Are Divorce Records Public in Tennessee? Search TN Divorce Free

Whether it’s to find more information about someone you just met or because someone wonders how to find my divorce date for free, many individuals ask, are divorce records public in Tennessee?

Like most states storage process for marriage and divorce records, the answer is somewhat complicated depending on how the divorce was executed.

However, there are a few simple methods that can be used to search TN divorce free.

A simple name-based background check can provide free divorce records search, or, anyone can search manually using the following guide to find out are divorce records public in Tennessee.

Are Tennessee Divorce Records Public (Are Divorce Records Public in Tennessee?)

Divorce records in Tennessee are slightly more open than in many states. Just like every state, Tennessee divorce records are held in two different places. The Vital records office that is maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health maintains the vital records of the divorce and the court where the divorce was filed will hold all the court and legal records of the divorce.

Which one individuals should contact to obtain records will depend on a few factors.

Are divorce records public in Tennessee using the vital records office? Yes, for some requestors.

The vital records office holds divorce records in the form of a divorce certificate, which is often a cause of confusion. A divorce certificate is different from a divorce decree.

A divorce decree is what is issued by a judge when a divorce is finalized, whereas a divorce certificate is a document that merely states that a divorce took place and is used primarily for census purposes so that the state has its own record of divorce aside from the records held by the courts.

(Image: Tumisu⁴)

The court where the case was held will likely have a greater volume of records regarding the divorce, but this will depend on if the divorce required litigation or if the divorce was settled outside of court. If the divorce was settled outside of court, then the only official court documents regarding the divorce will be the divorce decree.

As mentioned, the divorce decree is the document that makes a divorce official once it is signed by a judge. However, the divorce decree also has tons of information on it regarding the divorce itself. Aside from the date and the names of the individuals who are getting divorced, the divorce decree will also include information regarding the exact details of the divorce settlement. This can include:

• Alimony
• Child Custody
• Child Support information
• Asset division
• Debt division
• Attorney information
• Information about any name changes

There is a ton of more information that could potentially appear on the divorce decree depending on the circumstances of the divorce, but the above information is included in most cases.

Problems With Requesting Divorce Records in TN

When it comes to requesting any of the above information, there will be two main issues to overcome: Vital record confidentiality and divorces that were settled outside of court.

Individuals who need copies of divorce records will have a fair amount of trouble getting their hands on copies of the official documents. If the requester is not named in the divorce, such as a third party who is simply curious about the details of someone else’s divorce, then requesting vital records will not be possible.

Tennessee, and almost every state in the country, consider vital records to be confidential and can only be requested by the individual themselves or an immediate relative.

Court records can be another potential problem but likely not as big of an obstacle as it is in other states. While other states will often make divorce records confidential automatically, Tennessee considers any court records to be public information no matter what.

This means that any existing divorce records in the court can be requested by any member of the public for a small fee. This gives the individual access to a fair amount of information that is normally confidential such as financial information, debt information and whatever else can be discerned from the divorce decree.

However this open records policy has led many couples in Tennessee to settle their divorce outside of court using a mediator to avoid their information from becoming public. In this case, since none of the divorce proceedings occurred on record in a courtroom there will be almost no records for someone to request.

This generally means the only record that is available to the public will be the divorce decree which, in this case, should only include information regarding the names of the divorcees and the date that the divorce judgment was issued by a judge.

How To Find Out If Someone Filed for Divorce in Tennessee

Finding out if someone filed for divorce in Tennessee is extremely easy and there are two main ways to do so. The first is to use a free online background check service to find any public information on an individual, including if their name is on any divorce records in the state court system. To do this, simply find a reputable background check service that offers to find divorce records.

Many of these will offer free trials so that the search can be completed at no cost.

Another option is to use the free search available at the top of this page to complete the search.

Although vital records will have information about divorces, this information is not available to the public. Instead of using vital records the best thing to do is to look through court records. It is possible that state court systems will have this information, so searching online state court systems is a great place to start.

Use the list below to find state court search information for some of the largest counties (by population) Tennessee.

If the state courts do not turn up any results, it will likely be a good idea to search for information at the county level. This will require that the county in which the divorce would have been filed is known. Once the county has been identified there are a few options. The first is to contact the county clerk’s office to see the best way to request records and learn about what records are available at the county level.

Use the list below to find your county clerk.

Besides contacting the county clerk directly, some individuals may find it easier to perform the search themselves using the online state court search system for the state. To perform a search only the name of one of the individuals involved in the divorce needs to be known. A small fee is required to perform a search and obtain copies of any documents that are discovered.

To find any other county in Tennessee, to search records, visit the state’s clerk’s list website.

Divorce in Tennessee Laws

Before filing for a divorce, it is important to be aware of any laws that the state may have about divorce proceedings. This is especially important if there are children involved as each state has specific laws regarding divorce proceedings if the couple has children together.

(Image: Mohamed Hassan⁵)

Information about Tennessee divorce proceedings involving children can be found on the Tennessee courts website.²

Filing for Divorce in Tennessee

Filing for divorce in Tennessee is just as complicated and tedious as it is in almost every state. The best thing to do is to contact a divorce lawyer in the state who will help guide you through the process and answer any questions sufficiently.

Aside from getting a lawyer, another important step is to begin filling out the necessary divorce forms with the courts. Unfortunately, there are numerous forms to fill out and some of these will require the help of a lawyer to fill out properly. Divorce forms for Tennessee can be found using the list below.

Free Divorce Records Tennessee

Many of those asking “are divorce records public in Tennessee?” may be hoping to find these records for free.

As mentioned, the only way to obtain divorce information for completely free is to find an online background check service that offers a free trial. When going the private background check approach, it is important to keep in mind that obtaining official copies from these third-party companies is not always possible. Usually, the only way to obtain certified copies, which will be required if the forms are required for various legal reasons, is to go through the court where the divorce was filed. This can be done by performing a search of the county court records using the list below.

Using Tn.gov Divorce Records

Some people ask “ are divorce records public in Tennessee?” may end up on the official website of the state of Tennessee.¹ Although this is a good start, many divorce records will be kept at the county level and will not be accessible via the state website.

Instead use the list below to find the Tennessee public records search, or visit the clerk’s list site above.

TN Marriage Records

Obtaining Tennessee marriage records will have the same problems as obtaining divorce records. Although marriage records are held by the vital records office, they are considered confidential and this will only be available to the individuals named in the records and their immediate family members.

This means that once again, the best way to obtain the records is to go through the county court where the marriage license was issued. Simply access the website of the local court and see if there is an online search option available. If not, simply contact the clerk of court directly and ask for information regarding the best way to make a records request.

Finding Vital Records Memphis, TN and Other Major Cities (State of TN Office of Vital Records)

If a divorce certificate is needed, and the individual in need is named in the divorce, then contacting the vital records office will be necessary. Vital records offices deal with these kinds of requests all the time so obtaining the document should be fairly easy. The state of Tennessee’s Public Health Department even has a page on its website dedicated to the various ways to request certificates.³ In short, basic personal information will be needed so that the individual is not requesting a certificate for someone besides themselves or an immediate family member.

Use the list below to contact the vital records office and make a request for any divorce, marriage or birth certificates that may be needed.

Tennessee Criminal Records

Besides Civil and family cases, all criminal records are public information in the state. Being able to search this information is a great tool, especially for individuals who are asking: are divorce records public in Tennessee? as a way to run a background check on someone.

The steps to perform a background check are the same as finding divorce records, simply provide the name of the individual and any required fees to perform the search.

Other Public Records Tennessee (Are Divorce Records Public in Tennessee?)

Court and vital records are not the only source of public records. Various property, tax and deed records are also considered public information and can be requested from various state agencies using the list below.

Divorce can be extremely stressful and finding important documents after the divorce is final can make things even worse. Luckily, those wondering are divorce records public in Tennessee can find their own divorce records fairly easily using a handful of online databases.