McNairy County Court Records

Per Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 (2), McNairy County court records consist of case, administrative, and judicial records. These records encompass all legal documentation and other materials created, collected, received, or maintained by a local court regarding the cases it adjudicates, along with its administrative functions and other judicial duties.

McNairy court records document how local courts handle the legal matters they preside over. They provide a means for reviewing the adjudication of cases to ensure that they are handled fairly and without bias. Additionally, these records serve as educational materials that contain pertinent information about the operation of the local judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in McNairy County?

Yes. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 and Tennessee's Public Records Act (TPRA), also known as the Sunshine Laws, establish the statutory right of the general public to access public records maintained by courts. Therefore, anyone can access court records in McNairy County through the clerk’s offices of local courts.

However, some court records are exempt from being part of the McNairy County public records and are considered confidential and unavailable to the general public. Only specific eligible individuals, such as the record subject, are typically allowed access to these exempt records. Examples of these records are outlined in Tennessee Supreme Court Rule34 (C) and they include, but are not limited to:

• Sealed records.
• Juvenile records.
• Adoption records.
• Unpublished drafts of judicial orders or opinions.
• Record exempt from disclosure by court order or rule.
• Records whose disclosure would interfere with a court’s judicial functions or undermine the court’s constitutional power.

McNairy County Court Records Search

Record seekers can use any of the following methods to conduct searches for McNairy County Court records:

• Local courts clerk’s offices
• Third-party aggregate websites
• Tennessee State Library and Archives (for court minutes).

McNairy County Courts

The McNairy County court system includes a Circuit Court, Chancery Court, General Sessions Court, Juvenile Court, and five (5) Municipal Courts. The jurisdictions of these courts vary, and their physical addresses and contact information are outlined below:

McNairy County Circuit Court
McNairy County Justice Center
300 Industrial Park Drive, Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-1015

McNairy County Chancery Court
McNairy County Courthouse
170 West Court Avenue, Room 205, Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-5446

McNairy County General Sessions Court
McNairy County Justice Center
300 Industrial Drive, Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-1015
Fax: (731) 645-1003

Juvenile Courts in McNairy County
McNairy County Juvenile Court
McNairy County Justice Center
330 Industrial Drive, Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-1020

Municipal Courts in McNairy County

Adamsville City Court
231 East Main Street,
Adamsville, TN 38310
Phone: (731) 632-1401

Bethel Springs City Court
4066 Main Street, P.O. Box 214,
Bethel Springs, TN 38315
Phone: (731) 934-7266

Finger City Court
P.O. Box 98,
Finger, TN 38334
Phone: (731) 934-4677

Ramer City Court
16 Key Lane, P.O. Box 38,
Ramer, TN 38367
Phone: (731) 645-7564

Selmer City Court
144 North 2nd Street,
Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-7907
Fax: (731) 646-6173

McNairy County Criminal and Civil Records

McNairy County criminal records are detailed documentation of an individual’s interactions with the county’s criminal justice system, which includes, but is not limited to, arrests, incarcerations, convictions, and the criminal cases in which they were involved. Local criminal justice agencies, such as law enforcement agencies and courts, are responsible for creating and maintaining these records. Local law enforcement agencies typically generate and preserve McNairy County arrest records, while local courts serve as custodians of criminal case records.

Generally, most McNairy criminal records are public under the TPRA. As a result, anyone can obtain them from their custodian upon request. For instance, interested persons can obtain McNairy arrest records by querying the local law enforcement agencies that generated them, such as the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments. Record seekers may reach out to an agency to inquire about their procedures and acceptable methods for requesting arrest records.

Nonetheless, most agencies accept in-person requests for public records they maintain during regular working hours (Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM) at their physical location. To facilitate their requests, record seekers must provide sufficient information about the sought-after record to identify it, such as the arrestee’s name, arrest location, and arrest date. Interested individuals can find the contact information of local law enforcement agencies in McNairy County on the official website of the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office.

It is worth noting that record seekers can also obtain McNairy criminal records through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The TBI is the state’s central repository for criminal records. As a result, most criminal records generated by criminal justice agencies across Tennessee, including McNairy County, are reported to the TBI. Interested persons can obtain an individual state-wide criminal record by conducting a background check through the TBI for a fee of $29.00 per check.

Depending on their preferences and the information available, record seekers can conduct a name-based or a fingerprint-based criminal background check through the TBI. Name-based background checks may be conducted online through the Tennessee Open Records Information Services (TORIS) or by mail using the Tennessee Criminal History Information Request Form (also available in Spanish). For mail-in requests, the request form must be properly completed and mailed together with the required fees to:

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation – TORIS Unit
901 R.S. Gass Blvd,
Nashville, TN 37216
Phone: (615) 744-4057

Meanwhile, fingerprint-based criminal background checks can be conducted through any of the third-party contractors listed on the TBI’s Background Checks page.

On the otherhand, local courts in McNairy County are responsible for maintaining civil and criminal case records. Therefore, record seekers can obtain these records by identifying the local court that handled the specific case and submitting a request to the court clerk’s office. For example, the McNairy County Circuit Court is a trial court that handles various types of civil and criminal cases. If the Circuit Court presided over the sought-after criminal or civil case, record seekers can query the Circuit Clerk to obtain the case’s court records.

McNairy County Marriage Records

The Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office and McNairy County Health Department serve as the primary custodians of McNairy County vital records, including marriage, divorce, birth, and death records. According to Tennessee Code § 68-3-205, McNairy County marriage records remain confidential for 50 years after being recorded. Therefore, only certain eligible individuals can access certified copies of marriage records that are under 50 years old. Eligible individuals include the registrants (i.e., the bride or groom), their immediate family members (i.e., their parents, legal guardians, or children), and an authorized representative of these eligible persons.

However, uncertified copies of marriage records can be released to the general public, provided the record is older than 50 years. Record seekers can order marriage records from the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office either in person or by mail. In either case, requesters must present a valid form of identification and pay a fee of $15 per request. Record seekers are welcome to visit the Vital Records Office during regular working hours (Monday to Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.) to request records in person at:

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

On the otherhand, record seekers can order a certified McNairy County marriage certificate by mail using the PH-1670 form. They can complete the request form and mail it to the Vital Records Office along with other required items. The office’s mailing address is in the request form's bottom right corner. Subsequently, requesters can check their order status by emailing the Customer Service Unit at vrcustomerservice@tdhs.zendesk.com.

Record seekers can also request marriage records by visiting the McNairy County Health Department during the agency’s hours of operation (Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM) to make an in-person request. The agency’s contact information and physical address are provided below:

1 Prime Care Drive
Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-3474
Fax: (731) 645-4530

McNairy County Divorce Records

Like other McNairy County vital records, divorce records are maintained and obtainable through the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office and the McNairy County Health Department. Under Tennessee Code § 68-3-205, divorce records are considered confidential for the first 50 years after the divorce is recorded. Therefore, within the first 50 years of being recorded, McNairy County divorce records can only be issued to certain eligible persons, such as the parties named on the record and their immediate family members. Meanwhile, divorce records that are over 50 years old are accessible to the general public.

Interested individuals can request McNairy County divorce records from the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office either in person or by mail. Regardless of the method of request, record seekers must provide a valid form of identification and pay the required $15 search fee. An in-person request may be made by visiting the Vital Records Office during regular working hours. For mail-in requests, the requester should complete the PH-1671 form and send it to the Vital Records Office along with the other necessary documents (such as fees and a copy of their identification).

Divorce records are also available through the McNairy County Health Department. Record seekers can visit the agency during its hours of operation (Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM) to request divorce records in person.

McNairy County Birth Records

The Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office and McNairy County Health Department are the custodians of McNairy County birth records. Therefore, individuals looking for birth records can query these agencies to find them.

Birth records remain confidential for 100 years after being created per Tennessee Code § 68-3-205. Consequently, birth records that are less than 100 years old are only issued to eligible individuals, including the registrant, their immediate family members, and an authorized legal representative. Meanwhile, the general public has unrestricted access to birth records, provided the record is over 100 years old.

The Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office offers on-site and remote methods for requesting birth records. In either case, requesters must provide a valid form of identification and pay a $15 search fee to process their request.

For on-site requests, individuals can visit the Vital Records Office during regular office hours to submit an in-person request. On the other hand, requesters can order a certified McNairy County birth certificate remotely by using the PH-1654 form. They should complete this form and mail it along with other required items (i.e., a photocopy of the requester’s ID and the necessary fee) to the Vital Records Office.

Alternatively, record seekers can visit the McNairy County Health Department during its operational hours to request birth records in person.

McNairy County Death Records

As mentioned, the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office and the McNairy County Health Department maintain death records. These records are considered confidential for the first 50 years after being recorded pursuant to Tennessee Code § 68-3-205. During this period, certified copies of death certificates are available to eligible individuals, such as the deceased’s spouse, children, parents, or authorized representatives. Certified copies of a death certificate may also be accessible to individuals with proof that they need the record to determine or protect their personal or property rights. Meanwhile, the general public can access a death record after the first 50 years of its recordation.

Interested individuals can request a death record from the Tennessee Department of Health’s Vital Records Office in person or by mail. To facilitate their request, they must present an appropriate form of identification and pay a $15 search fee. For in-person requests, requesters can visit the Vital Records Office during working hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.). On the otherhand, eligible individuals can order certified death certificates by mail using the PH-1663 form.

Requesters may complete the form and send it along with other required items (i.e., the appropriate fees and a photocopy of their ID) to the Vital Records Office. To check the status of their request, they can contact the Customer Service Unit by email at vrcustomerservice@tdhs.zendesk.com.

Meanwhile, record seekers can obtain death records from the McNairy County Health Department by visiting the agency in person to make a request.

McNairy County Probate Court Records

In McNairy County, probate cases are handled by the Chancery Court. Examples of probate cases include those involving wills, estates, conservatorships, and guardianships. The Chancery Court’s Clerk and Master oversee the clerical duties of the Chancery Court, including maintaining probate court records. Therefore, all requests for McNairy County probate court records should be directed to the Chancery Court Clerk and Master’s office.

Requests may be submitted by contacting or visiting the Chancery Court Clerk and Master’s Office during business hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The clerk’s office is located at:

McNairy County Courthouse
170 West Court Ave.
Room 205
Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-5446

McNairy County Property Records

Two local constitutional offices maintain McNairy County property records: the Register of Deeds and the Assessor’s Office. The former (McNairy County Register of Deeds) is the custodian of legal documents regarding real property, such as warranty deeds, deeds of trust, releases, powers of attorney, liens, plats, amendments, and other miscellaneous documents. Meanwhile, the latter (McNairy County Assessor’s Office) maintains maps, ownership, and assessment records for properties within the county.

Most McNairy County property records are subject to the TPRA. As a result, they are public and available to anyone through the county Register of Deeds and the Assessor’s Office upon request. Generally, these offices provide online resources that record seekers can use to access the property records they maintain. An example is the Tennessee Property Assessment Data (TPAD) website. The Register of Deeds also provides two research stations in its office that interested persons can use to search for public property records. Record seekers can contact the McNairy County Register of Deeds and the Assessor’s Office at:

McNairy County Register of Deeds
170 West Court Ave.
Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-3656

McNairy County Assessor
170 West Court Ave
Selmer, TN 38375
Phone: (731) 645-5146

McNairy County Court Records Online

Interested persons can access McNairy County court records online through third-party websites like Tennesseecourtrecords.us. These websites offer user-friendly features that allow individuals to search for court records by providing basic details about a case, such as a case number or party name. One significant advantage of using third-party websites is their ability to provide online access to court documents. This eliminates the need for in-person courthouse visits whenever someone requires a record, saving users time and money that they would otherwise spend going to a courthouse. Nonetheless, one drawback of third-party websites is that they are not affiliated with government agencies. As a result, the completeness and accuracy of the records they provide are not guaranteed.