Access Shelby County Public Records

The Tennessee Public Records Act

The Tennessee Public Records Act is the core open-records law. T.C.A. § 10-7-503 gives Tennessee citizens a right to inspect, or get copies of, public records made or received by any state, county, or municipal body. The right is broad. It covers paper files, electronic data, photos, audio, and video held by government offices. A citizen does not need to explain why they want a record. The law presumes records are open unless a statute or court rule says otherwise.

The Tennessee Comptroller's Office of Open Records Counsel is the state agency that interprets the Act and helps both requesters and agencies navigate it. The Open Records Counsel publishes a plain-language FAQ that covers who can ask, how to ask, and how long an agency has to respond. That FAQ is the clearest official guide to the Act's day-to-day operation. If a Shelby County office denies a request and the requester believes the denial is wrong, the Open Records Counsel is the first place to go for guidance. The Counsel can mediate disputes and issue informal opinions, though it cannot force an agency to produce records the way a court can.

Any Tennessee citizen may submit a request. The Act does not require requesters to be local residents or to have a personal stake in the records. Businesses, journalists, researchers, and attorneys all use the Act regularly. The only limit on who can ask is citizenship, which the Act defines broadly. Non-citizens and out-of-state parties may face different treatment, but Tennessee courts and agencies typically extend good-faith access to most requesters.

Rule 34 and Court Records

Court records in Shelby County follow a separate layer of rules on top of the Public Records Act. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 says the public has a right to inspect records maintained by courts unless an exception applies under the Public Records Act, another state law, a court rule, or a court order. The rule defines three categories: Case Records (documents filed or generated in a specific case), Administrative Records (court operations and management), and Judicial Records (a broader term that can overlap). Each category has its own access rules.

Rule 34 requires every trial court to publish a written public records policy. That policy must be consistent with the Public Records Act but can add local procedures about how to submit requests, where to go, and what to expect. In Shelby County, each court clerk operates under both Rule 34 and its own local policy. Circuit Court, Chancery Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court all have separate clerks. A request for a Circuit Court civil file goes to the Circuit Court Clerk; a request for a Probate Court estate file goes to the Probate Court Clerk. Sending a request to the wrong office just slows things down.

Rule 34 also lists records that are not public. Those include materials sealed by court order, protective-order documents, unpublished judge drafts, internal deliberative notes, staff memoranda, and certain case-management information that has not been made part of the official record. These exclusions match the spirit of the Public Records Act exceptions in T.C.A. § 10-7-504 but are written specifically for court operations. If a clerk tells you a document falls under Rule 34, ask which specific category applies.

The Shelby County Public Records Policy

Outside the courts, Shelby County manages its own public records under a local administrative policy. The county's public records page links the policy document and the request form. The policy designates public records request coordinators and sets out the local process for handling requests directed at county departments, offices, and agencies that are not court clerks. If you want a record from a county department, such as a budget report, meeting minutes, or an internal correspondence file, this is the path to use.

County departments are expected to respond promptly. The Act itself does not set a single hard deadline for all records, but it does require agencies to act with reasonable speed and to notify the requester if more time is needed. If a record can be inspected on-site right away, the office should allow that. If a copy takes time to prepare, the office lets the requester know when it will be ready.

Court Records vs County Administrative Records

This distinction matters more than most people expect. A lot of requests get delayed or redirected because the requester sends a court-record request to the county's general public records coordinator, or sends an administrative request to a court clerk who does not handle that type of file. The table below shows how the two paths divide.

When you are not sure which category applies, start by asking what department or court created the document you want. That usually tells you which office to contact. For Shelby County court records specifically, each clerk office has its own request process and fee schedule.

What the County Clerks Maintain

Shelby County's clerk structure is split. Different clerks hold different types of records, and none of them hold everything. Knowing which clerk has the record you want saves time. The main offices and what they keep are summarized below.

• Circuit Court Clerk (Jamita E. Swearengen) - civil and domestic case files: auto accident, breach of contract, divorce, name change, personal injury, restoration of citizenship, worker's compensation, wrongful death, and appeals from lower courts. About 5,500 cases are filed each year across nine divisions.
• Chancery Court Clerk and Master (W. Aaron Hall) - equity matters: declaratory judgments, delinquent tax sales, certain divorces, mandamus, public nuisances, replevins, worker's compensation, enforcement of arbitration awards, habeas corpus, and removal of public officers.
• Criminal Court Clerk (Heidi Kuhn) - felony criminal court files: indictments, pleas, sentencing orders, mittimus, probation conditions, and expungement orders for Criminal Court matters.
• General Sessions Court Clerk (Tamara A. Sawyer) - misdemeanor and preliminary-hearing files in the Criminal Division and smaller civil suits, detainers, and interpleaders in the Civil Division.
• Probate Court Clerk (Eddie S. Jones, Jr.) - wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes, birth-certificate corrections, and judicial hospitalization files.
• County Clerk (Wanda Halbert) - marriage licenses, vehicle registration and tags, business tax and license filings, notary commissions, and disabled placards. This office does not hold court case files.
• Juvenile Court Clerk (Janeen R. Gordon) - juvenile court records with significant confidentiality restrictions under Tennessee juvenile statutes.

The County Clerk's marriage license records are a common request. Certified copies of a marriage license cost $10 by check or money order by mail, or in person. The County Clerk office at 150 Washington Avenue handles those requests. Marriage license files are public in general, but the records held by court clerks for civil or criminal matters are governed by Rule 34 and court-specific policies.

Confidential Exceptions

T.C.A. § 10-7-504 and Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 identify the records that stay closed even when a valid request is filed. Knowing these categories ahead of time prevents a denied request from being a surprise. The most common restricted categories in Shelby County are listed here.

Juvenile records are among the most tightly restricted. T.C.A. § 37-1-153 protects juvenile court files and limits who may see them. The Juvenile Court Clerk at 616 Adams Avenue handles requests with separate contacts for records, expungements, warrants, summons, appeals, and emergent matters. Even the nature of a juvenile case may not be disclosed to the public. Adoption records are another closed category: Tennessee adoption statutes place these records under seal by default, with limited statutory exceptions. The Probate Court's judicial hospitalization files, which can involve mental-health determinations, are also treated as restricted because they contain sensitive medical and behavioral-health information.

Rule 34 adds a court-specific layer. Unpublished judge drafts, internal deliberative notes, staff memoranda, and certain case-management data do not become public records just because they exist inside a court file. Protective orders and sealed orders are also excluded from public access. When a judge seals a document or a file, that order controls access until the court lifts or modifies it.

Expunged records are a fourth category. Tennessee law under T.C.A. § 40-32-101 allows some criminal records to be erased or destroyed by court order. The Tennessee AOC's expungement guide explains who may qualify. A person may qualify for free expungement when charges were dismissed, a no true bill was returned, the person was arrested and released without charges, or a trial resulted in not guilty. Once expunged, those records should not appear in a public search, though database updates take time. The Criminal Court Clerk's expungements division can be reached at (901) 222-3292.

How to File a Public Records Request

The Tennessee Comptroller's Open Records Counsel FAQ says a request may be submitted in person, by telephone, fax, mail, or email, as long as the office uses that method to transact official business. For Shelby County court records, the Circuit Court Clerk accepts email requests at CircutCourtRecordsRequest@shelbycountytn.gov. For county administrative records, the county's public records page links the local form and process. The steps below apply broadly to both court and county administrative requests.

1. Identify the right office. Match the record you want to the office that created or holds it. Court files go to the relevant court clerk. County department files go to that department's public records coordinator. Sending a request to the wrong office adds delay without any legal consequence for the office that receives it.
2. Describe the records clearly. Be specific. Give the case number if you have it, the names of the parties, the date range, and the type of record you need. Vague requests slow processing. If you do not know the case number, give the best information you have: party names, approximate date, and court.
3. Choose inspection or copy. The Act allows you to inspect records in person without paying copy fees. If you want copies, say so and specify the format (paper, electronic). Inspection is free; copies cost money.
4. Choose your delivery method. State whether you want to come in person, pick up by mail, or receive by email if the office supports that. Some offices offer electronic delivery; others send paper only.
5. Submit the request. Send it in writing even if the office accepts phone requests, so you have a record of what you asked for and when. For Circuit Court public records, email CircutCourtRecordsRequest@shelbycountytn.gov or mail to the Circuit Court Clerk at 140 Adams Avenue, Room 324, Memphis, TN 38103. For county administrative records, use the form on the county's public records page or contact the relevant department directly.
6. Wait for a response and pay any fees. The office will tell you what is available and what it costs to copy. Pay the fee and receive the records. If part of the request is denied, the office should tell you why and identify the legal basis for the denial.

For court records that are not available online, the Circuit Court Clerk can also be reached by phone at (901) 222-3800, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Probate Court copy orders may be emailed directly to the Probate Court at 140 Adams Avenue, Room 124, phone (901) 222-3750.

Request Form Fields

The Circuit Court public records request form collects the information the clerk needs to find and produce the record. The fields below come from the Circuit Court Public Records Request form inventory. Other clerk offices use similar fields, but the exact form may vary. Fill out every field you can; partial information is acceptable, but the more you provide, the faster the search goes.

For marriage and divorce records, the County Clerk's process is separate. Certified copies of marriage licenses require the full names of both parties and the exact marriage date, submitted with $10 by check or money order.

Fees and Copies

Fees for Shelby County public records vary by office and record type. The fees below are from official Shelby County fee schedules effective January 1, 2026, plus the Probate Court rate. Online access to case records does not include a certified copy; you must request one from the clerk and pay the certification fee separately. A certified copy is the version accepted in legal proceedings; an uncertified printout is not.

The fee schedule for the Circuit Court is published on the Shelby County filing fees page. These are the fees for copies of existing records, not filing fees for new cases. Chancery Court and General Sessions Court have their own fee structures. If you need records from those courts, ask the specific clerk for the current copy rate before submitting a request.

Electronic copies may cost less than paper in some offices, but this is not guaranteed. Some offices do not offer electronic delivery at all and will mail paper copies or require in-person pickup. Labor charges for large or complex requests are possible under state law, though Shelby County does not publish a universal labor-rate table in the sources inspected here.

Appeals and Denials

If a Shelby County office denies all or part of a public records request, it must tell the requester why. A valid denial gives a specific legal basis: a statute number, a court rule, or a court order. A denial that says only "we cannot release this" without citing a law is not sufficient under the Public Records Act. The requester has several options when a denial comes back.

The first step is to contact the Tennessee Comptroller's Office of Open Records Counsel. This office provides free guidance for requesters who believe a denial was improper. It can review the situation, advise on the legal issues, and contact the agency on the requester's behalf. The Counsel does not have enforcement power, but its informal opinions carry weight and often resolve disputes without litigation. The Open Records Counsel FAQ at the Comptroller's website explains how to reach the office and what the informal opinion process looks like.

If informal resolution does not work, the requester can file suit in chancery or circuit court to compel disclosure. Tennessee courts take public records denials seriously, and a court can order the agency to produce the records and, in some cases, award attorney fees and court costs if the denial was without merit. This route takes time and money, but it is the legal mechanism that ultimately enforces the Act. Before going to court, most people try the Comptroller's office first.

For court record denials specifically, the process follows Rule 34 and the TPRA together. If the clerk cites Rule 34, ask which specific provision applies. If the record is sealed by court order, the correct path is to file a motion in the originating court asking the judge to unseal it, not a public records complaint.

Related Searches

Public records in Shelby County cover a wide range of documents beyond what any one office keeps. The links below point to the record types most often requested alongside public records generally. Court records are the largest category and require matching the case type to the right clerk. Criminal records and arrest files sit with the Criminal Court Clerk and the General Sessions Clerk depending on the level of the offense. Marriage and divorce records split between the County Clerk for licenses and the Circuit or Chancery Court for divorce decrees. The Circuit Court Clerk page covers the office that handles the broadest range of civil and domestic case files in Shelby County.