Union County Public Records /Union County Court Records

Union County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Union County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Union County, Tennessee may access publicly available case information through several official channels. UnionTNRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records, property filings, and related public documents maintained by county and state agencies. Records available through official sources may include:

Criminal case filings and dispositions
Civil court judgments and orders
Family law matters, including divorce and custody proceedings
Probate filings and estate records
Traffic citations and infractions
Small claims court decisions

Court records in Union County may be searched through the following five methods:

1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Circuit Court Clerk's office in Union County maintains official dockets and case files for state court proceedings. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person, present a case number or party name, and request access to available records. Staff may assist with locating files, though the scope of assistance varies by office policy and workload.

2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the courthouse for in-person case searches. These terminals allow members of the public to search case indexes without staff assistance and at no charge for viewing. Printing from terminals may incur a per-page fee.

3. Online Court Search The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts maintains online resources for case information. The state's case management systems provide varying levels of online access depending on court type and jurisdiction.

4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools Tennessee's statewide judicial portal offers case lookup tools for certain court types. The Tennessee Courts case information portal allows searches by party name, case number, or attorney of record for participating courts.

5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the Circuit Court Clerk's office. Requests should include the full name of the party, approximate filing date or case number, and the type of record sought. Fees for copies and certified documents apply to mail requests.

Are Court Records Public In Union County

Court records in Union County are subject to public access under Tennessee's open records framework. Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503, all state and local government records are presumed open for public inspection unless a specific exemption applies. This presumption extends to court records maintained by clerks of court throughout the state.

Records that are public under current law include:

Case docket entries and hearing schedules
Party names and case numbers
Filed pleadings, motions, and responses
Court orders and final judgments
Sentencing entries and probation terms
Civil judgments and liens

Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:

Juvenile court records, which are protected under Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-153
Adoption proceedings and related filings
Mental health commitment records
Expunged criminal records
Sealed filings ordered by a judge
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While physical inspection at the clerk's office is broadly available for public records, online access to document images may be limited by court policy, case type, or the capabilities of the court's case management system.

What Are Court Records in Union County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with judicial proceedings. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything filed with or generated by the court from the initiation of a case through its final disposition and any subsequent appeal.

The distinction between record types is significant:

Docket entries vs. full case files: A docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a case. The full case file contains the actual documents — complaints, motions, orders, and exhibits — referenced in the docket.
Civil vs. criminal records: Civil records involve disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity. Criminal records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual charged with a violation of law.
Filed pleadings vs. final judgments: Pleadings are the initial documents that frame the dispute. Final judgments are the court's conclusive rulings on the matter.
Public filings vs. sealed or restricted filings: Most filings are public by default. Sealed filings are restricted by court order and are not available for public inspection.
Trial court records vs. appellate records: Trial court records are maintained by the clerk of the originating court. Appellate records are maintained by the clerk of the appellate court and may include transcripts and briefs submitted on appeal.

In Union County, the Circuit Court Clerk is responsible for maintaining dockets and records for state court proceedings. Records are created at the time of filing and updated continuously as the case progresses through hearings, motions, and rulings.

Union County Circuit Court Clerk
901 Main Street
Maynardville, TN 37807
Phone: (865) 992-3061
Circuit Court Clerk – Union County Tennessee

What's Included in a Union County Court Record?

A court record in Union County may contain a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type, the court in which it was filed, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case identification: Case number, court name and division, and filing date
Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
Case classification: Case type (civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic) and current status
Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, rulings, and administrative actions
Hearing information: Scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and courtroom assignments
Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, responses, notices, affidavits, and supporting exhibits where not restricted
Court orders and judgments: Temporary orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and post-judgment modifications
Financial and administrative data: Filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed

Records that are excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits containing sensitive information. The presence or absence of specific documents within a file depends on the nature of the case and any applicable court orders restricting access.

Types of Courts in Union County

Union County is served by the Tennessee state court system, which operates under a unified judicial structure administered by the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. The courts currently serving Union County include:

Circuit Court: The Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction that hears felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding the jurisdictional limits of lower courts, and appeals from lower courts. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains official records for these proceedings.
General Sessions Court: The General Sessions Court handles misdemeanor criminal matters, civil cases up to $25,000, preliminary hearings in felony cases, traffic violations, and small claims matters. The General Sessions Court Clerk maintains records for these proceedings.
Juvenile Court: Juvenile Court handles matters involving minors, including delinquency, dependency, neglect, and custody matters. Records from Juvenile Court are subject to heightened confidentiality protections under state law.
Chancery Court: Chancery Court handles equity matters, including certain family law cases, contract disputes, and injunctive relief proceedings.

The Tennessee Courts website provides a full explanation of the state's court structure, including jurisdictional boundaries and the assignment of judges to each district.

Union County General Sessions Court
901 Main Street
Maynardville, TN 37807
Phone: (865) 992-3061
Tennessee Courts

How to Search Union County Court Records for Free?

Several methods for accessing Union County court records are available at no cost. In-person inspection of public court records at the clerk's office is free of charge under Tennessee's open records law. Members of the public may review case files and docket entries without paying a fee for the act of inspection itself.

Free access methods include:

In-person inspection at the Circuit Court Clerk's office or General Sessions Court Clerk's office during regular business hours
Courthouse public access terminals, which allow case index searches at no charge
Online case search tools provided through the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts at no cost for basic case information

Costs are associated with the following services:

Service	Typical Cost
Photocopies of court documents	$0.15–$0.50 per page
Certified copies of court records	$1.00–$5.00 per document
Exemplified or authenticated copies	Varies by document
Research fees for extensive searches	Varies by office

Fee schedules for Tennessee clerks of court are governed in part by Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-21-401, which establishes the fees that clerks may charge for copies and services. Members of the public seeking certified copies should confirm current fees directly with the clerk's office prior to submitting a request.

How Long Does Union County Keep Court Records?

Retention periods for court records in Union County are governed by the records retention schedules established by the Tennessee State Library and Archives and the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.

Under current retention policy:

Felony criminal case files are retained permanently or for extended periods given the severity of the underlying offense and the potential for post-conviction proceedings.
Misdemeanor criminal records are retained for a minimum number of years following case closure, with specific periods set by the applicable retention schedule.
Civil case files are retained based on the nature of the judgment, with records involving real property or permanent injunctions often retained indefinitely.
Probate records are frequently retained permanently due to their significance in establishing property rights and family history.
Traffic and minor infraction records may be subject to shorter retention periods.
Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official record of court proceedings.

Paper files may be destroyed following imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention schedule permits destruction and the record has been preserved in an alternative format. Destruction of a record is distinct from sealing or expungement: a sealed record still exists but is restricted from public access, while an expunged record is ordered removed from public view and, in some cases, physically destroyed pursuant to court order. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the holdings of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

How To Find a Court Docket in Union County

A court docket is a formal index of all proceedings, filings, and actions taken in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it provides a chronological summary of case activity rather than the actual text of filed documents. The docket serves as the official record of what has occurred in a case and when.

Dockets for Union County court cases may be accessed through the following methods:

In-person at the clerk's office: The Circuit Court Clerk and General Sessions Court Clerk maintain docket books and case indexes that members of the public may inspect during business hours. Staff can retrieve docket information by case number or party name.
Courthouse public access terminals: Terminals located at the courthouse allow users to search the case index and view docket entries for cases within the court's jurisdiction.
Statewide case search systems: The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts provides online access to case information for participating courts. Users may search by party name or case number to retrieve docket entries.

A court docket entry typically contains:

The date of each filing or court action
A brief description of the document filed or action taken
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Minute entries reflecting in-court proceedings
Status updates and case disposition information

A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits that have been restricted by court order. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse. The Circuit Court Clerk in Union County is the primary custodian of docket records for state court proceedings in the county.