Jefferson County
Established in 1792, Jefferson County is located in the eastern area of the State of Tennessee. It encompasses a total area of 314 square miles and has up to 54,000 residents. The Town of Dandridge serves as the county seat, while the county's largest city is Jefferson.
Jefferson County operates a system of trial courts that includes the Chancery, Municipal, General Sessions, Juvenile, and Circuit courts. The Jefferson County Circuit Court resolves several cases, including contract disputes, tort cases, family law matters, and estate administration. Also, the General Sessions Court has limited jurisdiction over civil torts and contract disputes. In addition, it adjudicates landlord-tenant issues, probate matters, certain criminal cases, as well as violations of local ordinances. The Chancery Court handles cases related to fraud, contract enforcement, partnership disputes, wills, trusts, and the administration of assets for individuals with disabilities. Cases involving minors and their families, such as delinquency complaints, child abuse, neglect, and other matters related to children's welfare, are heard at the level of the Juvenile Court. Furthermore, Jefferson County has five Municipal/City Courts, which handle cases involving violations of local ordinances within the city/town they serve.
In Jefferson County, public court records refer to documents, case filings, and other court-related information generated when the county courts handle legal matters. Generally, these records, such as motions, orders, and case transcripts, are stored at the courthouses where the cases were heard. Furthermore, several appointed/elected custodians have the statutory duties of organizing, maintaining, and disseminating these records. For instance, the Circuit Court Clerk maintains records generated from the Circuit, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts in Jefferson County. Additionally, the Clerk and Master of the Chancery Court oversees the records generated from Chancery Court hearings. Although court records are publicly accessible in Jefferson County, confidential case information or documents may only be available to individuals authorized by court orders or state laws.
Generally, intrigued persons may access the following public court records in Jefferson County:
- Civil Court Records
- Criminal Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Juvenile Court Records
- Municipal Court Records
- Small Claims Court Records
Individuals may contact the Court Clerks to inquire about accessing public court records in Jefferson County. This can be accomplished through in-person visits to the courthouses, by phone, or via mail. Additionally, court records are available on the Jefferson County Online Court Records System portal where users can search using the party's name, case number, year, or case type. Interested persons may also access Jefferson County Court Dockets online.
