Franklin County
Franklin County was created in 1807 by an Act of the Tennessee General Assembly from White County. It has an estimated population of 42,980 and a land area of about 554.5 square miles. The county seat is Winchester.
The courts in Franklin County include a Circuit Court, a Chancery Court, a General Session Court, a Juvenile Court, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases and hears appeals from the Juvenile, General Session, and Municipal Courts. It shares jurisdiction with the Chancery Court over some domestic relations and civil cases, excluding unliquidated damages. The Chancery Court handles domestic relations, adoptions, mental health, and probate cases. The General Session Court conducts preliminary hearings in felony cases and deals with cases involving domestic relations, misdemeanors, and civil in which the amount in contention is less than $25,000. The Juvenile Court presides over proceedings involving minors below the age of 18 alleged to be delinquent, unruly, dependent, and neglected. The Municipal Courts, found in some cities, address ordinance violations and traffic infractions.
Franklin County public court records consist of documents, both in paper and electronic formats, that are generated or filed during court proceedings. These records include various materials such as pleadings, motions, applications, requests, exhibits, briefs, and memoranda of law. In Franklin County, the Circuit Court Clerk is responsible for creating and maintaining all court records and dockets, except those about the Chancery Court. These records include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, interested individuals may access court records in the county, provided that the law or court order does not seal such records. The public may access Franklin County court records by visiting the clerks at the following courthouses:
Franklin County Judicial Center
440, George Fraley Parkway
Winchester, TN 37398
Phone: (931) 967-2923 (Circuit Court Clerk)
Fax: (931) 962-1479
Phone: (931) 967-2843 (Clerk and Master)
Fax: (931) 968-2425
The Circuit Court clerk allows anyone to search Circuit and General Sessions Courts case information through a subscription service. This service lets users view case fillings, court dockets, hearings, and fees. The subscription service is available on the Online Court Records System for a $350 annual fee. Individuals may also search for court records by utilizing the public access computer available in the courthouses.
