Hamblen County Court Records
TennesseeCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on TennesseeCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
Hamblen County sits in East Tennessee, with Morristown as the county seat. The county court system includes a Criminal Court, a Circuit Court, two divisions of General Sessions Court, a Juvenile Court, a Chancery Court for probate and equity matters, and a Municipal Court within the City of Morristown. Most court activity is split between the Hamblen County Justice Center at 510 Allison Street and the Hamblen County Courthouse at 511 West 2nd North Street, both in Morristown. The Chancery Court operates from a separate location on North Jackson Street.
If you need to find court case information in Tennessee, you have a few options: contacting clerk offices directly, visiting courthouses in person, using online databases, or submitting public records request forms. TennesseeCourts.us connects you to the state's judicial resources, including court forms, clerk directories, and the appellate courts' public case history search, which can help you find publicly available case information for Hamblen County and across the state.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Hamblen County?
Where you start depends on what kind of case you're looking for. Criminal, civil, and general sessions records are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk, while probate, divorce, and equity matters are held by the Chancery Court Clerk and Master.
Online Searching
The Circuit Court Clerk's office offers a web access subscription for searching court records electronically. To subscribe, call the office at (423) 586-5640. The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts also has a Public Case History search for cases in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals.
For Chancery Court matters, the Hamblen County Chancery Court website provides access to court dockets, probate records, and fee schedules.
In-Person Access
You can visit the appropriate clerk's office during business hours to review and copy public records. The Hamblen County government website also offers a downloadable public records request form that you can submit in person or by mail.
Key Court Offices
Circuit Court Clerk (Circuit, Criminal, General Sessions, and Juvenile)
Address: 440 N. Jackson Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-5640
Fax: (423) 585-4034
Email: twest@co.hamblen.tn.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Chancery Court / Clerk and Master
Address: 511 West 2nd North Street, Room 308, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-9112
The Hamblen County Chancery Court website includes fee schedules, court forms, and docket information for chancery and probate matters.
Are Court Records Public in Hamblen County?
Tennessee law broadly supports public access to court records. Under Tennessee Code Annotated 10-7-503(a)(1)(A), any member of the public may request access to public records, including court records. That right is further shaped by Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34, which classifies court records into three types — case records, administrative records, and judicial records — and sets out both public access rights and specific confidentiality restrictions.
Requests to inspect records are subject to reasonable requirements intended to protect records integrity and keep court operations running efficiently, as provided by Tennessee Code Annotated 16-3-401.
Records that are NOT public under Rule 34 and state law include:
- Documents exempted from inspection under the Tennessee Public Records Act (T.C.A. 10-7-504) or other state law
- Records sealed or subject to a protective order
- Unpublished drafts of judicial orders and opinions
- Copies of motions, briefs, or similar filings provided to a judge for individual use (unless formally filed in the case record)
- Written or electronic notes, memoranda, and reports prepared by judges, judicial staff, or the Administrative Office of the Courts as part of deliberative processes
- Internal case management information (except appellate panel composition)
- Information about individual judges' recusal decisions (unless filed in the case record or subject to specific disclosure laws)
- Information about threats to the safety of judges, staff, or their families
- Any record whose disclosure would frustrate judicial function or undermine the constitutional powers of the court
Hamblen County Criminal Court Records
Felony prosecutions in Hamblen County go through the Criminal Court, while misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings fall under General Sessions Court Division 1. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains records for both courts.
Court Locations
Hamblen County Criminal Court
Address: Hamblen County Justice Center, 510 Allison Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-5640
Fax: (423) 585-4034
General Sessions Court Division 1 (Criminal)
Address: Hamblen County Justice Center, 510 Allison Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-5640
Fax: (423) 585-2764
Morristown Municipal Court
Address: 100 West 1st North Street, P.O. Box 1283, Morristown, TN 37816
Phone: (423) 585-2710
Searching Criminal Records
Criminal case records are accessible by contacting the Circuit Court Clerk's office or by subscribing to the web access system. Reach the Clerk at (423) 586-5640 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). A public records request form is available for both in-person and mail submissions.
Statewide Criminal History Through TBI
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is the state repository for criminal history records. If you need a Tennessee-only criminal background check, you can request one for $29 through the TBI's online request portal or by mailing a completed paper request form. Online requests only need a name-based search and a valid email address, and results are delivered electronically. A nationwide (FBI) background check is also available for $50 through IdentoGO and requires fingerprints.
Mail-in requests should include the completed form and payment, sent to:
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37216
Phone: (615) 744-4000
Arrest Records and the Sheriff's Office
The Hamblen County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and detention center information. You can check current inmates and recent jail bookings through the Sheriff's online portal, which allows searches of current inmates and provides intake and release information for the previous 24 or 72 hours.
Hamblen County Sheriff's Office
Address: 460 N. Jackson Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-3781
Fax: (423) 587-1658
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Deputies and detention officers are on duty 24 hours daily.)
Hamblen County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Hamblen County are divided among several courts based on the nature and dollar amount of the claim. The Circuit Court takes on contract disputes, civil torts, condemnations, workers' compensation claims, and other substantial civil matters. General Sessions Court Division 2 handles limited-jurisdiction torts and contracts, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims.
Court Locations
Hamblen County Circuit Court
Address: 440 N. Jackson Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-5640
General Sessions Court Division 2 (Civil and Juvenile)
Address: 511 West 2nd North Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 585-4567
Fax: (423) 585-4358
Chancery Court (Equity and Contract Matters)
Address: 511 West 2nd North Street, Room 308, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-9112
Requesting Civil Records
To get copies of civil case documents, contact the right clerk's office — the Circuit Court Clerk for Circuit and General Sessions matters, or the Clerk and Master for Chancery Court cases. Give the clerk a party name, case number, or filing date to help locate the record. Copies are available in hard copy or digital format when accessible. If a record hasn't been digitized, the clerk can arrange for you to inspect the physical file.
Statewide court forms, including General Sessions Civil Court forms and trial court forms, are available through the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts website.
Chancery Court Filing Fees
The Hamblen County Chancery Court publishes a detailed fee schedule. Key civil filing fees include:
| Case Type | Filing Fee | With Service |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 (contracts, torts, personal injury, etc.) | $284.50 | $324.50 |
| Category 2 (workers' comp, appeals, condemnation, etc.) | $209.50 | $249.50 |
| Category 3 (adoptions, paternity, name changes, etc.) | $159.50 | $199.50 |
| Category 4 (child support enforcement, modifications, contempt) | $75.00 | $115.00 |
Other fees include service of subpoenas ($40), service of summons ($40), copies ($0.50 per page), certification seal ($5.00), and continuances ($7.00).
Hamblen County Family Court Records
Family matters in Hamblen County run through two main courts. The Chancery Court handles divorce, custody, child support, adoptions, and termination of parental rights. The Juvenile Court — along with General Sessions Court Division 2 — handles delinquency and dependency cases involving minors.
Divorce Records
Divorce cases are filed in the Chancery Court. Filing fees vary depending on whether children are involved:
| Case Type | Filing Fee | With Service |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce with children | $259.50 | $299.50 |
| Divorce without children | $184.50 | $224.50 |
State-approved divorce forms and parenting plan forms are available through the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts.
Juvenile Court
The Hamblen County Juvenile Court handles cases involving minors. Juvenile court records are confidential under Tennessee law and are not available for public inspection.
Hamblen County Juvenile Court
Address: 511 West 2nd North Street, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 585-4567
Fax: (423) 585-4358
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses in Hamblen County are issued by the Hamblen County Clerk, not by a court. The County Clerk has an online marriage application to get the process started. The County Clerk's office is at 511 West 2nd North Street, Morristown, TN 37814, and can be reached at (423) 586-1993. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Certified copies of marriage certificates are also available from the Tennessee Office of Vital Records for $15 per certificate. You can request them online through an approved vendor, by mail using the marriage certificate application, or in person. Mail requests go to:
Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Tennessee vital records — including marriage and divorce certificates — are considered private for the first 50 years after the event. After that period, they become available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Divorce Certificates
Divorce certificates are available from the Office of Vital Records using the divorce certificate application for a fee of $15. The Tennessee State Library and Archives holds older divorce records, including those from July 1945 to December 1973, as well as historical records found in the Acts of Tennessee 1796–1850.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death records are maintained by the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. Birth records are restricted for 100 years and death records for 50 years after the event date. Within those periods, only legally eligible individuals may obtain certified copies, and the fee is $15 per certificate. Open historical records are accessible through the Tennessee State Library and Archives, which holds statewide birth records for 1908–1912 and 1914–1923.
Hamblen County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Hamblen County go through the Chancery Court, with the Clerk and Master handling all filings. The court's probate jurisdiction covers estate administration, wills, conservatorships, guardianships, and related proceedings.
Hamblen County Chancery Court (Probate)
Address: 511 West 2nd North Street, Room 308, Morristown, TN 37814
Phone: (423) 586-9112
The Hamblen County Chancery Court website provides access to probate dockets, forms, and fee information.
Probate Filing Fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate filing | $289.50 |
| Notice to creditors (Citizen Tribune) | $116.00 |
| Probate filing with notice to creditors | $405.50 |
| Small estate affidavit | $100.50 |
| Conservatorship/Guardianship | $219.50 ($259.50 with service) |
| Letters of conservatorship/guardianship | $6.00 |
| Annual accountings | $40.00 |
Requesting Probate Records
Probate case records — including wills, inventories, accountings, and distribution orders — can be obtained by contacting the Clerk and Master's office by phone, mail, or in person. Have the decedent's name, the case number if you know it, and any relevant dates ready to help staff locate the file. Copies cost $0.50 per page, plus $5.00 for the certification seal.
Estate records filed in Hamblen County are generally open to the public unless sealed by court order. The Chancery Court also handles conservatorship and guardianship proceedings, which involve court-supervised management of financial affairs or personal care for incapacitated individuals or minors.
Property records related to estates can be researched through the Hamblen County Register of Deeds or the Tennessee Comptroller's property assessment search tool, which allows searches by county, property address, owner name, or parcel ID.