Rutherford County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Named in honor of General Griffith Rutherford, Rutherford County, Tennessee, was created in 1803 and has a land area of 619 square miles. It has a population of about 343,700 people, and Murfreesboro is its county seat. The court system in Rutherford County is made up of Circuit, Chancery, General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts.

The Rutherford County Circuit Court in Murfreesboro handles civil and criminal cases through its civil and criminal courts, respectively. Its Civil Division handles torts, contracts, employment discrimination, private injury, and civil rights suits. The Division also handles domestic matters, including divorce, paternity, emancipation, and adoption. The Criminal Division hears misdemeanor and felony cases arising from grand juries. Probate matters are handled by its Probate Division, which also handles guardianship appointments and the entry of wills, estates, and trusts. The Murfreesboro-based Rutherford County Chancery Court hears civil cases of an equitable nature without financial claims and some probation cases. The Rutherford County General Sessions Court, also in Murfreesboro, runs two Divisions. The Civil Division hears civil matters with claims worth less than $25,000. The Criminal Division handles misdemeanor cases and traffic violations. The Rutherford County Juvenile Court in Murfreesboro handles all juvenile matters, including minor unruly behavior, delinquency, and dependency. Rutherford County Municipal Courts handle cases involving infringement of local ordinances and traffic laws. They are in Eagleville, LaVergne, Murfreesboro, and Smyrna.

The Crime statistics for Rutherford County Sheriff's Office in 2022 showed that there was one violent crime, 595 property crimes, 608 domestic violence, and one hate crime. The crime rate in Rutherford County is 3,600 crimes per 100,000 population. The 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Tennessee Judiciary shows that 3,150 cases were filed and 3,256 cases concluded in the Chancery Court in 2023. There were 8,878 criminal case filings and 8,540 disposed of criminal cases in the Circuit Criminal Court, while 1,451 cases were filed and 1,412 cases were disposed of in the Circuit Civil Court. The Rutherford County Clerk and Circuit Court Clerks maintain all the records from the County's Courts, while Clerks of Municipal Courts maintain their court records. Rutherford County's Online Court Records System provides access to public court records. In addition, anyone can visit the courts to see or request copies of their public court records. However, certain court records in Rutherford County are sealed to protect confidential information, maintain privacy, or further the interests of justice. These records include adoption records, medical and mental health records, juvenile records, and personal identifying information.

In summary, the Rutherford County court system is essential to the administration of justice in the county because it handles a wide range of legal matters with accuracy and thoroughness. The county's several courts ensure that criminal and civil cases are handled effectively and on time. Moreover, the availability of electronic access to public court records in the county enhances public confidence in the legal system. Rutherford County remains a model for efficient judicial administration in Tennessee.