Humphreys County Background Check
Humphreys County background check records are available through the Circuit Court Clerk, General Sessions Court, and the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office in Waverly, the county seat.
Humphreys County Quick Facts
Humphreys County Circuit Court Clerk
The Circuit Court Clerk in Humphreys County is the primary keeper of felony criminal records, civil court filings, and appeals from General Sessions Court. If you need court records as part of a background check, this is your first stop.
The clerk's office is located at the Humphreys County Courthouse, 102 Thompson Street, Waverly, TN 37185. The phone number is (931) 296-7671. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on state and federal holidays.
In-person access is available to the public. Bring a valid photo ID and the full name of the subject. A public access terminal may be available for case index searches. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 per additional page. Uncertified copies are less expensive. Clerk staff can help identify which docket a case is in if you don't have a case number.
Mail requests are accepted. Write to the clerk with the subject's full name, date of birth, and a description of the records you want. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment. Expect two to four weeks for processing. For anything time-sensitive, visiting in person is a better option than mailing a request.
Humphreys County General Sessions Court
General Sessions Court in Humphreys County handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and smaller civil claims. Background searches frequently turn up General Sessions records that never appear in Circuit Court. Checking both courts gives the most complete picture.
The General Sessions Clerk is also at the Humphreys County Courthouse in Waverly. Reach the office at (931) 296-7671. General Sessions handles preliminary hearings for felony cases, so early-stage records for more serious charges may appear here before the case moves to Circuit Court. If you find a preliminary record in General Sessions, follow up with Circuit Court to see the final outcome.
Copy fees follow state guidelines. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 per additional page. Because both clerks share a courthouse, you can address both searches in one visit.
Waverly is the county seat for Humphreys County, a small county in Middle Tennessee. The staff at the courthouse handle a lower volume of requests and are generally easy to work with when you provide a clear description of what you need.
Humphreys County Sheriff's Office
The Humphreys County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for the unincorporated county and manages the county jail. Arrest records, booking logs, and incident reports for county-level cases are held here.
The Sheriff's Office is at 102 Thompson Street, Waverly, TN 37185. The non-emergency number is (931) 296-2461. Arrest records show booking date, charges at arrest, and related booking details. They do not show court outcomes. To find out what happened with a case, you need to check the clerk's office at the courthouse.
The Waverly Police Department handles enforcement within the city of Waverly and maintains its own records. If an arrest occurred inside the city, city police records may be more relevant. The Waverly Police can be contacted at (931) 296-7771.
Incident reports from the Sheriff's Office are generally public under Tennessee's Open Records Act. The standard copy fee is $0.15 per page. Reports connected to active investigations may be partially withheld. For sex offender status, use the TBI's free statewide registry at tn.gov/tbi.
Statewide Background Checks Through TBI TORIS
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation operates TORIS, the Tennessee Online Registration Information System. A TORIS name-based background check covers all 95 Tennessee counties, including Humphreys County. It searches the statewide criminal history repository for conviction records reported by courts across the state.
The cost is $29.00 per search. Submit the request online at tbibackgrounds.tbi.tn.gov/Toris/. Results generally come back within a few business days. If you need to check whether someone has a record anywhere in Tennessee, TORIS is the most efficient single resource available.
TORIS reflects convictions that courts have reported to the TBI. Some older or unreported cases may not appear. Fingerprint-based FBI checks are more thorough and are required for certain licensed positions. The TBI background check page explains how both types of checks work and who can request each.
Public Records Access in Humphreys County
Tennessee's Open Records Act at T.C.A. § 10-7-503 makes most government records available to the public. Court records, arrest logs, and most records maintained by Humphreys County agencies are open for inspection and copying unless a specific exemption applies.
No reason is needed to request records. The records custodian must respond promptly and must provide a specific legal basis for any denial. Common exemptions include sealed court records, active investigation files, juvenile materials, and protected health information.
If a request is denied without proper justification, contact the Tennessee Office of Open Records Counsel. That office provides free guidance and can issue advisory opinions on whether a denial was lawful. Most disputes can be resolved without going to court, especially when the requester and custodian communicate clearly about what is being requested.
In smaller counties like Humphreys, some records may not be fully digitized. An in-person visit is often the most reliable way to find older files that exist only in paper form. Call ahead to describe what you need and give staff time to locate the records before you arrive.
Expungement of Humphreys County Records
Tennessee's expungement statute at T.C.A. § 40-32-101 allows eligible criminal records to be cleared from public access. Dismissed charges, not guilty verdicts, and some convictions after the sentence is complete may qualify.
Serious violent felonies, sex offenses, and other specified crimes are excluded. One qualifying conviction may be expunged per lifetime under standard Tennessee rules. A filing fee applies, and the court must approve the petition.
To file in Humphreys County, submit the expungement petition with the Circuit Court Clerk at the Humphreys County Courthouse in Waverly. Staff can confirm whether a case is eligible and provide the needed forms. After the court grants the order, the TBI updates its database and the record is removed from the public court index.
Expungement removes records from public court access, but private background check companies may still carry the information for some time. Law enforcement agencies can retain internal records. Anyone with questions about whether a specific case qualifies should consult a Tennessee attorney familiar with expungement law.
Felony Offender Records / FOIL
The Tennessee Felony Offender Information Lookup, or FOIL, is a free online tool from the Tennessee Department of Correction. It shows current information on individuals who are incarcerated, on probation, or on parole in Tennessee's state correctional system.
Access FOIL at apps.tn.gov/foil-app/search.jsp. Results include name, photo, offense, sentence length, and current supervision status. People who have completed their sentences and are no longer under state supervision do not appear in FOIL. Use it alongside county court records and TBI TORIS for the most complete background check available through Tennessee's official tools.
Cities in Humphreys County
Humphreys County includes Waverly (the county seat), McEwen, Waverly, and other small communities. None of the municipalities in Humphreys County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All background check records for county residents are accessible through the county-level courts and offices described on this page.