| Circuit Court Clerk | Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk and Master (Chancery Court) | Davidson County Chancery Court Clerk & Master |
| Clerk address | Circuit Court Clerk: Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, Suite 302, Nashville, TN 37201. Chancery Clerk & Master: 1 Public Square, Suite 308, Nashville, TN 37201. Criminal Court Clerk: Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 2nd Ave N, Suite 2120, Nashville, TN 37201 |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk (615) 862-5181; Chancery Clerk & Master (615) 862-5710; Criminal Court Clerk (615) 862-5601 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:30pm |
| Earliest records noted | 2000 |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Davidson County (Nashville–Davidson metropolitan government) splits its trial-court records across three offices. The Circuit Court Clerk keeps civil lawsuits, probate, and General Sessions civil filings. A separate, independently elected Criminal Court Clerk keeps felony records and General Sessions criminal filings. The Chancery Court Clerk & Master handles equity cases and some family matters filed in Chancery rather than Circuit Court.
Nashville is one of the more research-friendly Tennessee counties online: both the Circuit and Criminal Court Clerks publish free case search tools, and the Criminal Court Clerk's search even reaches back to case dispositions from 2000. The Circuit Court Clerk also offers a paid subscription service, CaseLink, for higher-volume or document-level access beyond the free lookup.
Search Davidson County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk
- Cost
- Free "CaseSearch" lookup; paid CaseLink subscription for expanded access; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Circuit Court civil lawsuits, probate, and General Sessions civil filings
- Records
- Civil, Probate
Paid subscription portal for expanded document access: https://caselink.nashville.gov
Clerk and Master (Chancery Court)
Davidson County Chancery Court Clerk & Master
- Cost
- Free case search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Chancery Court equity cases and some domestic relations matters
- Records
- Civil, Family, Probate
Other courts
Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
- Cost
- Free online case search
- Coverage
- Felony criminal cases and General Sessions criminal filings
- Records
- Criminal
Free public case search (no registration): https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/ — covers General Sessions dispositions from 1/11/2000 and State Trial Court dispositions from 7/11/2000 forward. Expunged records are not shown.
What is available online
The Criminal Court Clerk's free search (sci.ccc.nashville.gov) is one of the more complete online criminal lookups among Tennessee's larger counties, covering General Sessions criminal dispositions back to 2000 and Criminal Court dispositions from mid-2000 forward, though it excludes expunged cases. The Circuit Court Clerk's free CaseSearch covers civil and probate filings; the CaseLink subscription adds document-level access for a fee. Chancery Court's search is separate again and does not appear in either of the other two systems.
Which clerk has your record
In Tennessee, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Tennessee page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts | Civil lawsuits; Divorce and other domestic relations matters; Appeals from General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts | Circuit Court Clerk of the county |
| Chancery Courts | Contract and equity disputes; Probate and estate administration (in most counties); Name changes | Clerk and Master |
| Criminal Courts | Felony prosecutions; Some misdemeanor appeals from General Sessions | Criminal Court Clerk where a separate office exists; otherwise the Circuit Court Clerk |
| General Sessions Courts | Civil claims up to the county's statutory limit; Preliminary hearings in felony cases; Misdemeanor trials where a jury is waived | Varies by county — a dedicated General Sessions clerk, the Criminal Court Clerk, or the Circuit Court Clerk |
| Juvenile Courts | Delinquency; Dependency and neglect; Custody and parentage | Juvenile Court Clerk (often the same office as General Sessions or Circuit Court in that county) |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | City court clerk for that municipality |
Request records in person or by mail
Davidson County clerk offices
Circuit Court Clerk: Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, Suite 302, Nashville, TN 37201. Chancery Clerk & Master: 1 Public Square, Suite 308, Nashville, TN 37201. Criminal Court Clerk: Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 2nd Ave N, Suite 2120, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk (615) 862-5181; Chancery Clerk & Master (615) 862-5710; Criminal Court Clerk (615) 862-5601
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:30pm
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit Court records (civil, probate, General Sessions civil). Search online through CaseSearch, or request copies in person or by mail from the Circuit Court Clerk, 1 Public Square, Suite 302, Nashville, TN 37201. Include the case number, the documents needed, and whether certified copies are required.
Chancery Court records. Contact the Chancery Court Clerk & Master at 1 Public Square, Suite 308.
Criminal Court and General Sessions criminal records. Contact the Criminal Court Clerk at the Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 2nd Ave N, Suite 2120. The free online search will often answer basic case-status questions before you need to request a copy.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Clerk fees are set by Tenn. Code Ann. Title 8, Chapter 21, Part 4 (the general schedule, including a per-page copy fee and a certification fee) and Part 5 for appellate clerk fees. Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-409 sets a separate, often higher, fee schedule for clerks in Tennessee's charter-government counties, which is why offices in Shelby and Davidson can charge different amounts than smaller counties. Confirm the current per-page and certification fee with the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Tennessee court records are presumed open under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 (Public Access to Court Records), which sets the general presumption of access and lists the categories courts must treat as confidential.
The Tennessee guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a Nashville criminal case?
Use the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk's free public search at sci.ccc.nashville.gov, which covers felony and General Sessions criminal dispositions back to 2000. It does not show expunged records.
Which office has Davidson County civil and probate records?
The Circuit Court Clerk, through its free CaseSearch tool or the paid CaseLink subscription for more detailed document access.
Who keeps Davidson County Chancery Court records?
The Chancery Court Clerk & Master, a separate office from both the Circuit Court Clerk and the Criminal Court Clerk.
Are Davidson County court records free to search online?
Basic case search is free through the Circuit Court Clerk's CaseSearch and the Criminal Court Clerk's public search. More detailed document access on the civil side requires a paid CaseLink subscription.
Sources
- Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk — https://circuitclerk.nashville.gov/
- Davidson County Chancery Court Clerk & Master — https://chanceryclerkandmaster.nashville.gov/
- Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk — https://ccc.nashville.gov/
- Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk — public case search — https://sci.ccc.nashville.gov/
- Tennessee Courts — Circuit, Criminal, and Chancery Courts — https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/circuit-criminal-chancery-courts
- Tennessee Courts — General Sessions Courts — https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/general-sessions-courts
- Tennessee Courts — Court Clerks — https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks
- Tennessee Courts — Find a Court Clerk — https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center/find-court-clerk
- TBI TORIS — Background Checks — https://tbibackgrounds.tbi.tn.gov/Toris/
- Tennessee Courts — Opinions Search — https://www.tncourts.gov/opinionsview/all
- Tennessee Courts — Public Case History (appellate docket search) — https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/public-case-history
- Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 — Public Access to Court Records — https://www.tncourts.gov/rules/supreme-court/34
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-32-101 — Expunction of records (via Justia) — https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-40/chapter-32/section-40-32-101/
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401 — Clerk fee schedule (via Justia) — https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-8/chapter-21/part-4/section-8-21-401/
See also: all Tennessee counties.