Lauderdale County Court Records Search

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    Lauderdale County, Tennessee, operates a multi-tiered court system that generates records across circuit, chancery, general sessions, juvenile, probate, and municipal courts. These documents — covering everything from felony criminal proceedings to contested estates and small civil claims — make up the official record of judicial activity in the county. Court records serve practical purposes for a wide range of people, from attorneys researching case precedents to individuals verifying the outcome of a legal matter that affects them directly. Knowing which office holds which records, and what procedure to follow, is the most efficient way to get accurate results.

    Locating Court Records in Tennessee:

    Tennessee court records can be accessed through official court clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, online case management portals, and state-level resources. TennesseeCourts.us may help you locate publicly available court case information across the state. At the county level, the Lauderdale County Online Court Records System and the Tennessee Appellate Courts' Public Case History portal both offer online search options for cases on record.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Lauderdale County?

    Lauderdale County court operations are split between two main facilities — the Lauderdale County Justice Complex on Highway 51 South and the historic Lauderdale County Courthouse on Court Square in Ripley. The type of case determines both which court handled the matter and which clerk maintains its records.

    Lauderdale County Circuit Court Clerk (Circuit, Criminal, and General Sessions records)

    Circuit Court Clerk: Jodie Edwards
    Address: 675 Highway 51 South, Ripley, TN 38063
    Phone: (731) 635-0101
    Email: jodie.edwards@tncourts.gov

    Lauderdale County Chancery Court / Clerk & Master (Chancery, equity, and property matters)

    Clerk & Master: Minnie Stowe
    Address: 100 Court Square, Ripley, TN 38063
    Phone: (731) 635-1941

    Lauderdale County Probate and Juvenile Court (Probate, guardianship, juvenile matters)

    Probate/Juvenile Judge: Rachel J. Jackson
    Address: 100 Court Square, Ripley, TN 38063
    Phone: (731) 635-3505

    County Court Clerk (Marriage licenses, vehicle registration, other county clerk services)

    County Court Clerk: Linda Summar
    Address: 307 S. Washington Street, Ripley, TN 38063
    Phone: (731) 635-2561
    Fax: (731) 635-4301
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    Online search options:

    Lauderdale County Online Court Records System — Allows free searches of Circuit Court and General Sessions records by party name, case year, or case number. You can filter by court type (Circuit Court or General Sessions) and by case type (criminal or civil). This is the most direct tool for current Lauderdale County trial court cases.

    Tennessee Appellate Courts Public Case History — Covers cases before the Tennessee Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals. Useful for tracking Lauderdale County cases that have been appealed to a higher court.

    In person — Visit either courthouse facility during business hours. Public terminals may be available on-site for case lookups at no charge; copy fees apply for printed records.

    Are Court Records Public in Lauderdale County?

    Tennessee law establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to court records. Under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 and the Tennessee Public Records Act (T.C.A. § 10-7-503), all court records maintained by state and county courts are presumptively open to inspection by any member of the public unless a specific exemption applies.

    Records generally open to the public include:

    • Circuit and General Sessions civil case filings, orders, and judgments
    • Criminal felony and misdemeanor dockets, indictments, and sentencing records
    • Chancery Court decrees and equity case files
    • Divorce decrees and final property orders
    • Probate inventories, wills filed for record, and estate administration orders
    • Marriage licenses and records maintained by the County Clerk

    Records that are confidential or restricted under Tennessee law include:

    • Juvenile court records, which are protected under T.C.A. § 37-1-153 and are generally inaccessible to the public
    • Adoption files, which are sealed by statute
    • Mental health and alcohol or drug treatment commitment records, restricted under T.C.A. § 10-7-504
    • Records sealed by specific court order
    • Documents containing victims' personally identifiable information in criminal matters
    • Active criminal investigation records where disclosure could compromise the case

    When records are exempt, access typically requires a court order or a showing of direct legal interest in the sealed material. Records containing sensitive personal information — such as Social Security numbers or financial account details — may be partially redacted before release even when the underlying case file is otherwise public.

    Lauderdale County Criminal Court Records

    Criminal matters in Lauderdale County are heard in the 25th Judicial District Circuit Court, with Circuit Court Judges J. Weber McCraw (Part 1) and Blake Neill (Part 2) presiding. The Circuit Court Clerk's Office at the Justice Complex (675 Highway 51 South) files and indexes all felony criminal records, including indictments, arraignment papers, plea agreements, trial transcripts, judgment and conviction orders, and sentencing documents. Misdemeanor criminal matters are handled in General Sessions Court, also based at the Justice Complex, with Judge Scott Lovelace presiding.

    Searching criminal court records:

    • Lauderdale County Online Court Records System — Search Circuit Court and General Sessions criminal cases by party name or case number at no charge.
    • In person — The Circuit Court Clerk's Office at 675 Highway 51 South can retrieve criminal case files during regular business hours. Providing the defendant's full name, approximate filing date, or case number will speed up the search.
    • By mail — Submit a written request to the Circuit Court Clerk, 675 Highway 51 South, Ripley, TN 38063. Include identifying information and payment for applicable copy fees.

    For statewide criminal history records, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) maintains the official repository. The general public can request a name-based adult criminal history search through the TBI TORIS portal for $29.00 per search. This search does not require fingerprints and covers Tennessee records only. More comprehensive fingerprint-based background checks are available to authorized requesters such as employers and licensing agencies.

    Arrest records for Lauderdale County are maintained separately by the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office, located at the Justice Complex. The Sheriff's Office can be contacted for information on bookings, current inmate status, and arrest-related records that have not yet generated a court case file.

    Lauderdale County Civil Court Records

    Civil disputes in Lauderdale County are distributed across several courts depending on the claim amount and nature of the matter. The Circuit Court at the Justice Complex handles larger civil claims, while General Sessions Court manages smaller civil matters and landlord-tenant disputes. The Chancery Court at 100 Court Square handles equity cases, injunctions, property disputes, and matters traditionally within the chancery jurisdiction.

    What civil records include:

    • Complaints, petitions, and summonses
    • Motions, responses, and supporting briefs
    • Court orders, judgments, and decrees
    • Liens and judgment entries
    • Small claims filings and outcomes from General Sessions

    Searching and requesting civil records:

    Start with the Lauderdale County Online Court Records System to search Circuit Court civil and General Sessions civil cases online. The portal lets you filter by party name, case year, or case number, with real-time filtering by court and case type.

    For Chancery Court civil records, contact the Clerk & Master at 100 Court Square (Phone: (731) 635-1941) in person or by mail. In-person inspection of records is generally free; fees are assessed only when copies are requested.

    The Tennessee Appellate Courts' Public Case History portal covers any Lauderdale County civil case that has been appealed to the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court level.

    Lauderdale County Family Court Records

    Family law proceedings in Lauderdale County — including divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence protection orders, and adoptions — are handled in the Circuit Court and the Chancery Court, depending on the nature of the matter. Divorce and contested family matters typically proceed in Circuit Court, while certain adoption and guardianship matters fall under the Chancery Court or Probate/Juvenile Court.

    Divorce records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk at the Justice Complex (675 Highway 51 South). Divorce decrees are generally public records, though specific protective provisions regarding minors or domestic violence matters may result in partial sealing of individual documents within a case file. Certified divorce decree copies typically cost $12 for the first two pages and $5 for each additional page, consistent with the Tennessee court fee schedule for certified instruments.

    The Tennessee Office of Vital Records maintains statewide divorce certificates from 1974 to the present. These can be requested in person, online, or by mail using the divorce certificate application form, with valid identification and a fee of $15.00 per copy. Under Tennessee law, divorce records less than 50 years old are accessible only to the parties themselves, their attorneys, or individuals with a demonstrated direct legal interest. A divorce facts verification form is also available for those who need a simpler confirmation. For divorces between July 1, 1945, and December 31, 1973, contact the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

    Marriage records are handled by the Lauderdale County Court Clerk at 307 S. Washington Street (Phone: (731) 635-2561). Marriage licenses require both parties to appear in person with valid identification. The Tennessee Office of Vital Records also issues certified marriage certificates for events from 1945 to the present at $15.00 per copy, using the marriage certificate application form. A marriage facts verification is also available. Older marriage records are held by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

    Adoption records are sealed under Tennessee statute and are not available through routine public records requests. A court order is required to access these files.

    Birth and death certificates for Lauderdale County residents are issued by the Tennessee Office of Vital Records and the Lauderdale County Health Department. The fee is $15.00 per certified copy for births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Birth records are confidential for 100 years under Tennessee law, with access limited to the registrant, their immediate family, or authorized legal representatives. Death certificate requests require the official application form, valid identification, and the applicable fee. Death records more than 50 years old are available through the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

    Lauderdale County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Lauderdale County — including the administration of decedents' estates, validation of wills, issuance of letters testamentary and administration, conservatorships, and guardianships of minors and incapacitated adults — are overseen by the Lauderdale County Probate and Juvenile Court, with Judge Rachel J. Jackson presiding. The Chancery Court Clerk & Master (Minnie Stowe, Phone: (731) 635-1941) at the Lauderdale County Courthouse, 100 Court Square, also plays a role in certain equity-based probate and guardianship proceedings.

    Probate records that are generally available to the public include wills submitted for probate, estate inventories, creditor claim filings, letters testamentary, letters of administration, and final accounting and distribution orders. Records involving guardianships of minors or sealed matters may have restricted portions.

    How to request Lauderdale County probate records:

    • Search online — Use the Lauderdale County Online Court Records System to check for probate case docket information. While this portal is primarily indexed for Circuit Court and General Sessions, it may surface related filings.
    • Contact the Chancery Clerk & Master — For in-person or mail requests, visit or write to the Clerk & Master at 100 Court Square, Ripley, TN 38063 (Phone: (731) 635-1941). Bring the decedent's full name and approximate date of death or filing year.
    • Contact the Probate/Juvenile Court — For matters specifically under Judge Jackson's jurisdiction, contact the court at 100 Court Square, Ripley, TN 38063 (Phone: (731) 635-3505).
    • Request copies by mail — Written requests should describe the specific records sought, include identifying information, and be accompanied by appropriate payment for copy fees. County courthouse offices generally allow in-person inspection at no charge, with fees assessed only for printed copies.

    For historical probate records, the Tennessee State Library and Archives holds older Lauderdale County records and provides research assistance for genealogists and legal researchers working with early estate files. Chancery Court records for Lauderdale County dating back to 1844 are indexed through FamilySearch and other archival platforms, which can help you identify case references before requesting physical copies from the county.