Williamson County
Owing to its proximity to Nashville, Williamson County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Tennessee. It is home to a diverse community with approximately 264,000 inhabitants. In 2022, the median household income reached $125,943, making it one of the wealthiest counties in the state.
The five main courts within the Williamson County court system include the Circuit Court, Chancery Court, Juvenile Court, General Sessions Court, and Municipal Courts. Due to its broad jurisdiction, the Circuit Court presides over a wide range of cases, such as civil cases where the monetary value exceeds $25,000, felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, family law matters, and appeals from lower jurisdiction courts.
The Chancery Court handles legal matters based on equity and fairness rather than strict legal principles. It has concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court over all divorce actions and civil cases, excluding those for unliquidated personal damages. All petitions to probate a will, administer an estate, and appoint conservatorship for an incapacitated person are filed in the Chancery Court.
Most criminal and civil cases originate in the General Sessions Court. It conducts hearings for small claims cases not exceeding $25,000 and misdemeanors punishable by fine, issues search warrants and orders of protection and handles traffic cases. The Juvenile Court focuses on legal issues concerning juveniles, including abuse and neglect, truancy, traffic offenses, and paternity establishment. Williamson County Municipal Courts address minor offenses and city ordinance violations. They also conduct initial hearings for certain criminal cases and handle traffic violation cases.
Williamson County public court records serve as a transparent account of legal matters and are available to the public unless sealed by court rule or state law. These records are meticulously maintained by the clerk of individual courts, with the Circuit Court Clerk acting as the official custodian for both Circuit and General Sessions Courts.
Upon request, Williams County residents can inspect the following publicly available court records in the office of the relevant court clerk and online:
- Criminal court record
- Civil court record
- Probate court record
- Traffic court record
You can view your case documents through the Williamson County Online Court Records System by entering either a party name or a case number. This system offers access to records held by the Chancery, Circuit, and General Sessions Courts. The Williamson County government also maintains an index database where you can search for archived court records.
