Carter County Court Records Search
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Carter County is located in northeastern Tennessee and belongs to the First Judicial District. The county seat is Elizabethton, where most court offices are concentrated in two buildings: the Carter County Justice Center at 900 East Elk Avenue and the Carter County Courthouse at 801 East Elk Avenue. Court records generated in this county span criminal docket sheets, civil case filings, divorce decrees, probate estate files, juvenile proceedings, orders of protection, and a range of other judicial documents. These records are created and maintained by the clerk offices serving the county’s Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts, as well as several municipal courts.
Tennessee offers multiple pathways for locating court records. The state courts website, TennesseeCourts.us, links to clerk directories, court rules, and appellate case history tools maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts. At the county level, records can be retrieved through the Circuit Court Clerk’s online case search portal, by visiting the clerk offices during regular business hours, or by contacting the relevant custodian by phone or mail. Public-access terminals and online docket systems supplement in-person research for those who need quick case status updates or document copies.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Carter County?
The office you contact depends on the type of case. Criminal, circuit civil, general sessions, and juvenile matters are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, while chancery and probate filings are kept by the Clerk and Master. The steps below outline the most efficient approach to locating a record.
- Identify the case type and custodian office. Felony cases, criminal appeals, and bindovers from General Sessions fall under the Criminal Court division. Divorce, adoption, conservatorship, guardianship, land disputes, and workers’ compensation matters are handled through the Circuit or Chancery Courts. Traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims (under $25,000), orders of protection, and detainer warrants go through General Sessions.
- Search online. The Carter County Circuit Court Clerk’s website provides a case search function along with monthly docket listings for both circuit criminal and general sessions matters. For appellate decisions, the Tennessee Public Case History tool covers the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals.
- Visit the clerk’s office in person. Both custodial offices are in Elizabethton and open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:
| Office | Address | Phone | Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court Clerk (Circuit, Criminal, General Sessions, Juvenile) | 900 East Elk Avenue, Suite 906, Elizabethton, TN 37643 | (423) 542-1835 | (423) 542-3742 |
| Clerk and Master (Chancery, Probate) | 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643 | (423) 542-1812 | (423) 547-1504 |
- Submit a written request. Mail requests should include the full names of all parties, approximate case dates, case number (if known), and a description of the documents sought. Include applicable fees by check or money order payable to the appropriate clerk.
- Pay court fees online. Online payments for citations and court costs can be processed through courtfeepay.com. Carter County also maintains a self-service kiosk inside the Redi-Mart Supermarket at 5110 US-19E in Hampton, which accepts credit card payments for court fines and citations.
Carter County’s full court system includes the following locations:
Carter County Circuit Court
900 East Elk Avenue, Suite 906, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1835
Carter County Criminal Court
900 East Elk Avenue, Suite 906, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1872
Carter County General Sessions Court
900 East Elk Avenue, Suite 906, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1825
Carter County Juvenile Court
900 East Elk Avenue, Suite 906, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1829
Carter County Chancery Court
801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1812
Elizabethton Municipal Court
136 South Sycamore Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 547-6419
Johnson City Municipal Court
601 East Main Street, Johnson City, TN 37601
Phone: (423) 434-6160
Watauga City Court
103 4th Avenue, Watauga, TN 37694
Phone: (423) 928-3490
Are Court Records Public in Carter County?
Tennessee law strongly favors public access to government records. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 affirms the public’s right to inspect court records maintained by the state’s courts, and the Tennessee Public Records Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503) provides the underlying statutory framework. Under these provisions, case records, administrative records, and judicial records are presumptively open unless a specific exception applies.
Rule 34, Section (2)© enumerates the categories of court records that are confidential and closed to public inspection. These include:
- Unpublished drafts of judicial orders or opinions
- Documents sealed by court order or protected by a protective order
- Records whose disclosure would interfere with judicial functions or undermine the court’s constitutional authority
- Internal case management information (except appellate panel composition)
- Notes, memoranda, and conference records prepared by judges or judicial staff as part of deliberative processes
- Information regarding threats to the personal safety of judges, judicial staff, or court system employees, along with court security audits
- Recusal information maintained by individual judges, unless intentionally filed as part of the case record
- Adoption records
- Juvenile records (all records in Carter County Juvenile Court are sealed)
Requests to inspect public court records are subject to reasonable conditions intended to preserve record integrity and ensure the efficient operation of the courts, consistent with Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-3-401. Requesters should expect to present identification and may need to pay applicable copy fees established by the custodian’s office.
Carter County Criminal Court Records
Criminal case records in Carter County are generated by the Criminal Court (felonies, appeals, and bindovers), General Sessions Court (misdemeanors, traffic offenses, TWRA citations), and Juvenile Court (proceedings involving individuals under 18). The Circuit Court Clerk administers records for all of these divisions. The Criminal Court Clerk’s direct line is (423) 542-1872, and the General Sessions number is (423) 542-1825.
Docket sheets and case information for criminal and general sessions matters can be searched through the Circuit Court Clerk’s online case search and docket portal. Monthly docket calendars for both circuit criminal and general sessions proceedings are published on the same site.
The Carter County Sheriff’s Department handles law enforcement operations, arrests, and detention. The Sheriff’s Office provides an inmate search tool that lists current inmates in the county jail, searchable by name or arrest date. Arrest reports and incident reports can be requested through the Sheriff’s Office online report request form or in person at:
Carter County Sheriff’s Department
Address: 900 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1845
Email: fraleym@Sheriff.CC
Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week (dispatch)
For statewide criminal background checks, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation operates the TORIS (Tennessee Online Record Information System) portal. The TBI offers name-based checks through its online request form for a non-refundable fee of $29 per search. Requesters need the subject’s name, date of birth, race, and sex. The request form is also available as a printable paper form (with a Spanish-language version) that can be mailed directly to the TBI at the address printed on the form. Fingerprint-based criminal background checks are available through third-party contractors listed on the TBI’s Background Check page.
Certain forms related to criminal matters are available through the Circuit Court Clerk’s website, including a Victim Loss Statement and a Driving School Packet. A Criminal Motion for Continuance form is not available from Carter County sources; parties needing to request a continuance should contact the clerk’s office directly.
Carter County Civil Court Records
Civil disputes in Carter County are divided among the Circuit Court, Chancery Court, and General Sessions Court based on the nature and monetary value of the claim. The Circuit Court handles higher-value lawsuits, workers’ compensation claims, and appeals from General Sessions. The Chancery Court exercises jurisdiction over land disputes, equity matters, and certain contract actions. General Sessions Court addresses civil cases where the amount in controversy is less than $25,000, including small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and detainer warrants.
The Circuit Court Clerk maintains records for civil cases heard in Circuit Court and General Sessions, while the Clerk and Master holds Chancery Court civil filings. Contact information for both offices:
- Circuit Court Clerk: (423) 542-1835, email circuitcourt@cartercountytn.gov
- Clerk and Master: (423) 542-1812, email clerkandmaster@cartercountytn.gov
Civil case records from the Circuit and General Sessions Courts are searchable through the Circuit Court Clerk’s case search portal. Chancery Court records are available by contacting or visiting the Clerk and Master’s office at the Carter County Courthouse, 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643.
Several civil forms are posted on the Circuit Court Clerk’s page at the county website, including:
- Civil Summons Form
- Civil Summons to Recover Property
- Civil Writ of Possession
- Detainer Warrant Form
- List of Exemptions
- Motion for Installment Payments
Property records, including deeds, mortgages, and plats, are maintained by the Carter County Register of Deeds. The Register’s office is located at 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643, and can be reached at (423) 542-1830. Online deed searches are available through ustitlesearch.net. Property tax and assessment records are maintained by the Assessor of Property at the same courthouse address, Phone: (423) 542-1806
Carter County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Carter County are spread across the Circuit Court (divorce, child support, adoptions, conservatorships) and the Chancery Court (divorces, child support receipting, adoptions, guardianships). The Circuit Court Clerk maintains divorce records filed in Circuit Court, while the Clerk and Master keeps divorce and family records filed in Chancery Court. Divorce forms approved by the Tennessee courts are available at the Tennessee Supreme Court divorce forms page.
The Carter County County Clerk issues marriage licenses. The office is located at 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The marriage license phone line is (423) 542-1862 (or the main office at (423) 542-1814). Fees vary based on whether the applicants have completed a premarital counseling course; information about current fees can be obtained by contacting the County Clerk directly. A certified copy of a marriage license costs $5.00 from the County Clerk’s office.
Certified copies of marriage certificates can also be obtained from the Tennessee Department of Health Vital Records Office. The search fee is $15.00 per certificate request. Requesters must present an acceptable form of identification and can submit requests in person (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) or by mail using form PH-1670. Mail requests should include the completed form, a photocopy of the requester’s ID, and a check or money order payable to Tennessee Vital Records, sent to:
Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Birth and death records from 1906 to the present are maintained by the same Vital Records Office. Per Tennessee Code § 68-3-205, uncertified birth certificates become public 100 years after the date of birth, and uncertified death certificates become public 50 years after the date of death. Until those periods elapse, certified copies are only issued to the registrant, the registrant’s spouse, parents, guardian, children, or their authorized representative, and to individuals who can demonstrate a personal or property-rights need for the record. The fee is $15.00 per search. Mail requests require form PH-1654 for birth certificates or PH-1663 for death certificates, along with a photocopy of ID and payment. Status inquiries can be directed to vrcustomerservice@tdhs.zendesk.com.
Adoption records and juvenile records in Carter County are confidential. Juvenile Court records are sealed, and adoption records maintained by either the Circuit Court Clerk or the Clerk and Master are not available to the general public.
Carter County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Carter County are handled by the Chancery Court, with the Clerk and Master serving as Clerk of the Probate Court. This office manages all paperwork and fee collection for the administration of wills and estates, as well as related proceedings such as conservatorships and guardianships. The office probates estates and maintains records of wills, inventories, accountings, letters testamentary, letters of administration, and guardianship or conservatorship appointments.
Probate records can be searched and reviewed in person during regular office hours:
Carter County Clerk and Master
Address: Carter County Courthouse, 801 East Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: (423) 542-1812
Fax: (423) 547-1504
Email: clerkandmaster@cartercountytn.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To request probate records, provide the decedent’s full name and, if available, the date of death or case number. Copy fees apply and should be confirmed with the office at the time of the request. The Clerk and Master’s responsibilities for probate and chancery records also encompass receipting child support and alimony payments, managing trust accounts for minors, and processing delinquent property tax sales ordered through the Chancery Court.
Historical court minutes, which may include older probate proceedings, are also available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives for researchers who need records that predate current office holdings. The Library and Archives maintains a guide to county and municipal court minutes that can help identify what records have been preserved and where they are housed.