Vital records document significant life events. Vital records include:
Marriage Certificates
Divorce Certificates
Birth Certificates
Death Certificates
Where can I request a vital record?
The Tennessee Health Department’s Office of Vital Records reviews, registers, amends, issues and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces that occur in Tennessee in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated.
Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243
How are individuals selected to be Administrative Judges?
Administrative Judges are hired through a competitive interview process by the Secretary of State. Open positions for a new Administrative Judge are publicly posted by the Secretary of State’s Human Resources division.
What is a Public Record?
“Public record or records’ or ‘state record or records’ means all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, microfilms, electronic data processing files and output, films, sound recordings, or other material, regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental agency.” T.C.A. § 10-7-301(6)
The test for determining whether a record is public is “whether it was made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental agency.” Griffin v. City of Knoxville, 821 S.W. 2d 921, 924 (Tenn. 1991).
Is there a difference between Administrative Judge and Administrative Law Judge or ALJ?
No. The titles Administrative Judge, Administrative Law Judge, and ALJ are used interchangeably.
Do Administrative Judges specialize in a particular area of the law?
No, Administrative Judges hear a wide variety of cases. Judges have experience with the multi-faceted issues presented by each individual case filed with APD. This approach allows for the greatest amount of flexibility with scheduling and assignment of cases ensuring that hearings and mediations proceed in the most expeditious manner possible. The one exception to this practice involves State Board of Equalization cases which are primarily assigned to a subset of judges with additional specialized training in that area of the law.
What is a Nonresident Fiduciary?
A nonresident fiduciary is a person who does not reside in Tennessee, or a bank or trust company not authorized to do business in Tennessee, that is appointed by will, deed, trust agreement, court order or otherwise to serve as trustee of a corporate or personal trust, personal representative of an estate, guardian, conservator for an incompetent person, guardian for a minor or in any other fiduciary capacity.
Only certain types of individuals, banks or trust companies may serve as nonresident fiduciaries. Please consult Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 35-50-107 for a complete listing of qualified persons or entities.
Who are my elected officials?
Use our GoVoteTN app to find your elected officials. The GoVoteTN app will also provide you with a sample ballot, early voting locations, Election Day polling location and election results. The GoVoteTN app is available in the Apple store, Google Play store, and through any browser as a website application.
The Records Management Division (RMD) was established by Tennessee Code Annotated 10-7-303 to assist state agencies in establishing systematic controls for the efficient use and sound preservation of state records. The Division serves as the primary records management agency for the state of Tennessee and provides professional consultative and analytical records management leadership to agencies. This guidance aids in the appropriate development, utilization, disposition, retention, and destruction of records.
The Records Management Division is further directed by the Public Records Commission (PRC) to serve as administrative liaison between state agencies and the PRC; to establish procedural guidelines for paper and electronic records oversight and retention; and to coordinate efforts supporting the state's Paperwork Reduction and Simplification Act of 1976 (TCA 4-25-101).
What is the Records Disposition Authorizations process?
Records Disposition Authorizations (RDAs) are record retention guides state agencies follow to maintain their records properly. The Records Management Division oversees the records management process. The Secretary of State’s office online RDA filing system provides users with an easy way to filter, search, and find RDAs and provides retention and destruction method information. Click here to search all effective RDAs.
What is an Administrative Judge?
An Administrative Judge is also known as an Administrative Law Judge or ALJ. The Administrative Judge rules on cases involving administrative disputes (or disputes regarding the administration or implementation of government laws and rules).
What must a Nonresident Fiduciary file with the Tennessee Secretary of State?
A nonresident person, bank or trust company cannot serve in a fiduciary capacity in Tennessee unless and until it has appointed in writing the Tennessee Secretary of State as its agent for service of process. This appointment authorizes the Secretary of State to receive and to forward to the nonresident fiduciary by registered or certified mail all process in any action or proceeding relating to any trust, estate or matter within this State in which the person, bank or trust company is serving as fiduciary.
The appointment document submitted to the Secretary of State must contain the following items:
The name of the specific trust, estate, or person for which the fiduciary has been appointed;
The name and out-of-state street address (including zip code) of the fiduciary;
A statement clearly designating the Tennessee Secretary of State as agent for service of process;
An original signature of the nonresident person or the representative of the bank or trust company (or a certified copy of the signed appointment document); and
The date the document is signed.
The appointment document need not be in affidavit form or notarized.
The appointment document must be accompanied by a filing fee of $10.00. Please make checks or money orders payable to the Tennessee Secretary of State.
Who do I contact when making a public records request
State agencies are required by law, T.C.A 10-7-503(a)(2)(B), to have a designated Public Records Request Coordinator. This person is the designated contact for receiving public records requests. Contact the appropriate agency’s coordinator to request access to that agency’s records. If you have further questions or need additional assistance, contact: Office of Open Records Counsel