Shelby County Court Records

Shelby County court records provide details about legal proceedings and other legal affairs in the county courts. Such records include case records, administrative records, and judicial records. Court records may provide details of a particular case, such as testimonies, evidence, and court judgment. These records are kept by court clerks and can be obtained by citizens of Tennessee upon request.

Are Court Records Public in Shelby County?

Shelby County court records are public records except for some juvenile records and other exempted information. However, only citizens of Tennessee may inspect and receive copies of Shelby County public records. According to the Tennessee Public Records Act, records of juveniles younger than 13 are not accessible to the public.

Citizens of Tennessee can obtain Shelby court records from the clerks of the trial courts in Shelby County. Each court in the county has specific jurisdiction, such as Chancery Court, Circuit Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions Court, Juvenile Court, Probate Court, and the Veterans Court. Therefore, record seekers should approach the right court with the records for the case of interest.

Shelby County court records can be obtained physically by submitting a request to the clerk of the concerned court. Verbal requests are accepted; however, written requests are preferred. Requests can also be sent via mail to the clerks of the concerned court. It is advisable to confirm the concerned court before submitting a request. Alternatively, record seekers can conduct records searches on judicial websites. Shelby County court records can also be retrieved from the Tennessee State Library and Archives between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm from Tuesday to Saturday.

Shelby court records search can be conducted online via third-party websites. While these websites offer free services, some may require you to sign up. Record seekers may also need to provide valid identification or proof of residency. Public records inspection is free in Shelby County courts. However, making copies of records attracts a fee.

Shelby County Court Records Search

As prescribed by the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), only citizens of Tennessee have the right to conduct Shelby County court records searches. Record seekers can visit any courthouse in the county to request a record search from the court clerk. A record search request may be verbal or written. Each court has an online platform for court records searches. Shelby County court records searches can also be conducted via third-party websites. A court records search may require the names of the parties involved and the location of an incident.

Shelby County Court Records Search by Name

Name-based searches are a common option for obtaining records. Requesters can conduct searches using the names of parties involved, the location of an event, the name of the presiding judge, and many others. Record seekers can provide a relevant name when requesting a court records search in person or online.

Shelby County Courts

The Shelby County court system consists of eight trial courts, including the Circuit Court, the Chancery Court, the Criminal Court, the General Sessions Court, the Juvenile Court, the Probate Courts, the Municipal Courts, and the Veterans Court. The Veteran Court was created by Shelby County in line with the Private Acts to provide rehabilitation for veterans charged with a criminal offense(s). Circuit Court, Chancery Court, Criminal Court, and Probate Court exercise general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, including family law, felony, and traffic offenses. Juvenile, Veterans, General Sessions, and Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction. Here are the locations of the trial courts in Shelby County:

Shelby County Circuit Court
140 Adams Avenue, Room 324,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-3800

Shelby County Chancery Court
140 Adams Avenue, Room 308,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-3900

Shelby County Criminal Court
201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 3034,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-3200

Shelby County General Sessions Court
140 Adams Avenue, Room 106,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-3400

Shelby County Juvenile Court
616 Adams Avenue,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-0600

Shelby County Probate Court
140 Adams Avenue, Room 124,
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 222-3750

Shelby County Veterans Court
201 Poplar Avenue, 1-35
Memphis, TN 38103

Shelby County District Court Records

Shelby County district courts are referred to as Municipal Courts. Each municipal court has General Sessions Court jurisdiction within a specific city limit. There are five municipal courts in Shelby County: Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Memphis, and Millington. Shelby County Municipal court records requests can be submitted to the clerk of the concerned municipal court in person or via mail.

Shelby County Criminal Records

Shelby County criminal records provide details of an individual’s arrest and criminal convictions. Shelby criminal records and arrest records can be obtained from the criminal court or the Shelby County Sheriff's office. While Shelby criminal records are public records, records of juvenile cases and cases still in trial cannot be accessed by the public.

Requests for Shelby County criminal records can be submitted at the criminal court in person or online via third-party websites. Requesters can also visit the Tennessee State Library and Archives or mail a completed Form A to the address below to obtain copies of Shelby criminal court records:

Office of the Secretary of State
Attn: General Counsel
State Capitol, 1st Floor,
Nashville, TN 37243

Shelby County arrest records requests can be made physically at the county’s sheriff’s office. Requesters must fill out a Request for Service Form, pay the allotted fees, and show valid identification. Alternatively, requests can be mailed to:

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
Records and Identification
201-271 Poplar Avenue-Jail Annex-Room 10-06
Memphis, TN 38103-1945

Requests for Shelby county arrest records sent via mail must include a completed Request for Service Form, a money order or cashier’s check, valid identification, a proper mailing address, and a valid contact number.

Shelby County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Shelby County criminal court case lookup is available at the Shelby Criminal Court and the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Residents of Tennessee can approach the Shelby County criminal court clerk to request a criminal court case lookup. They can also utilize third-party websites that offer free access to criminal court case lookups.

Get Shelby County Civil Court Records

Civil court records provide details of all disputes, claims, and judgments associated with civil cases. Civil cases may involve debts, bankruptcy, property, medical malpractice, marriage, and adoption. The Shelby County civil court is a division of the General Sessions Court. Therefore, Shelby civil records are kept by the General Sessions court clerk.

Citizens of Tennessee can approach the Shelby County General Sessions Court clerk to request civil court records. Shelby civil court records can also be obtained online via the General Sessions court website or other third-party websites. Inspection of Shelby County civil court records may be free. However, the clerk may charge a fee if the requester chooses to make copies of the records.

Shelby County Family Court Records

Shelby County Family court records provide details of family law cases like divorce, adoption, paternity, name changes, and distribution of properties. Shelby County does not have a family court. Instead, the Circuit Court and Chancery Court share jurisdiction over family law cases. Record seekers can approach the clerks of any of these courts to make an oral or written request for these records.

Alternatively, requests can be made online through the Chancery Court or the Circuit Court website. Requests can also be sent via mail to the clerks of any of the courts.

Record seekers must provide a valid means of identification before releasing Shelby County family court records. Also, requesters must conduct the exact court in charge of the concerned case. Clerks of both courts may charge a fee for copies of the records to be made. However, record inspection is free.

Shelby County Marriage and Divorce Records

Shelby County marriage and divorce records are vital records created to show that a conjugal union has been legally established or a marriage has been legally dissolved. The government of Shelby County keeps vital records to document life events.

Per Tennessee state law, marriage records are kept confidential for 50 years. However, original copies of Shelby County marriage and divorce records that are less than 50 years old can be requested from the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. Records older than 50 years can be requested from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. These requests must be made in person at the institution concerned.

Alternatively, record seekers can search for marriage records between 1820 and 2014 on the Shelby County Register of Deeds website. Shelby divorce records can also be requested from the court clerk who granted the divorce (either Chancery court or Circuit Court) via mail, online, or in person.

Shelby County Birth and Death Records

Shelby birth and death records are also vital records. These records confirm the birth and death of Shelby County residents.

To obtain Shelby birth records from 1924 to the present, eligible parties can submit a request to the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. However, birth records before 1924 can be accessed by visiting the Tennessee State Library and Archives or by conducting a record search online using the Shelby County Archives or Shelby County Register of Deeds. To search for Shelby birth records, vital information such as the child’s name, approximate date of birth, and parents’ names (if available) may be required.

To obtain Shelby death records from 1974 to the present, interested persons are advised to contact the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. However, for death records before 1973, one can visit the Tennessee State Library and Archives with information such as the deceased’s name, approximate date of death, and spouse’s name (if known). Alternatively, death records from 1949 to 2014 can be searched online via the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

Shelby County Probate Court Records

Shelby County probate records contain details of cases heard in the probate court. Probate courts handle cases involving wills and estates, conservatorships, guardianships, name changes, and judicial hospitalization under mental health law.

To obtain Shelby probate court records, record seekers can make an oral or written request to the clerk of the Probate Court. Requests can also be made via mail or online through the court’s website. Requesters may need to provide valid identification and some information, such as the names of parties involved in the case and the date of filing.

Shelby County Property Records

Shelby County property records are public records that provide real property ownership and taxation details. The document may provide details like address, land descriptions, and mailing address. Shelby County property records searches can be conducted in person or online at the office of the Shelby County Assessor of Property. They can also be assessed through the Shelby County Register of Deeds website. Searches can be conducted by the owner's name, property address, or parcel numbers.

Shelby County Court Records Online

Requesters can visit relevant courthouses, government agencies, and judicial websites to request Shelby public records. Records searches can also be conducted via third-party websites like Tennesseecourtrecords.us that provide archives of Shelby court records. Third-party websites do not require valid identification or request fees, but you may need to sign up. Such platforms operate independently of government organizations. As a result, the record results cannot be guaranteed.