Prior to 1834

Jurisdiction over divorces was accorded to the legislature at statehood. In 1799, state law extended jurisdiction to the superior courts and, in 1809, to the circuit courts. The constitution of 1835 eliminated legislative involvement and limited jurisdiction to the circuit and chancery courts. Abstracts of most surviving antebellum legislative divorce petitions, as well as decrees of divorce or femme sole, are in Bamman and Spero’s Tennessee Divorces.

1835-1945

If the divorce took place after 1834, and involved a dispute over the division of property, then it would have been heard in the relevant county's Chancery Court; if the divorce did not involve a dispute over the division of property, then it would have been heard in the Circuit Court. (See ordering a search of the court minutes for additional information.)

July 1, 1945-1973

These divorces are on file at the Library & Archives. Contact our reference desk with the parties' names (bride & groom) and a five-year range and we'll check the index for these years.

1974-2024

The Office of Vital Records holds divorces which have occurred in the past 50 years. A statewide divorce index for the years 1980-2014 is available on the website of the Shelby County Register of Deeds.