young was accused of profane discourse, rude and indecent behaviors near a place of worship. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 19 | 24 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1876 | State v. Nathan Fugitt | Cannon | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Fuggitt was accused of making noise, profane discourse, and rude and indecent behavior. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 25 | 6 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1878 | State v. Emery Phillips | Cannon | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Phillips was charged with disturbing Ausments Chapel Church in Cannon County with noise, profane discourse, rude and indecent behavior. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 35a | 10 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1858 | State v. Malcomb C. Smith | Smith | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Defendant is charged with disturbing "a certain congregation of Christians." |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 277 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1866 | State v. Doty | Humphreys | Disturbance of Public Worship | Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 307 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1896 | State v. Brandon Layne& Walter Spriggs | Obion | Disturbance of Public Worship |
The defendants were accused of loud talking, profane swearing, quarreling and being drunk at or near a place of worship |
West | Range: 83 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 429 | 26 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1838 | State v. James Cannon | Sevier | Disturbance of Public Worship | East | Range: 7 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 638 | 15 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1904 | State v. Grant Wilcox | Shelby | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Wilcox "did unlawfully, willfully, disturb and disquiet an assemblage of persons met for religious worship at a church called Birdett Chapell [sic] by noise, profane discourse, rude and indecent behavior…" |
West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 882 | 13 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1934 | State v. Ross Brotherton | Greene | Disturbance of Public Worship | East | Range: 8 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 805 | 30 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1858 | State v. William W. Hollingsworth | Claiborne | Disturbance of Public Worship |
A Methodist congregation was having a church trial of Hollingsworth, who had been accused of speaking evil of some of the ministers of the church. In his defense, Hollingsworth stated that everything he said was true, after which the disturbance occurred. The jury found him guilty and fined him $10. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1160 | 12 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1859 | State v. Pleasant White | Anderson | Disturbance of Public Worship |
White accused of disturbing a congregation by "going drunken into and at said congregation" & "vomiting from drunkenness in the presence of the said congregation" & so doing "in contempt of religion to the manifest corruption of public morals." Jury found White guilty as charged. |
East | Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1142 | 8 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1869 | State v. Asberry Jacobs | Jefferson | Disturbance of Public Worship |
During a Baptist service, the defendant cursed, laughed, and played with bull frogs, disturbing the religious worship. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1186 | 14 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1871 | Samuel Dobson Jones v. State | Greene | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Plaintiff in error is accused of disturbing the public worship of the "United Bretheren," who were gathered at Brown's schoolhouse in Greene County by laughing, talking and other injurious things. |
East | Range: 9 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1217 | 19 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1871 | State v. Frank Warren, et al. | Hamilton | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Defendants: Frank Warren, William Rogers, and Jasper Raines. Incident of 1 Jan. 1871, "willfully disturbed and disgraced an assembly of persons met for religious worship at Pleasant Hill Church, by noise, whispering, laughing, talking, and many other acts of such." Judgment rendered, fine of $20 each. |
East | Range: 9 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 1241 | 19 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1892 | State v. John Kirby | Trousdale | Disturbance of Public Worship |
The defendant was accused of disturbing public worship. Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to jail. No further details of the case are available. Casefile primarily pertains to the construction of the jury. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 965 | 10 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1892 | State v. James Lafevors | White | Disturbance of Public Worship |
Lafevors aka Lafevers, and Jeff Howard were convicted of disturbing public worship and fined. This is a bill to re-tax the cost in the cause by striking out the State and County taxes. The defendant believes said taxes were already paid by Howard. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 922 | 7 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1892 | State v. John Cunningham | Putnam | Disturbance of Public Worship |
The defendant, George Cunningham, and Andrew Mills are accused of disturbing public worship with profane discourse and rude and indecent behavior. Additional details unavailable. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 911 | 18 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1891 | Van Lock v. State | McNairy | Disturbance of Public Worship | West | Range: 83 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 333 | 102 | Order A Copy |