Tennessee Court Locations and Records: Find the Right Office Fast
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Family cases in Tennessee are heard in the Chancery or Circuit Court. A Tennessee divorce can be filed in either Chancery Court or Circuit Court; some counties also have a juvenile court for custody. Tennessee's 95 counties are grouped into judicial districts.
The clerk's office is a different thing from the court itself. The clerk accepts filings, keeps the record, and collects fees, while judges and hearings belong to the court. For a filing question, the clerk is the right first call. The official Tennessee directory and case record search are below.
Official Tennessee court locators
Official links below open in a new tab. You are leaving FamilyCourtHelp and opening an external government or court website.
Find a Tennessee courthouse (Tennessee judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://www.tncourts.gov/courthouse
County trial courts (no statewide trial search) (Tennessee courts): Look up existing case records. Access is listed as mixed and the system is organized county-by-county. https://www.tncourts.gov/directory
Tennessee state courts website (Tennessee judicial branch): The official home of the Tennessee court system, with statewide rules, news, and links to every court. https://www.tncourts.gov
Tennessee court self-help resources (Tennessee courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Tennessee family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center
County trial courts (no statewide trial search): Usually no account. There is NO statewide trial-court case search. Divorce/custody are filed in county circuit or chancery court. Juvenile cases are confidential. https://www.tncourts.gov/directory
The statewide search (tncourts.gov public case history) covers APPELLATE courts only
For trial cases, use the county clerk directory at tncourts.gov/directory
Open your county's case system and search
Official link data for Tennessee was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
Which court hears family cases in Tennessee?
Family cases in Tennessee are heard in the Chancery or Circuit Court. A Tennessee divorce can be filed in either Chancery Court or Circuit Court; some counties also have a juvenile court for custody. Tennessee's 95 counties are grouped into judicial districts.
Can I look up an existing Tennessee case online?
County trial courts (no statewide trial search) is the official search. Usually no account. There is NO statewide trial-court case search. Divorce/custody are filed in county circuit or chancery court. Juvenile cases are confidential.
Is the clerk the same as the court?
No. The clerk of court accepts filings, keeps records, and collects fees. Judges and hearings belong to the court itself. For filing questions, start with the clerk's office.
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