Memphis Tennessee Criminal Court Records

Identify the Shelby County court on your paperwork

A Memphis criminal-court search begins with the court named on the citation, hearing notice or case reference. Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court handles misdemeanors, preliminary hearings and traffic matters. Criminal Court has a separate clerk and records-request service. Use the General Sessions case-inquiry page or the Criminal Court Clerk according to that heading, rather than assuming every Memphis prosecution sits in one collection.

A preliminary hearing is not necessarily the end of a prosecution. When a case refers to a later proceeding, retain both references and ask the relevant clerk which file contains the final judgment. Match the defendant, charge and event dates before linking records. Two entries with the same name should remain separate unless their identifiers support the connection.

Use the replacement portal and its account route

General Sessions says its old JSSI site was replaced by the Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal. Enter through the official portal link. The District Attorney’s instructions say an account is required for case histories and hearing schedules: choose Register / Sign In at the upper right. Its Case Info page also provides case-search and hearing-search video guidance.

Once you locate the proceeding, keep its case number and court division. For an outcome, look for the disposition or judgment affecting the particular charge, not simply a hearing date or an arrest entry. If the online history stops before the event you need, use the case reference for a clerk inquiry instead of treating that gap as a dismissal.

Request a defined document or certified copy

The Criminal Court Clerk’s public-records page links its request form and policy. Describe the existing document by case number, defendant, document title and approximate filing date. State whether you need inspection, an ordinary copy or certified proof for a recipient. The office does not undertake undefined research or create a new record to answer a question.

The published TPRA policy requires proof of Tennessee citizenship, specifying a valid Tennessee driver’s license. If that does not fit your situation, ask the clerk about the applicable access route before sending a request. Inspection is free, but the policy prohibits making copies with personal equipment, including during an inspection; the policy provides for acknowledgment or an appropriate response within seven business days, which is not a promise that every copy will be ready then.

Get an itemized estimate before paying

The Criminal Court policy lists standard black-and-white copies at $0.50 per page and color at $1 per page. Its policy text also lists an $18 retrieval fee and labor after one hour, while a later schedule describes a different 15-minute threshold and $18 hourly rate. Media and delivery charges can also apply. Because those descriptions differ, obtain a written estimate identifying the applicable charges and any certification cost.

Payment under that policy is by business check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the Criminal Court Clerk’s Office, before copies are provided. Pickup, paid shipping and electronic delivery where appropriate are described. These are that office’s published public-records terms; do not apply them automatically to General Sessions.

Reach the right clerk before visiting

General Sessions Criminal Court is at 201 Poplar, Suite LL-81, Memphis, TN 38103; call 901-222-3500. Criminal Court Clerk is at 201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 3034, Memphis, TN 38103; call 901-222-3200. Both list weekday office hours of 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The Criminal Court policy lists narrower in-person inspection-request hours, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; confirm the service you need before traveling. Staff determine the inspection location and may require an appointment, an alternate location or staff supervision, depending on availability. Arrange those details with the clerk before your visit.

For an older or missing record, provide the approximate year, earlier case number and court shown on your paperwork. Ask whether another division, a later number or an older file must be consulted. Request the underlying order if the listed status is unclear; a screenshot may not meet a recipient’s certification requirement.

Use a custody source for a custody question

The District Attorney lists Sheriff information and inmate lookups separately from court information, including the 201 Poplar jail and Penal Farm. Follow those links when the question is current detention. A custody entry answers a different question from a court judgment, and release from jail alone does not establish how a charge was resolved.