Tennessee Code Title 16. Courts § 16-15-301

(a) The clerk of the circuit court of the county shall act as clerk of the court of general sessions, and when acting as clerk of the general sessions court shall be designated as the clerk of the court of general sessions of that county.

(b) In addition, the clerk of any special court now established or hereafter established, having exactly the same jurisdiction as and no more jurisdiction than the circuit court within any part and for a portion of a particular county, shall also serve as clerk of the court of general sessions within the venue of the special court.

(c) In any county in which the office of a separate clerk of a court of general sessions is created by private act, the clerk shall continue to serve as the clerk of the court of general sessions of the county in accordance with the private act.

(d) Upon written application to the circuit court judge, the clerk of the court of general sessions may be authorized and empowered to appoint deputies for the sole purpose of issuing process. Upon consideration of the application, the circuit court judge shall note the circuit court judge's approval or disapproval by a formal order upon the minutes of the court, and the order shall state the reasons why the judge deems this action to be in the public interest.