Juvenile Services

WILSON COUNTY JUVENILE COURT

JOHN MUSIC CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER

115 EAST HIGH STREET

LEBANON, TN 37087

MISSION STATEMENT

It is the mission of the Wilson County Juvenile Court to serve the welfare of the children and their families within the sound framework of public safety; to provide the guidance, structure and services needed by every child under its jurisdiction; to promote healing and recovery of abused and neglected children and to direct delinquent children in reforming their behaviors.

Juvenile Courts have jurisdiction over matters involving children under 18 years of age that may have been abused or mistreated, whose parents cannot care for them, that need more services than can be provided for in the family home, that have been accused of being unruly or breaking the law or whose behaviors put them at risk or in need of services. The Wilson County Juvenile Court operates 5 days per week with one full time Judge and one full time Magistrate.

JUDGE BARRY TATUM                             

Judge Tatum served as General Sessions and juvenile Court Judge Since 1998. He graduated from the University of the South at Sewanee in 1987 and received his J.D. from Cumberland Law School in 1991.

MAGISTRATE DAVID KENNEDY

Magistrate Kennedy graduated from Belmont university in 1980. He graduated from the Nashville School of Law in 1997. He has served as Magistrate since 2021.

Office Hours

The Youth Service office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am through 4:00 pm. A youth service officer is on call 24/7 when the office is closed.

Juvenile Court Clerk

Debbie Moss      Telephone: 615-444-2114   Fax: 615-444-5889

Volunteer Programs


Court Appointed Special Advocates

Juvenile Court relies on CASA’s to advocate for children in Foster Care. CASA’s are volunteers who receive extensive training and who conduct investigations and provide reports to the Court before hearings. CASA’s are sworn to protect the best interest of the children whose cases they handle.

If you are interested in becoming a CASA please contact their office (615)443-2002

Teen Court

The Wilson County Teen Court is made up of students who hear cases of first-time juvenile offenders. The Teen Court is made up of students from local schools and home schools. We welcome any student to apply for Teen Court.

If you would like to apply please contact Lisa Woolley, Esq. (615)632-8119.

Lisa.woolley@wilsoncountytn.gov

Student Outreach and Resilience

SOAR is a mentoring partnership with Lebanon Special School District and the Juvenile Court.   Volunteers from the community receive special training and are paired with youth to mentor and guide.  

We need mentors to volunteer and invite you to contact us if interested. 

Please contact Jenny Sanders (615)405-0731 

  1. Physical Address
    115 East High Street
    Lebanon, TN 37087

  2. Betsy Jakalski

    Director of Probation and Juvenile Services

  3. Sandy Morris

    Juvenile Services Supervisor

  4. Gary Vandever

    Juvenile Services

  5. Catherine Hackett

    Juvenile Services

  6. Lisa Butler

    Juvenile Services

  7. Jenny Sanders

    SOAR coordinator

                                                                                                via EndCAN 

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