Roane County Public Records /Roane County Criminal Records

Roane County Criminal Records

What Is Roane County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Roane County, Tennessee, are official government documents that chronicle an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system, from initial law enforcement contact through final court disposition. These records are generated and maintained by multiple agencies across the county and state, each responsible for a distinct phase of the criminal process.

Members of the public should understand the key distinctions among record types:

Arrest records vs. conviction records: An arrest record documents that law enforcement took an individual into custody based on probable cause. A conviction record reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court. An arrest does not constitute a conviction, and the two are legally distinct under Tennessee law.
Felony vs. misdemeanor: Felonies are serious offenses classified as Class A through E under Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-35-111, carrying sentences of more than one year. Misdemeanors are lesser offenses classified as Class A, B, or C, typically resulting in sentences of less than one year.
Adult vs. juvenile records: Adult criminal records are generally accessible to the public. Juvenile records are confidential and sealed by default under Tennessee law, with limited exceptions for serious offenses.
Active warrants vs. historical records: Active warrants reflect current judicial orders for arrest and are maintained by the Sheriff's Office and court clerks. Historical records document past charges, proceedings, and dispositions.

The principal agencies maintaining Roane County criminal records include:

Roane County Sheriff's Office — maintains arrest records, booking logs, and jail rosters
Roane County Circuit Court Clerk — maintains case filings, pleas, trial records, and sentencing documents for the Circuit Court Clerk
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) — maintains the statewide criminal history repository
Kingston Police Department and other municipal agencies — maintain local arrest and incident reports

Criminal records encompass charges filed, arraignment proceedings, entered pleas, trial outcomes, sentencing orders, probation and parole conditions, and any subsequent modifications to those orders.

Are Criminal Records Public In Roane County

Criminal records in Roane County are presumptively open to the public under Tennessee's open records framework. Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503, all state, county, and municipal records are available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by statute. This provision establishes that "all state, county and municipal records shall, at all times during business hours, be open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee."

Records that are currently accessible to the public include:

Adult conviction records and court case dispositions
Booking and arrest logs maintained by the Sheriff's Office
Court dockets, case filings, and sentencing orders
Sex offender registry information
Felony offender information maintained by the Tennessee Department of Correction

Records that are restricted or exempt from public disclosure include:

Juvenile court records, which are sealed under Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-153
Records pertaining to ongoing criminal investigations, where disclosure would compromise law enforcement operations
Expunged records, which are legally removed from public access upon court order
Certain victim information, including addresses and identifying details protected under victim privacy statutes

How To Look Up Criminal Records In Roane County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Roane County criminal records through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process for accessing these records:

Step 1 — Identify the appropriate agency. Determine whether the records sought relate to an arrest (contact the Sheriff's Office or arresting agency), a court case (contact the Circuit Court Clerk or General Sessions Court Clerk), or a statewide criminal history (contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation).

Step 2 — Submit a public records request. Under § 10-7-503, requests may be made in person, in writing, or by other means accepted by the custodial agency. Requestors are not required to state a reason for the request.

Step 3 — Provide identifying information. To locate records accurately, requestors should supply the subject's full legal name, date of birth, and, if known, a case number or approximate date of the incident.

Step 4 — Pay applicable fees. Agencies may charge reasonable fees for copies of records. Inspection of records in person is generally available at no charge.

Step 5 — Await processing. Tennessee law requires agencies to respond promptly. If a request cannot be fulfilled immediately, the agency must provide a written explanation and an estimated completion date.

Roane County Circuit Court Clerk 119 Court Street, Kingston, TN 37763 Phone: 865-376-5578 Circuit Court Clerk – Roane County Government Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Roane County Sheriff's Office 225 N. Third Street, Kingston, TN 37763 Phone: 865-376-5771 Roane County Sheriff's Office

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation – Criminal History Records Unit 901 R.S. Gass Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37216 Phone: 615-744-4000 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

How To Find Criminal Records in Roane County Online?

Several online portals currently provide access to Roane County criminal records and related justice system information.

Tennessee Court Case Search (TNCourts.gov): The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts operates a statewide case search portal that allows members of the public to search for civil and criminal case information by name, case number, or filing date. The portal includes case status, hearing dates, charges, and dispositions for cases filed in Circuit, General Sessions, and Criminal Courts.
Tennessee Felony Offender Information: The Tennessee Department of Correction maintains a public database of felony offender information that allows searches by name or offender ID number. This resource provides current custody status, conviction details, and release information for individuals who are or have been in state custody.
Roane County Records & Archives: The county's Records & Archives office, located in the Historic Roane County Courthouse at 119 Court Street in Kingston, houses permanent historical records. While in-person access is the primary method for archival materials, the office provides guidance on available records.
Tennessee Sex Offender Registry: The TBI maintains a publicly searchable sex offender registry that includes offenders registered in Roane County.

Online portals generally do not require registration for basic name searches. However, certified copies and complete case files must be obtained in person or through a formal written request to the relevant clerk's office. Records predating electronic filing systems may not appear in online databases and require in-person retrieval.

Can You Search Roane County Criminal Records for Free?

Tennessee law mandates that public records be available for free inspection during regular business hours. Under § 10-7-503, no fee may be charged solely for the act of inspecting records in person at the custodial agency's office. Fees apply only when copies are requested.

The following resources are currently available at no cost:

Tennessee Court Case Search portal — free name-based searches of court case records statewide, including Roane County
Tennessee Felony Offender Information database — free public access to felony offender records maintained by the Department of Correction
Roane County Circuit Court Clerk's office — free in-person inspection of case files and dockets during public counter hours
Tennessee Sex Offender Registry — free public search of registered offenders by name, county, or ZIP code
Roane County Sheriff's Office — free in-person review of publicly available arrest logs and booking records

Fees are assessed for printed or certified copies of records. Copy fees vary by agency and are established pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-506, which authorizes agencies to charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction.

What's Included in a Roane County Criminal Record?

A complete Roane County criminal record may contain several categories of information, depending on the stage of the criminal process and the agency maintaining the record.

Identifying Information

Full legal name and known aliases
Date of birth and physical description (height, weight, eye and hair color)
Mugshot photograph taken at booking
Last known address
State Identification Number (SID) assigned by the TBI
FBI Number assigned through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)

Arrest Information

Date, time, and location of arrest
Arresting agency and officer
Booking number and jail facility (Roane County Detention Center)
Charges filed at the time of arrest
Bail or bond amount set

Court Case Information

Case number and assigned court or jurisdiction
Filing date and case type
Charges and applicable statutes, including felony or misdemeanor classification
Entered plea (guilty, not guilty, no contest)
Attorney of record and prosecuting agency

Disposition Information

Verdict or case outcome
Conviction date, if applicable
Sentencing details, including type (incarceration, probation, suspended sentence), length, fines, restitution, and special conditions
Appeals filed and outcomes
Probation or parole supervision status

Additional Record Elements

Active or recalled warrants
Protective or restraining orders
Sex offender registration status
DUI/DWI adjudications
Traffic violations processed through criminal court
Pending charges or open cases

How Long Does Roane County Keep Criminal Records?

Roane County and the State of Tennessee maintain criminal records according to established retention schedules. Under the Tennessee Public Records Commission and the guidelines issued pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-404, government agencies are required to retain records for specified minimum periods before authorized destruction.

Current retention periods for principal record categories include:

Felony conviction records: Retained permanently by the TBI and the court of jurisdiction
Misdemeanor conviction records: Retained for a minimum of 10 years following case closure
Arrest records without conviction: Retained for a minimum of 5 years, subject to expungement orders
Court case files (Circuit Court): Permanent retention for felony cases; General Sessions misdemeanor files retained for 10 years
Booking and jail records: Retained for a minimum of 5 years at the Roane County Detention Center
Juvenile records: Retained until the subject reaches age 23, at which point sealed records may be destroyed unless the case involved a serious offense

The Roane County Records & Archives office, located at 119 Court Street in Kingston, houses all permanent historical records and serves as the official repository for documents that have exceeded their active retention period. The Records & Archives office provides access to historical court and government records for research and legal purposes.

Expungement orders, when granted by a court of competent jurisdiction, require the physical and electronic removal of qualifying records from all agency databases, effectively ending the public retention period for those specific documents.