The Knox County Governmental Law Library was created in 1955 when the Tennessee State Legislature enacted Chapter 50 of the Knox County Private Acts. This act calls for a Governmental Library to be set up for the use of the courts, judges, state, county, and municipal officials, as well as attorneys and the general public. The Library was located in the Knox County Court House accessible to courts in progress.

The Knox County Private Act also formed the Knox County Governmental Library Commission to establish, acquire, maintain, and operate the Governmental Library.

On September 10, 1990, the Knox County Commission, under "Home Rule", adopted in whole the 1955 Private Act, Chapter 150, and the amendments to that Act, as Knox County Ordinance 0-92-5-105.

To defray the cost of running the Governmental Library, the 1955 Private Act created a library litigation tax. The rates of this tax have been changed twice by the Tennessee State Legislature and later by the Knox County Commission under "Home Rule".