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Tennessee Rules of Post-Conviction Procedure – 2026

The procedure for challenging a conviction after direct appeal — Supreme Court Rule 28, twelve sections. Section 4 governs commencement of a post-conviction proceeding and Section 5 the nature of the pleadings, including what a petition must contain and the consequences of an incomplete one. Section 6 sets out the procedure after a petition is filed — preliminary consideration, the order of dismissal or to respond, appointment of counsel and the amended petition — and Sections 7 and 8 cover discovery, production of evidence and the evidentiary hearing. Section 9 is the determination and the relief available, Section 10 appeals, and Section 11 the withdrawal of a post-conviction petition in a capital case.

Browse all 12 rules of the 2026 edition below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.

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Section 1 Scope and Authority of Rules Section 2 Definitions Section 3 Applicability of Other Rules Section 4 Commencement of Post-Conviction Proceeding Section 5 Nature of Pleadings Section 6 Procedure After Petition Filed Section 7 Discovery & Production of Evidence Section 8 Evidentiary Hearing Section 9 Determination & Relief Section 10 Appeals Section 11 Withdrawal of Post-Conviction Petition in Capital Case Section 12 Citation