Cheatham County
Cheatham County is situated in Middle Tennessee and is made up of four incorporated communities along with five unincorporated areas. It encompasses a total area of 307 square miles and has a population of 42,254. The county is predominantly inhabited by white residents, with Ashland City designated as the county seat.
The Circuit Court in Cheatham County has authority over civil and criminal matters as well as appeals from limited jurisdiction courts such as Municipal, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts. The types of cases heard in the Cheatham Circuit Court include felonies, misdemeanors, civil claims for amounts exceeding $25,000, damages, contract debts, and post-conviction relief cases.
The General Sessions Court also has jurisdiction over both civil and criminal matters. Its civil jurisdiction is limited to debt recovery, eviction proceedings, and small claims cases for an amount in controversy not exceeding $25,000. Criminal cases handled by this court are preliminary hearings in felony cases and misdemeanor cases where the punishment is limited to a fine.
The Juvenile Court hears matters that involve juvenile traffic citations and delinquency of those under the age of 18 years, legitimation, child custody, and child visitation. Furthermore, the Cheatham Chancery Court is a court of equity that flexibly resolves complex legal matters. It is concerned with divorce proceedings, real estate matters, adoptions, delinquent taxes, and probate matters.
The Municipal Courts in Ashland City, Pleasant View, and Kingston Springs have the authority to address city or town ordinance violations and may impose fines of up to $50 or a jail term of up to 30 days.
Cheatham County residents have the statutory right to inspect court records maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk unless those records are exempt by law or court rule. To access public court records, interested parties may visit the Clerk's Office, which is located at 100 Public Square, Suite 225, Ashland City, TN 37015, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The Clerk also maintains an online repository for searching civil and criminal cases heard in the General Sessions Court and Circuit Court. You can search for court cases through the Cheatham County Online Court Records System by entering a case year, case number, or party name. Lastly, criminal and civil dockets are available to the public on the official website of the Circuit Court Clerk.
