Tennessee Public Records, Arrest Records and Jail Roster

Tennessee Public Records

The state of Tennessee has long made provisions for the sharing of its criminal records, vital records, and court records and other public records with the general public.

Passed for the first time in 1957, the Tennessee Open Records Act is covered in the Title 10, Chapter 7 of the Tennessee statutes. According to the Act, all the citizens of Tennessee State and corporations within the state have the right to access public records. You don’t have to state the reason for requesting the records and you can use the records for any purpose once you have received them.

Records that the Act covers include records from judicial, legislative, and executive branches as well as all other government agencies. Also covered are all non-governmental bodies that do get public funds.

Tennessee Criminal Records

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is responsible for administering background checks in Tennessee. The general public, licensing agencies and employers can request name-based background checks on any individual through Tennessee Open Records Information Services (TORIS), which is an online system. You can also request a background check through the mail, which will show an individual’s criminal history for only the state of Tennessee.

You can request for arrest records, and jail and inmate records. You can go to the official website of Department of Corrections to find further information on any inmate in the state system, or to learn more about agency services, or the state prison. Felony Offender Information (FOIL) is a state’s website from which you can locate an offender by State ID, TOMIS ID, or Name. The search results will provide you with the inmate’s sentencing date, earliest parole date, and supervision status.

Tennessee Court Records

Any information about Tennessee courts is available on the state of Tennessee administrator of courts official website. The site contains information on every court in the state. You can obtain information on oral arguments, opinions, and court meetings from individual court’s student page. However, if you want to obtain any particular court records, you will have to make a request through the specific court in which the case was decided.

Tennessee Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records and Tennessee Department of Health are responsible for administering Tennessee Vital Records pertaining to death, birth, divorce, and marriage. Access to these certificates is limited to a spouse, child, parent or the individuals named on the certificate. Legal guardians can also request for these certificates. You can request for a marriage, divorce, death or birth certificates online through VitalCheck. You can apply by mail whereby you download the right form and then mail it to Tennessee Vital Records, 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243 with payment and a duplicate of your photo ID. Alternatively, you can also make a request in person at the Vital Records Central Office, which is located at 710 James Robertson Pkwy, 1st Floor, Nashville.

• Birth records: Birth certificates are available from 1914 to present. For birth records prior to 1914, you can direct your request to the Tennessee State Board of Health and Tennessee Family History Library. You may also check with the county where the birth was recorded.
• Death records: Death records are available dating back to 1914 at the Tennessee Department of Health. For records prior to 1874, you can make your request through Tennessee State Archives. Microcopies of all death records are available at the state’s Family History Library.
• Marriage records: Marriage records dating back to 1949 to present are available at the Office of Vital Statistics. Copies of most marriage records from early 1900s are kept at the Family History Library.
• Divorce records: Divorce records are available from 1949 to present. You can request for these records at Tennessee Department of Health. The records are also available at the Tennessee State Library.

The information regarding Tennessee vital records, court records, and criminal records are easily accessible. Just apply for these records appropriately and you will be granted access to them.

Tennessee state court system

Understanding how the system of Tennessee state court works is very important as it helps you find court records easily.

Tennessee Courts Overview

To make your work easier, start searching for court records in Tennessee by simply going to courts by county.

The trial court system of Tennessee State consists of Municipal Courts, Probate Courts, Juvenile Courts, General Sessions Courts, Criminal Courts, Chancery Courts, and Circuit Courts.

Circuit Courts

Tennessee Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction to handle all cases. They handle any case that no other court has jurisdiction over.

Circuit Courts share jurisdiction over all types of criminal cases with Criminal Courts. Chancery Courts and Circuit Courts also share jurisdiction over adoption, divorce, name changes, distribution and partition of personal or real property, the appointment and release of trustees, arbitration, trustee petitions, and paternity.

They also share jurisdiction with some General Sessions Courts over domestic relations cases. They can also handle disputes about validity of cases connected to arbitration. These courts also have limited jurisdiction to handle cases citizenship restoration.

Chancery Courts

These courts have limited jurisdiction to handle many cases of an equitable nature. They generally hear cases that other courts have no jurisdiction over. Chancery Courts share jurisdiction with other courts over some types of civil cases.

Chancery Courts have limited jurisdiction over cases that involve disputes over land boundaries, some types of requests made by creditors, and the cases that the State has signed against corporations.

Criminal Courts

Private Acts in some Judicial Circuits have created Criminal Courts. Criminal Courts share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts over criminal cases, but Circuit Courts will usually not exercise jurisdiction in districts where Criminal Courts are available.

General Sessions Courts

These courts have general jurisdiction to handle certain types of criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases generally handled by these courts include many violations of municipal ordinances, misdemeanor trials, and preliminary hearings in all types of criminal cases.

Civil cases generally heard by these courts include certain general civil cases without any financial limits, such as the recovery of personal property, and forcible entry and detainer. Jurisdiction of General Sessions Courts is limited for certain types of equity and general civil cases to claims with less than $25,000 in dispute, exclusive of costs and attorney fees.

They also issues restraining orders and handle the enforcement of restraining orders. They can also handle cases including nonsupport, mental health proceedings, juvenile matters, and probate matters.

A Mental Health Court division exists in some General Sessions Courts for handling cases that involve voluntary commitments and cases that have been filed under the Mental Health Law.

Juvenile Courts

Juvenile Courts have limited jurisdiction to handle many juvenile delinquency as well as other juvenile cases, such as child neglect and abuse, juvenile dependency, judicial consent to military or employment enlistment, and minors considered to be unruly.

Criminal cases generally heard by these courts include some violations of parental responsibilities by guardians or parents. General Sessions Court share jurisdiction with Juvenile Courts over the offense of contributing to unruly conduct or delinquency of a child.

A Juvenile Court may have a Teen Court division that handle juvenile delinquency cases, including some drug offenses, curfew violations, truancy, runaways, traffic offenses, harassment, disorderly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, forgery, vandalism, theft of property, burglary, and assault.

Probate Courts

Probate Courts have jurisdiction to handle conservatorships, guardianships, administration of estates, and probate of wills. Chancery Courts may have a Probate Court division.

Municipal Courts

Also sometimes known as Town Courts or City Courts, Municipal Courts usually handle some types of criminal cases and many municipal ordinance violations. Some Municipal Courts also have jurisdiction to handle certain municipal ordinances that reflect state criminal laws, including underage alcohol offenses, reckless driving, and driving without a driving license.

Tennessee Crime Statistics

Violent & Property Crime Rates in Tennessee

Arrests Offense in Tennessee

The latest data is from 2021. References: https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/home

The Official Website of Tennessee County

Murfreesboro Murfreesboro, TN – Official Website
Clarksville Clarksville, TN | Official Website
Chattanooga Welcome to Chattanooga.gov Official site for the City of Chattanooga in Hamilton County, Tennessee
Tullahoma TullahomaTN – Welcome to Tennessee’s Rising Star!
East Ridge East Ridge, TN
Shelbyville Shelbyville
Farragut Farragut, TN – Official Website
Bristol Bristol, TN – Official Website
Maryville City of Maryville, TN
Oak Ridge Welcome to the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee Official website of the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Morristown Welcome to City of Morristown, Tennesee
Lebanon Lebanon, TN | Official Website
Mount Juliet Mount Juliet, TN | Official Website
Cookeville Cookeville, TN | Official Website
Gallatin Gallatin, TN | Official Website
Shelby County Shelby County, TN – Official Website
Davidson County Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee
Knox County Knox County Tennessee Government Knox County Govenment Website
Hamilton County Welcome to Hamilton County, TN Hamilton County, TN Government
Rutherford County Rutherford County TN
Williamson County Williamson County, TN – Official Site | Official Website
Montgomery County Montgomery County Government
Sumner County Sumner County Government
Sullivan County Sullivan County | Tennessee
Blount County Blount County, TN | Official Website
Washington County Washington County — The Birthplace of Tennessee | Washington County, TN
Wilson County Welcome – Wilson County TN Government, Official Website Wilson County Tennessee is located in the heart of Middle Tennessee and the county seat is Lebanon, Tennessee.
Bradley County Bradley County, TN
Madison County Madison County, TN – Official Website
Sevier County SEVIER COUNTY TENNESSEE – Sevier County, Tennessee
Maury County Maury County, TN | Official Website
Anderson County Anderson County
Putnam County Putnam County TN
Greene County Greene County
Hamblen County Hamblen County Government
Tipton County Welcome to Tipton County, TN
Carter County Carter County, Tennessee
Hawkins County Hawkins County, TN
Cumberland County Cumberland County, TN – Golf, it’s just the beginning… Don’t forget to take the Cumberland County Broadband Survey! Cumberland County.? Here, the spirit of creativity drives everything, from innovations in manufacturing to artistic integrity. A boundless imagination builds strong businesses, creates thriving communities and applies new ideas to logistics. Now is the time to be in Cumberland County, Tennessee. Cumberland County, located in Tennessee’s…
Roane County Roane County
Coffee County Coffee County, TN | Official Website
McMinn County McMinn County, TN
Jefferson County Jefferson County, Tennessee
Gibson County Greater Gibson County Chamber – Tennessee
Dickson County Dickson County, TN
Loudon County Welcome to the official website of Loudon County, Tennessee Government!
Bedford County Bedford County Welcome
Monroe County Monroe Government
Lawrence County Lawrence County, TN Government | lawrencecountytn.gov – Lawrence County, Tennessee Government Official county website contains latest county news, information on county elected officials, county government services, departments, events, and online data access.

Tennessee Jail Roster

Anderson County Inmate Search Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff, Anderson County, Tennessee, Law Enforcement
Bedford County Jail Bedford County Sheriff’s Office Home
Blount County Inmate Lookup Current Inmate Information
Bradley County inmate services Bradley County Sheriff’s Department
Current Inmates – Carter County TN Sheriff’s Office Carter County Jail Inmates
Jail & Detention Center – Cocke County Tennessee Cocke County Detention Center
Davidson County Sheriff – Active Inmate Search Davidson County Inmate Roster
Dickson County Sheriff’s Office Dickson County Jail
Public Jail Roster – Dyer County Sheriff’s Office Dyer County Jail Roster
Franklin County Online Inmate System Franklin County Inmate Lookup
Giles County Sheriff’s Department Giles County Jail Current Inmates
SHERIFF’S OFFICE – Greene County Greene County Sheriff
HCSO-Corrections-Inmate Information Online Hamilton County Inmate Search
Current Inmates – Henderson County Detention Center Henderson County Jail Inmate Info
Henry County Inmate Information Henry County Inmate Search
Knox County Sheriff – Inmate Population Knox County Sheriff Inmate Lookup
Lawrence County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department – JAIL Lawrence County Corrections Center
Lincoln County Tennessee Sheriff’s Department Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department
Loudon County TN Sheriffs Office Inmate Now Loudon County Jail Inmates
Corrections | Maury County, TN Maury County Corrections
Montgomery County Jail Roster Montgomery County Inmate Roster
Putnam Count Public Jail Roster Putnam Count Corrections Center
Rhea County Inmate Information Rhea County Jail Inmate Info
Public Information-Robertson County Sheriff’s Office Robertson County Jail Inmate Lookup
Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Rutherford County Jail
Sevier County Online Inmate System Sevier County Inmate Search
Inmate Lookup – Shelby County, TN Shelby County Inmate Roster
Sumner County Jail & Inmate Information Sumner County Jail
Washington County Detention Center Washington County Tennessee, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Law Enforcement, Washington County Detention Center, Chief Littleton, Patrick Littleton
Wilson County Inmate Information Wilson County Jail
Tennessee Felony Offender Information Tennessee Department of Corrections
Background Checks TN Background Checks
Court Records | Tennessee Secretary of State TN Secretary of State Court Case Searches
TN Courts Appellate Case Search
Sex Offender Search Main page TN Sex Offender Registry