Washington County
Washington County was established in 1777 and named after the first president of the United States, George Washington. The county has a land area of about 326 square miles with a population of 133,282 residents. Tennessee's oldest town, Jonesborough, serves as the county seat.
Washington County has six trial courts: the Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court in Washington County has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases in the county. It also handles workers' compensation cases, medical malpractices, and appeals from the lower courts. Felonies and indicted misdemeanors are tried at the Criminal Court in Washington County. Washington County has a General Sessions Court that presides over civil lawsuits for monetary claims up to $25,000. The Sessions Court also handles preliminary hearings in all criminal cases and violations of municipal ordinances.
The county's Chancery Court resolves civil cases involving divorce, name changes, paternity disputes, and adoption. It also acts as the Probate Court with authority over guardianship cases, arbitrations, contested wills, distribution of real or personal property, and release and appointment of trustees. All legal matters involving unruly behavior, school truancy, child dependency, and delinquency are handled by the Washington County Juvenile Court. Meanwhile, the Municipal Courts deal with traffic and ordinance violations.
Washington County public court records are official files, books, or documents created during court proceedings. These records contain information on case filings, hearing dates, dispositions, judgments, and appeals. According to the Tennessee Courts Rule 34, the public can view or obtain copies of the following public court records:
- Criminal records
- Civil court records
- Property records
- Probate records
- Traffic records
Meanwhile, state and federal laws prohibit public access to confidential court records such as juvenile, mental health, and adoption case files. These records are restricted for privacy reasons and accessible to record owners. The Washington County Circuit Court Clerk maintains and distributes court documents to eligible requesters. To obtain public case files, interested persons can phone, email, or visit the clerk at:
Washington County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
108 West Jackson Boulevard
Jonesborough, TN 37659
Phone: (423) 753-1736
Court records are accessible online through the county's Online Court Records System or the state's Public Case History. Online requesters can search any of the databases by providing the parties' names, organization names, or case numbers. Note that online records are accessible without charges, but paper copies may incur duplication fees.
