Macon County Court Records

According to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 (2), Macon court records consist of case, administrative, and judicial records. These records are created, collected, received, or maintained by the local courts and contain details about cases heard within the Macon County judicial system and its administrative processes.

Macon County court records generally document court cases from their inception to the final judgment issued by the preceding court. They allow for public scrutiny of how the legal system handles cases and generally operates, fostering transparency, accountability, and a better understanding of the justice system. Some information found in Macon court records includes:

• General information about a case
  • Filing date
  • Case judge name
  • Current status
  • Balance due
  • Next hearing details
• Filings detail
  • The filing type (i.e., subpoena, summons, contempt, warrants, etc.)
  • The petitioner’s name
  • The respondent's name
  • Filing date
• Case parties' attorney details

Are Court Records Public in Macon County?

Yes. Per Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 and Tennessee's Public Records Act (TPRA), the general public has a statutory right to access records maintained by courts unless the record is expressly excepted under applicable state law or court rules. As a result, most court records are part of Macon County public records and are available to anyone who requests them from their official custodians.

Examples of court records that are expressly excepted from public access are listed in Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34(2)(C), and they include but are not limited to:

• Sealed records
• Adoption records
• Juvenile court records
• Certain internal case management information
• Unpublished drafts of judicial orders or opinions
• Records whose disclosure would frustrate or interfere with a court’s constitutional function.

Macon County Court Records Search

Members of the public can search for Macon County court records through any of the following:

• The clerk's offices of local courts (in-person)
• The Macon County online court records system (remotely)
• Tennessee State Library and Archives (for court minutes)
• Third-party websites that offer court record search services.

Macon County Courts

Macon County has six (6) types of courts: a Circuit Court, Chancery Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions Court, Juvenile Court, and two (2) Municipal Courts. The physical addresses and contact information of these courts are outlined below:

Macon County Circuit Court
Macon County Justice Center
904 Highway 52 Bypass East,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2354
Fax: (615) 666-3001

Macon County Chancery Court
Macon County Justice Center
906 Highway 52 Bypass East,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2000
Fax: (615) 666-8943

Macon County Criminal Court
Macon County Justice Center
904 Highway 52 Bypass East,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2354
Fax: (615) 666-3001

Macon County General Sessions Court
Macon County Justice Center
904 Highway 52 Bypass East,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2354

Macon County Juvenile Court
Macon County Justice Center
904 Highway 52 Bypass East,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2354

Macon County Municipal Courts

Lafayette Municipal Court
118 East Locust Street,
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-4725

Red Boiling Springs City Court
361 Lafayette Road,
P.O. Box 190,
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150
Phone: (615) 699-2011
Fax: (615) 699-2199

Macon County Criminal and Civil Records

Macon County criminal records are offical documents and other materials that contain information about a subject's interactions with the county’s criminal justice system, such as arrests and criminal cases to which they are a party. Criminal records are generally created and maintained by criminal justice agencies, such as local law enforcement agencies and courts, based on their judicial functions. For instance, local law enforcement agencies like the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments generate and preserve Macon arrest records. Meanwhile, the Macon County Circuit Court Clerk serves as the custodian of local court records, including those of criminal cases.

Therefore, interested persons can query local law enforcement agencies, such as the Macon CountySheriff’s Office and municipal police departments like the Lafayette Police Department, to request Macon County arrest records. Requesters must provide sufficient information about the sought-after record, such as the arrestee's name and an estimated arrest date, to facilitate their request. Additionally, they may incur a fee for the records they request. To request arrest records from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, interested persons can contact the office at:

902 Hwy 52 Bypass East
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-3325
Phone: (615) 666-4046
Fax: (615) 666-6909

The general public can also obtain a subject’s Macon criminal records by conducting criminal background checks through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for a fee. Note that the TBI’s criminal background checks allow the public to access an individual’s complete Tennessee adult criminal history, not just Macon County criminal records.

Meanwhile, record seekers can access Macon County criminal and civil case records by querying the County Circuit Court Clerk’s office. During regular working hours, they can visit the Clerk's office to make in-person requests for physical copies of public criminal or civil case records. The Clerk's Office is located within the Macon County Justice Center. Alternatively, interested persons can use the Macon County Online Court Records System to search for records of civil and criminal cases handled by the county Circuit or General Sessions courts online. In either case (online or in-person searches), record seekers must provide information about the sought-after records, such as case number or party name, to accurately identify them.

Macon County Marriage Records

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) Office of Vital Records and the Macon County Clerk’s Office are the primary custodians of Macon County marriage records. The TDH Office of Vital Records maintains marriage records for marriages less than 50 years old. Meanwhile, older marriage records (over 50 years old) are available through the Macon County Clerk’s Office.

Per Tennessee Code § 68-3-205, newer marriage records are not public but become public 50 years after the marriage was recorded. As a result, marriage records less than 50 years old are only available to specific eligible individuals. These eligible individuals include, but are not limited to:

• The record’s subject (i.e., the groom and bride)
• The groom or bride's immediate family members, including their parents, legal guardians, or child(ren).
• An authorized representative of eligible persons.

Eligible individuals can request certified copies of Macon County marriage certificates from the TDH Office of Vital Records either in person or by mail. Requesters must provide the required ID and pay the necessary fee ($15) when requesting marriage certificates. For in-person requests, they can visit the TDH Office of Vital Records during regular office hours (Monday to Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.) at:

Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

For mail-in requests, requesters can complete form PH-1670 and mail it to the TDH Office of Vital Records, with a photocopy of their required ID and the appropriate fee payment (via a check or money order made out to Tennessee Vital Records).

To access older Macon County marriage records (more than 50 years old), interested persons can contact the Macon County Clerk’s Office at:

201 Nature Trail Way
Suite D
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2333
Fax: (615) 666-2202

Older Macon County marriage records, recorded between July 1, 1945, and December 31, 1973, are also available through the Tennessee Virtual Archive provided by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Macon County Divorce Records

Like other Macon County vital records, divorce records (under 50 years old) are available through the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) Vital Records Office. Meanwhile, the Macon County Clerk’s office maintains older records, while the Tennessee State Library and Archives provides a statewide divorce index (covering divorces recorded between July 1, 1945, and December 31, 1973). According to TN Code § 68-3-205, divorce records under 50 are confidential and only available to eligible individuals, such as divorced parties, immediate family members, and authorized representatives.

Eligible individuals can request certified copies of divorce certificates from the TDH Vital Records Office either in person or by mail. When making these requests, applicants must present a valid form of identification and pay the applicable fees ($15). Interested individuals can make in-person requests at the TDH Vital Records Office during business hours. For mail-in requests, they can complete form PH-1671 and mail it to the TDH Vital Records Office with required items (photocopies of their required ID and appropriate fee payment via check or money order made payable to Tennessee Vital Records).

Macon County Birth Records

Per TN Code § 68-3-205, birth records remain confidential for 100 years after they are recorded. The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) Vital Records Office is the custodian of Macon County birth records that are under 100 years old. Meanwhile, birth records over 100 years old are available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Due to the confidentiality requirement imposed by TN Code § 68-3-205, only eligible individuals can obtain Macon County birth certificates from the TDH Vital Records Office. These eligible individuals include the registrant, immediate family members, and authorized representatives. Furthermore, they must present a valid form of identification and pay the appropriate fee ($15) to request a birth certificate.

Eligible individuals can request birth records from the TDH Vital Records Office in person or by mail. Requesters can make in-person requests at the TDH Vital Records Office during regular office hours. For mail-in requests, they can complete form PH-1654 and send it along with the required items (photocopies of their required ID and appropriate fee payment via check or money order made payable to Tennessee Vital Records).

On the otherhand, anyone can access birth records older than 100 years through the Tennessee State Library and Archives statewide birth index. The index contains Tennessee births recorded between 1908 and 1912, as well as 1914 and 1923.

Macon County Death Records

According to TN Code § 68-3-205, a death record becomes public 50 years after the date of death. During the confidentiality period of a death record (less than 50 years), they are only available to eligible individuals. These include the decedent’s immediate family members, next of kin, authorized representatives, and other qualified individuals.

Macon County death records under 50 years old are preserved by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) Vital Records Office. In contrast, older records are accessible through the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Therefore, record seekers can query these agencies to obtain the relevant death records they preserve.

To request a certified death record from the TDH Vital Records Office, eligible individuals must present valid forms of identification and pay the appropriate fee of $15. Record seekers can make a request either in person or by mail. Conversely, they can visit the TDH Vital Records Office during regular office hours for in-person requests. For mail-in requests, they can utilize form PH-1663. They should complete the form and mail it along with other required items, including photocopies of their ID and the appropriate fee payment via check or money order made payable to Tennessee Vital Records, to the TDH Vital Records Office.

On the otherhand, older death records are available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives statewide death index.

Macon County Probate Court Records

In Macon County, probate cases are handled by the Chancery Court. Examples of probate cases include probate of wills and administration of estates. The Chancery Court’s Clerk and Master’s Office maintains probate records. Therefore, interested individuals can obtain Macon County probate court records by visiting or contacting the Chancery Court’s Clerk and Master’s Office at:

906 Highway 52 Bypass East
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2000
Fax: (615) 666-8943

Macon County Property Records

The Macon County Register of Deeds and the Assessor of Property offices serve as the custodians of property records. The former maintains records of property deeds and other legal instruments related to properties, such as mortgages, wills, leases, plats, and so on. The latter’s primary responsibilities include listing and appraising all real estate within the county.

Interested individuals can obtain property records held by the Macon County Register of Deeds through the online resources provided on the Register’s official website. Alternatively, record seekers may contact the Register directly to request relevant records at:

201 Nature Trail Way,
Suite E, Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-2353
Email: mailmacon@titlesearcher.com

Meanwhile, interested individuals can contact the Macon County Assessor of Property to request property assessment records at:

103 County Courthouse
Lafayette, TN 37083
Phone: (615) 666-3688

Macon County Court Records Online

Third-party online resources like Tennesseecourtrecords.us provide an effective and reliable way of accessing public Macon County Court Records online. Their user-friendly search features require only a party name or case number to perform a search.

Tennesseecourtrecords.us is not limited, unlike its official counterparts, such as the Macon Countyonline court records portal, which can only be used to search records of cases handled by the County Circuit and General Session Court. However, third-party online resources do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of the records they provide.