Knox County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Knox County covers about 508 square miles of land area in the eastern part of Tennessee. It was created in 1792 and named after Henry Knox, one of the U.S. Founding Fathers. As of 2022, the county has about 481,400 residents, making it the third most populous county in its home state. The City of Knoxville is the government seat and also the largest city in the county. The judicial system in Knox County is made up of six trial courts, which include the Circuit, Chancery, Criminal, General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts.

The Circuit Court is the highest trial court in Knox County. It exercises general jurisdiction over all legal matters, including personal injury claims, wrongful death, and criminal cases. Contract disputes, property disputes, and other probate cases are within the purview of the Knox County Chancery Court. The county's Criminal Court typically presides over most felony trials and class A misdemeanors, while the 4th Circuit Court handles child support, child custody, and other cases related to family law. There are five General Sessions Courts in Knox County, each handling one of the following legal matters: misdemeanor, DUI, felony, traffic, and civil cases. The Civil Sessions Court deals with civil matters involving claims up to $25,000, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and orders of protection. Knox County also has a Juvenile Court with jurisdiction over all legal proceedings involving minors. Ordinance violations and minor traffic offenses are brought before the Municipal Courts in Farragut and Knoxville.

According to Tennessee Judiciary Annual Statistical Reports, Knox County Circuit Courts completes more than 4,500 cases annually, with a clearance rate above 99%. The Chancery Court also finalizes approximately 90% of the total cases filed annually. Since 2020, the Criminal Court has disposed more than 5,000 criminal cases each year. In Knox County, the following Court Clerks are designated to create and store public court records.

• Circuit Court Clerk provides online access to case documents filed in the Circuit, Juvenile, and Civil Sessions Courts.
• Knox County Criminal Court Clerk has court records filed in the Criminal, General Sessions, and 4th Circuit Court
• The Clerk and Master's office provides probate and chancery records to mail and walk-in requesters
• Municipal Court Clerks have public case documents filed within their jurisdiction

In summary, the Knox County court system including the Circuit, Chancery, Criminal, General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts function collectively to promote a smooth judicial process. To ensure public trust in the court system, the county judiciary provides access to court records online, by mail, or in person.