The Default Start Time for Court is 9 a.m.

By Jedidah McKeehan

When there is an upcoming hearing on a case it is incredibly important that the lawyers make sure they get their clients to court in the right place and at the right time.

What time will court start? I have seen court start at many different times. 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. However, the most likely time that court will start is 9:00 a.m.

If you ever have any doubt in your mind about what time to show up, the default time is 9:00 a.m. This goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, you probably do not want to be walking into court right at 9:00 a.m. It is always a good idea to show up at least 15 minutes early, and if you are going somewhere that you have never been before, it may be a good idea to show up even earlier than that.

Why is 9:00 a.m. the default start time for court? I have no idea. Perhaps it gives the judge and court staff time to arrive at the courthouse at the normal workday start time of 8:00 a.m., get themselves settled, and then start hearing cases in the courtroom. That is just a guess though.

The takeaway for you should be that if you have to show up for court and you are unsure at what time court starts, the likely answer is 9:00 a.m.

Jedidiah McKeehan is an attorney practicing in Knox County and surrounding counties.  He works in many areas, including family law, criminal, and personal injury. Visit attorney-knoxville.com for more information about this legal issue and other legal issues.