Smith County Background Check
Smith County background check records are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk, General Sessions Court, and the Smith County Sheriff's Office in Carthage. The county seat is Carthage, and all public court records are open under state law.
Smith County Quick Facts
Smith County Circuit Court Clerk
The Smith County Circuit Court Clerk is the main office for criminal and civil court records in the county. The office is at the Smith County Courthouse in Carthage. You can visit in person during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, to search records or request copies.
To request records by mail, include the full name of the person you are searching, any case numbers you know, and the date range for your search. Also include your name and a return address. Standard copy fees apply under state rules. Certified copies cost more. Call the clerk's office before sending payment to confirm the current fee schedule.
All court records in Smith County are public under the Tennessee Public Records Act, T.C.A. § 10-7-503. Public access terminals are available at the courthouse for self-service searches during office hours. Juvenile records and sealed cases are not open to the public.
Tennessee's statewide case search tool through the Administrative Office of the Courts also covers Smith County. You can search by name or case number online at no cost. The online system is a good first step, but it may miss older records or cases not yet entered into the system. For a complete or certified search, go directly to the clerk in Carthage.
Smith County General Sessions Court
The Smith County General Sessions Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, civil matters under the jurisdictional limit, and preliminary hearings for felonies. Records from these proceedings are part of the county's public criminal history. The General Sessions Court Clerk operates at the same courthouse in Carthage.
If you need records of a misdemeanor conviction or a preliminary hearing in Smith County, contact the General Sessions clerk directly. Walk-in visits during business hours are the most reliable way to get complete records. You can also call the main courthouse number and ask to be transferred to the General Sessions clerk's office.
Keep in mind that a felony case may start in General Sessions before moving to Circuit Court. Both sets of records could be relevant to a full background check. Ask the clerk which court handled the final disposition of the case you are researching.
Smith County Sheriff's Office
The Smith County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and incident reports for law enforcement activity in the county. A records check through the Sheriff's Office covers only Smith County arrests. It is not a statewide search. For a full Tennessee criminal history, use the TBI's TORIS system instead.
You can contact the Smith County Sheriff's Office in Carthage to request arrest records or booking information. Some jail booking data may be available on the county's website or through a public log. Fees vary by document type. Call the records division to ask about current fees and the steps for submitting a request.
Incident reports from the Sheriff's Office may be requested separately from court records. These reports are public under T.C.A. § 10-7-503 unless they are part of an active investigation. Response times can vary, so plan ahead if you need records for a deadline.
Statewide Background Checks - TBI TORIS
For a full Tennessee background check that covers all 95 counties, use the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's online TORIS system at tbibackgrounds.tbi.tn.gov. A name-based search costs $29. Results include arrests and charges from across the state, not just Smith County. This search does not cover other states or the federal criminal database.
Fingerprint-based searches are available for employers and agencies with an ORI number. These are more accurate because they remove the risk of name mixups. For general public requests, the TORIS name search is the standard option. You can also mail a request to the TBI at 901 R.S. Gass Blvd., Nashville, TN 37216, or call 615-744-4057 for help. The TBI background checks page has full details on each search type and how to get started.
Public Records Access - T.C.A. § 10-7-503
Tennessee's Public Records Act, T.C.A. § 10-7-503, gives any Tennessee citizen the right to inspect public government records during normal business hours. Most Smith County court records are open to the public. Exceptions include juvenile records, sealed cases, and some investigative files.
If a records request is denied, you can ask the agency for a written reason. You also have the right to appeal to the Tennessee Office of Open Records Counsel. Most routine background check requests in Smith County are handled without issue. The state takes public access to government records seriously, and clerks are required to help you find what you need or explain why access is limited.
Expungement - T.C.A. § 40-32-101
Tennessee allows some records to be expunged under T.C.A. § 40-32-101. If a Smith County charge was dismissed, a grand jury returned no true bill, or a person was released without being charged, they may petition the court to destroy those records. There is no filing fee for this type of petition.
Conviction expungements are available in limited cases. The offense must not involve physical force, a deadly weapon, or a sex crime that requires registration. Once the court grants expungement, all public records of the case are destroyed. The person is restored to the legal status they had before the arrest. Petitions go to the Circuit Court Clerk in Carthage. It is worth talking to a local attorney before filing to make sure the charge qualifies.
Felony Offender Records - FOIL
The Tennessee Department of Correction runs the free Felony Offender Information Lookup at apps.tn.gov/foil-app. This tool shows current custody status, facility location, booking photo, earliest parole eligibility, and active sentence information for anyone in the state prison system. Smith County residents who have been processed through the state system will appear in FOIL search results.
FOIL is not limited to Smith County. It covers all offenders in the Tennessee Department of Correction statewide. Results update within about one week of an inmate entering the system. The search is free and open to anyone with no account needed. For local jail information not yet in the state system, contact the Smith County Sheriff's Office directly.
Cities in Smith County
Smith County's largest city is Carthage, the county seat. No cities in Smith County meet the population threshold for a dedicated background check page. All county residents access court records through the Smith County Courthouse in Carthage.
Nearby Counties
Smith County borders several Tennessee counties, each with its own clerk's office and court system.