How to Search Rutherford County Court Records
Rutherford County runs a free online case search at the Rutherford County Online Court Records System. The portal covers Circuit Court, General Sessions, and Clerk and Master records. It lets you search by party name, case year, or case number, and you can pick which court office and case type to include. This is a big change from the old setup. The Circuit Court Clerk stopped supporting subscription logins and moved to this free search on July 1, 2025, so older notes about paid logins are out of date.
The county's online records home page walks users to the search screen with a single click.
Before you start, decide what you actually know. A full first and last name works best. If you have an older case reference number or a formatted case number, you can use those instead. Here is the basic order of steps.
- Open the portal at rutherford.tncrtinfo.com and click Search.
- Type a full party name, or enter a case year or case number.
- Pick the court type: Circuit Court, General Sessions, or Clerk and Master.
- Choose the case type, either Criminal or Civil.
- Complete the Cloudflare check, then click Find Now and sort the results.
The system lets you sort result columns and filter the visible rows with a literal text box. Treat online data as a starting point. For a certified copy or an official docket, contact the clerk of record. More detail lives on the Rutherford County court records page.
The Rutherford County Judicial Center
The main court building is the Rutherford County Judicial Center at 116 West Lytle Street in downtown Murfreesboro. It opened in 2018 and replaced the historic courthouse on the public square as the place where most modern court business is done. The Circuit Court Clerk runs Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions Civil, General Sessions Criminal, and Juvenile clerk functions from this building. The Chancery Court and Clerk and Master operate from Suite 5101 in the same center.
The official Rutherford County website serves as the front door to every court office, the clerk, the sheriff, and the archives.
Chancery Court lists office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but the building closes to the public at 4:15 p.m. That early close matters if you plan to pull records near the end of the day. Plan your visit so you can park, pass screening, and reach the right counter in time.
Rutherford County Judicial Center
116 West Lytle Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 898-7820
The Rutherford County Court System
Rutherford County and Cannon County make up Tennessee's 16th Judicial District. Circuit Court is the broad trial court and hears civil cases, criminal cases, and appeals from lower courts. Chancery Court is the equity court and handles divorce, adoption, probate-related matters, name changes, and more. General Sessions is the limited court for landlord-tenant disputes, small civil claims, and misdemeanor or preliminary criminal matters. Juvenile Court has its own confidentiality rules.
Case flow: General Sessions › Circuit Court › Tennessee Court of Appeals or Court of Criminal Appeals › Tennessee Supreme Court
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | General trial court | Civil, criminal, appeals from lower courts |
| Chancery Court | Equity | Divorce, probate matters, name change, real estate |
| General Sessions | Limited | Small claims, landlord-tenant, misdemeanors |
| Juvenile Court | County juvenile | Delinquency, dependency, confidential files |
The General Sessions Civil Court page explains the small claims and landlord-tenant side of this structure.
Full detail on each level lives on the Rutherford County Circuit Court page and the Chancery Court page.
Circuit Court Clerk and County Clerk Roles
Rutherford County splits clerk duties across three offices. Knowing who holds a record saves a wasted trip. Melissa Harrell, the elected Circuit Court Clerk, keeps Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions Civil, General Sessions Criminal, and Juvenile records. Adam T. Dodd, the Clerk and Master, keeps Chancery Court records. Lisa Duke Crowell, the County Clerk, handles marriage licenses, business licenses, county commission minutes, and probate filings after a judge admits an estate.
The Circuit Court Clerk page lists every division, its phone number, and the office address.
Phone numbers differ by division. Circuit Civil is (615) 898-7820. Circuit Criminal is (615) 898-7812. General Sessions Civil is (615) 217-0069. General Sessions Criminal is (615) 898-7831. The Juvenile Clerk is (615) 898-7972. See the Circuit Court Clerk and County Clerk pages for the full breakdown.
Types of Court Records Available in Rutherford County
The county produces many record types, and each one tends to sit with a specific court. Civil and criminal files run through Circuit Court and General Sessions. Family and divorce files often run through Chancery Court. Probate files move through the County Clerk after a probate judge admits the estate. Traffic cases can land in General Sessions, criminal court, or a city court depending on the charge.
Public access is the default for most of these files, but some records are sealed or made confidential by statute or court order.
- Criminal records - warrants, charges, pleas, judgments, and sentencing orders.
- Civil records - complaints, answers, motions, judgments, and garnishments.
- Family and divorce records - divorce decrees, support, and orders of protection.
- Probate records - wills, estates, conservatorships, and guardianships.
- Traffic records - citations, fines, and dispositions in the court file.
What Rutherford County Court Records Show
A court record is more than a name and a charge. Each file holds a set of fields that track the case from filing to final order. The online portal shows the core fields, and the full clerk file adds the documents behind them. Sensitive items such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and minor names are often redacted.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The case identifier, such as 99GS1-2023-CR-12345. |
| Filing Year | The year the case was first filed in the court. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent. |
| Court Office | Circuit Court, General Sessions, or Clerk and Master. |
| Disposition | The current or final outcome of the case. |
| Docket Events | Motions, hearings, orders, and judgments over time. |
Note: The online portal warns that its data is informational only and is not the official court record of the clerk.
Public Access Laws for Rutherford County Court Records
Tennessee treats public records as open by default. Access to court files is governed by the Tennessee Public Records Act, Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34, and a set of statutes that protect certain records. The default is openness unless a statute, a rule, or a court order makes a file confidential. Courts also get to set reasonable rules that protect the integrity of records and keep operations running.
Key Statutes:
Tennessee Code § 10-7-503 - Makes state, county, and municipal records open for inspection by Tennessee citizens unless the law says otherwise.
Tennessee Code § 10-7-504 - Lists the records that are confidential and may be withheld or redacted.
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 - Gives the public a right to inspect court records except where the law or a court order limits access.
More on requests and fees sits on the Rutherford County public records page.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Not every file is open. Juvenile records are confidential under Tennessee Code § 37-1-153. Adoption records are sealed under state adoption law. Expunged records are removed under Tennessee Code § 40-32-101. Sealed records, mental health records, grand jury materials, and many personal identifiers are also kept out of public view.
To view a sealed record, a person usually needs a court order or statutory authority. Clerks can accept a filing, but they cannot give legal advice or tell you which form to file. For uncertain eligibility, talk with an attorney. The county's expungement FAQ explains how an eligible charge is removed and which agencies get the order.
Specialty Courts in Rutherford County
Rutherford County runs several problem-solving courts under a Recovery Court umbrella. These programs aim to cut repeat offenses by pairing court supervision with treatment and accountability. The county lists Recovery Court (Drug Court), DUI Court, Mental Health Court, a Veterans Treatment Court, and a Re-Entry Program.
The 16th Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court serves both Rutherford and Cannon Counties. Recovery Court tracks add drug testing, case management, sanctions, and graduation after sustained progress. Because mental health and treatment details are sensitive, public records tied to these programs may be limited or redacted.
Rutherford County Sheriff and Jail
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and Adult Detention Center sit at 940 New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro. Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh leads the office. The non-emergency line is (615) 898-7777, and the lobby is open 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The detention center is a 956-bed facility that holds pretrial inmates and sentenced prisoners with terms up to eight years.
The Sheriff's Office website links to detention, warrants, visitation, and records request pages.
For the full roster details, custody steps, and visitation rules, see the Rutherford County inmate records page. For active warrants, see the warrant records page.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
The County Clerk issues marriage licenses, and the standard fee is $107.50. A notarized Certificate of Completion from a counselor or minister cuts the fee to $45.00. Divorce files run through Chancery Court or Circuit Court. Probate moves through the County Clerk after a probate judge admits the estate. See marriage and divorce records and probate records for full steps and fees.
- Testator
- The person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out the terms of a will.
- Conservator
- A person given court authority over an adult who cannot manage their own affairs.
Rutherford County Court Records Search Fields
The online portal uses a small set of fields and a court-office filter. You do not have to fill in every box. The search help says to use a name or a case reference, but not both at once. A court office must always be selected.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party Name | Text | No | Use a full first and last name; also accepts a case reference number. |
| Case Year | Text | No | Four digits; usually the year the case was filed. |
| Case Number | Text | No | Enter only the numeric part after the last hyphen. |
| Court Type | Checkbox | Yes | Circuit Court, General Sessions, Clerk and Master. |
| Case Type | Checkbox | Yes | Criminal or Civil. |
The case search page shows these fields along with the search-help rules.
The portal even supports typo tolerance and phrase search. A term with five or more letters allows one typo. For contact details by office, the portal contact page lists each clerk division.
Rutherford County Court Records Fees
Fees depend on the office and the type of copy. Inspecting a public record on site is generally free, but copies cost money. Chancery Court charges $0.50 per page for a plain copy and $5.00 plus copy charges for a certified copy. The County Clerk probate office charges $0.50 per page for plain copies and $2.00 per page plus $2.00 per certification for certified probate copies.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chancery plain copy per page | $0.50 |
| Chancery certified copy | $5.00 plus copies |
| Probate certified copy per page | $2.00 plus $2.00 certification |
| Marriage certified copy in person | $5.00 |
| Marriage certified copy by mail | $7.00 |
The Circuit Court Clerk forms page gathers local forms, fee links, and public-records request material in one place.
Federal Courts Covering Rutherford County
Some cases tied to Rutherford County run in federal court. The county sits in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, with the main courthouse in Nashville. Federal bankruptcy goes to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Appeals go to the Sixth Circuit.
State court files do not show up in the federal system unless a case is removed, filed federally, or appealed there. Federal records sit in PACER, a paid system. For a free option, CourtListener publishes many federal dockets and opinions. The Circuit Court page covers the full appeals path in more detail.
History of Rutherford County Courts
Rutherford County was established in 1803, and Murfreesboro is the county seat. The historic courthouse on the public square is now a museum rather than the daily court hub. Active hearings and filings moved to the new Judicial Center on West Lytle Street in 2018.
The Tennessee court system reported in late 2018 that judges were highlighting safety and efficiency gains at the new center.
For older files, the Rutherford County Archives at 435 Rice Street keeps judicial proceedings and other county records. The historic Courthouse Museum tells more than 200 years of county history but does not handle filings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I search Rutherford County court records online?
Use the Rutherford County Online Court Records System. Click Search on the home page or go to the case list page. You can search by party name, case year, or case number, and filter by Circuit Court, General Sessions, or Clerk and Master. The county moved to this free search on July 1, 2025 after ending subscription logins.
Is the online portal the official court record?
No. The Terms of Use say the data is for general information only and is not the official court record of the clerk. Use the portal to find a case, then ask the correct clerk for a certified copy if you need a file for court, work, immigration, or licensing.
Which clerk handles criminal and civil court records?
The Circuit Court Clerk handles Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions Civil, General Sessions Criminal, and Juvenile records. Melissa Harrell holds that elected office at 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, in Murfreesboro. Chancery records sit with the Clerk and Master instead.
More answers live on the Rutherford County Court Records FAQ page.