| Circuit Court Clerk | Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk (Circuit, Criminal, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts) |
|---|---|
| Clerk and Master (Chancery Court) | Sumner County Chancery Court Clerk & Master |
| Clerk address | Sumner County Courthouse, 155 East Main Street, Gallatin, TN 37066 (Circuit Court Clerk main office; Chancery Court Clerk & Master, Room 3600). Criminal Court Clerk's office: 101 Public Square, Gallatin, TN 37066. Criminal Court: Criminal Justice Center, 117 W. Smith Street, Gallatin, TN 37066 |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk (615) 452-4367 (ext. 2 GS Criminal, ext. 3 GS Civil, ext. 4 Circuit Civil, ext. 5 Circuit Criminal, ext. 6 Juvenile); Chancery Court Clerk & Master (615) 452-4282 (civil/domestic), (615) 451-6036 (probate and delinquent taxes) |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding county holidays |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Sumner County, northeast of Nashville along the Kentucky line, is its own 18th Judicial District. Its trial-court records are held by two clerks in Gallatin. The elected Circuit Court Clerk keeps Circuit Court, Criminal Court, General Sessions, and Juvenile Court files and runs the county's court information site, sumnercourts.com. The appointed Chancery Court Clerk & Master keeps Chancery Court civil and domestic files, probate and estate records, and delinquent-tax suits, and maintains a separate site at sumnerchancerycourt.com. Both clerks are headquartered in the Sumner County Courthouse at 155 East Main Street, though the Criminal Court itself sits at the Criminal Justice Center on West Smith Street and the Criminal Court Clerk's office is at 101 Public Square.
Unlike the state's largest counties, Sumner does not have a separately elected Criminal Court Clerk; the Circuit Court Clerk staffs Criminal Court, where all felony cases and criminal jury trials are heard. General Sessions Court handles civil claims up to $25,000 (with unlimited jurisdiction over evictions and actions to recover personal property), misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
Online access is good for a county of this size. The Circuit Court Clerk's cases are indexed in the Sumner County Online Court Records System on the TNCrtInfo platform, which the clerk links from every page of sumnercourts.com under "Search Cases," and both clerks publish their dockets online. Chancery and probate case files are not searchable online and require a call or a visit to Room 3600.
Search Sumner County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk (Circuit, Criminal, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts)
- Cost
- Free online case index; copies and certifications at the clerk's per-page rate (state schedule is $0.50 per page and $5.00 per certification) — confirm with the office
- Coverage
- Circuit Court (personal injury, divorce and post-divorce matters, contract debt, adoptions, name changes, appeals from General Sessions), Criminal Court (all felonies and criminal jury trials), General Sessions civil and criminal dockets including traffic tickets and orders of protection, and Juvenile Court
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
Main line (615) 452-4367 — ext. 2 General Sessions Criminal (including traffic), ext. 3 General Sessions Civil (collections and orders of protection), ext. 4 Circuit Civil, ext. 5 Circuit Criminal, ext. 6 Juvenile. Mailing address P.O. Box 549, Gallatin, TN 37066. Criminal Court sits at the Criminal Justice Center, 117 W. Smith Street; the Criminal Court Clerk's office is at 101 Public Square.
Clerk and Master (Chancery Court)
Sumner County Chancery Court Clerk & Master
- Cost
- Copies and certifications at the clerk's per-page rate; court costs payable online through the clerk's payment vendor
- Coverage
- Chancery Court civil and domestic cases, probate and estate administration, and delinquent property tax collection for Sumner County
- Records
- Civil, Probate, Family
Room 3600 of the Courthouse, 155 East Main Street. Civil/domestic (615) 452-4282; delinquent taxes and probate (615) 451-6036; fax (615) 451-6031. Posts dockets, local rules, and Zoom hearing procedures; no online case search for Chancery files.
Other courts
Sumner County Online Court Records System (TNCrtInfo)
- Cost
- Free basic case and party search; optional paid subscription login for expanded access
- Coverage
- Case index for Circuit Court, Criminal Court, and General Sessions cases kept by the Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk, searchable by court type, case type, party name, or case number
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
The Circuit Court Clerk links to the TNCrtInfo network from the "Search Cases" button on sumnercourts.com; the Sumner County page is the county-specific entry point. Shows case data and docket entries, not scanned documents.
What is available online
Circuit, Criminal, and General Sessions cases kept by the Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk are indexed in the Sumner County Online Court Records System at sumner.tncrtinfo.com, reachable from the "Search Cases" link on sumnercourts.com. The free search returns case numbers, parties, filing dates, and docket entries; a subscription login adds detail for frequent users. Filed documents are not online. Both the Circuit Court Clerk and the Clerk & Master post judge-by-judge dockets and available court dates on their websites, and both accept court-cost payments online through the CourtFeePay vendor. Chancery Court and probate case files are not in the online index, and Juvenile Court records are confidential.
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
Sumner County clerk offices
Sumner County Courthouse, 155 East Main Street, Gallatin, TN 37066 (Circuit Court Clerk main office; Chancery Court Clerk & Master, Room 3600). Criminal Court Clerk's office: 101 Public Square, Gallatin, TN 37066. Criminal Court: Criminal Justice Center, 117 W. Smith Street, Gallatin, TN 37066
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk (615) 452-4367 (ext. 2 GS Criminal, ext. 3 GS Civil, ext. 4 Circuit Civil, ext. 5 Circuit Criminal, ext. 6 Juvenile); Chancery Court Clerk & Master (615) 452-4282 (civil/domestic), (615) 451-6036 (probate and delinquent taxes)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding county holidays
Online. Search sumner.tncrtinfo.com by party name or case number for Circuit, Criminal, or General Sessions cases. Write down the case number before requesting copies.
In person. Visit the Sumner County Courthouse, 155 East Main Street, Gallatin, TN 37066, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Circuit, General Sessions, and Juvenile files are with the Circuit Court Clerk; Criminal Court files are with the Criminal Court Clerk's office at 101 Public Square; Chancery and probate files are with the Clerk & Master in Room 3600. Bring the case number or party names and an approximate filing year. Tennessee's general fee schedule sets copies at $0.50 per page and certification at $5.00 — confirm the current amount at the counter.
By mail. Circuit Court Clerk requests go to P.O. Box 549, Gallatin, TN 37066; Clerk & Master requests go to 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin, TN 37066. Include the case number or party names and year, the documents you need, whether you want certified copies, a daytime phone number, and payment or a request for a quote. Call the appropriate extension first to confirm fees.
Chancery and probate. Call (615) 452-4282 for civil and domestic Chancery matters or (615) 451-6036 for probate and delinquent-tax files; the Clerk & Master's staff cannot give legal advice but can locate a file by name and year.
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
Can I look up Sumner County court cases online?
Yes, for cases kept by the Circuit Court Clerk. The Sumner County Online Court Records System at sumner.tncrtinfo.com indexes Circuit, Criminal, and General Sessions cases and is linked as "Search Cases" on sumnercourts.com. Chancery and probate files are not online.
Where is the Sumner County Criminal Court?
Criminal Court sits at the Criminal Justice Center, 117 W. Smith Street in Gallatin, and the Criminal Court Clerk's office is at 101 Public Square. The Circuit Court Clerk staffs Criminal Court; call (615) 452-4367, ext. 5, for Circuit Criminal matters.
Who handles probate in Sumner County?
The Chancery Court Clerk & Master, Room 3600 of the Courthouse at 155 East Main Street. Probate motions are heard on Tuesdays, and probate questions go to (615) 451-6036.
Which Sumner County court handles evictions and small claims?
General Sessions Court, which hears civil claims up to $25,000 and has unlimited jurisdiction over detainer (eviction) warrants. Records are with the Circuit Court Clerk; call ext. 3 for General Sessions Civil.
Sources
- Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk — Contact — https://sumnercourts.com/contact/
- Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk — Circuit Court — https://sumnercourts.com/circuit-court/
- Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk — Criminal Court — https://sumnercourts.com/criminal-court/
- Sumner County Circuit Court Clerk — General Sessions Court — https://sumnercourts.com/general-sessions/
- Sumner County Chancery Court — Contact — https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/contact/
- Sumner County Chancery Court — Docket — https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/docket/
- Courts — Sumner County, TN (county government directory) — https://sumnercountytn.gov/departments/courts/
- Sumner County Online Court Records System — https://sumner.tncrtinfo.com/
- 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.