Criminal Statistics
According to the 2017 Crime In The US report published by the FBI as part of the nationwide Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Sullivan County law enforcement agencies recorded a net total of 1,500 index crime offenses. A breakdown of the data revealed property crimes to be the leading subset of offenses accounting for 75% of the total crimes reported. Larceny-theft was recorded to be the most reported offense with 764 incidents, while aggravated-assault was the second most recurring crime but the most common violent crime with 264 recorded incidents. Burglary, motor vehicle theft, and rape were the 3rd, 4th, and 5th most reported crimes respectively, with 266, 155 and 42 incidents each while arson, robbery, and murder were the least reported crimes with 15, 6 and 3 reported incidents respectively.
Criminal Records
The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency of the county and is tasked with maintaining records and reports pertaining to crime and criminal activity within county limits. However, requests for criminal records and background checks are processed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which maintains the central repository of criminal history information in the state of Tennessee.
How to Get Criminal Records
Requests for criminal records and background checks on Sullivan County residents are processed by the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The records provided by the office include arrest information, felony, and misdemeanor charges and conviction information of the subject. Interested persons may request these records by making an online query or by sending a written request via mail.
To request criminal records online, the requestor is required to complete and submit the Requestor Information Form on the Tennessee Open Records Information Services website. The requesting party will be required to make a non-refundable credit card payment of $29 and provide a valid email address where the requested information will be delivered. Similarly, mail requests for criminal records and background checks can be made to the office. The requestor will be required to provide the personal information of the subject including their name, gender, and date of birth, which should be enclosed along with the background check fee and sent to:
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation,
901 R.S. Gass Blvd.,
Nashville, TN 37216
Phone: (615) 744-4057
How to Find Sex Offender Information
All information regarding convicted and registered sex offenders resident in Sullivan County can be obtained on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry maintained by the State Bureau of Investigation. Interested persons may search the registry for relevant information by the offender's name, zip code or TID number. The registry also provides information regarding updates in offender locations and compliance status as provided by county law enforcement agencies.
Where and How to Get Inmate and Jail Information
The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office is charged with overseeing the affairs of the Sullivan County Jail which houses all inmates within county limits. Information regarding the detention facility as well as currently incarcerated persons, their primary charges, welfare, visitation schedules, and bail and bond conditions can be obtained by querying the County Sheriffs Office at:
Sullivan County Sheriff's Office
P.O. Box 589
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 279-7500
Requestors will be required to provide the name of the inmate whose information is being requested as well as their date of arrest and booking and their unique inmate ID (if known)
Court Records
Where and How to Get Court Records
Records of court cases heard in Sullivan County are maintained by the Clerk of the Sullivan Circuit Court. The office provides non-confidential court records to county residents and members of the public in compliance with state laws. Interested persons may obtain these records by making in-person queries to the office. Requestors will be required to provide all relevant information concerning the record being requested including the name of the plaintiff/defendant as well as the date of filing and case file number of the record. The requesting may also be charged a search and copy fee depending on the request made.
Requests may be made at:
Sullivan County Justice Center
140 Blountville Bypass
P.O. Box 585
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 279-2752
Fax: (423) 323-3741
Location of Courts in Sullivan County
Listed below are the addresses and contact information of all the courthouses in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Sullivan County Circuit Court - Blountville
Sullivan County Justice Center
140 Blountville Bypass,
P.O. Box 585,
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 279-2752
Fax: (423) 323-3741
Sullivan County Circuit Court - Bristol Law Court
Ralph P. Harr Justice Center
801 Anderson Street,
Bristol, TN 37620
Phone: (423) 652-1030
Fax: (423) 968-1138
Sullivan County Circuit Court - Kingsport Law Court
Kingsport City Hall
225 West Center Street,
Kingsport, TN 37660
Phone: (423) 224-1724
Fax: (423) 246-1924
Sullivan County Chancery Court - Blountville
Sullivan County Justice Center
140 Blountville Bypass,
P.O. Box 327,
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 323-6483
Fax: (423) 279-3280
Sullivan County Chancery Court - Bristol
Ralph P. Harr Justice Center
801 Anderson Street,
Room 239, Bristol, TN 37620
Phone: (423) 989-4363
Fax: (423) 989-4362
Sullivan County Chancery Court - Kingsport
225 West Center Street,
Kingsport, TN 37660
Phone: (423) 224-1726
Fax: (423) 224-1736
Sullivan County Criminal Court
Sullivan County Justice Center
140 Blountville Bypass,
P.O. Box 585,
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 279-2752
Fax: (423) 323-3741
Bluff City City Court
4391 Bluff City Highway,
P.O. Box 70,
Bluff City, TN 37618
Phone: (423) 538-7144
Fax: (423) 538-7138
Bristol Juvenile Court
Municipal Annex
104 8th Street,
Bristol, TN 37620
Phone: (423) 989-5553
Bristol Municipal Court
City Hall
801 Anderson Street,
P.O. Box 1189,
Bristol, TN 37620
Phone: (423) 989-5500
Johnson City Juvenile Court
607 East Myrtle Avenue,
Johnson City, TN 37601
Phone: (423) 434-6200
Johnson City Municipal Court
601 East Main Street,
Johnson City, TN 37601
Phone: (423) 434-6160
Vital Records
The Vital Records office of the Tennessee Department of Health is the primary custodian of birth, death, marriage and divorce records of state residents. The office processes requests for records and provides them to eligible requestors as allowed by state law. At county level, marriage and divorce records are managed by the Sullivan County Clerk's office and the Clerk of the Sullivan County Circuit Court. However, birth and death records can only be retrieved from the state vital records office.
Where and How to Get Divorce Records
Records of divorces granted by the Sullivan County Circuit court are maintained by the Clerk of the Sullivan Circuit Court. In compliance with state laws, copies of divorce certificates are deemed public record and can be obtained by interested members of the public.
To request a copy of a divorce record, interested parties may make in-person queries to the courthouse or send a written request to the office via mail. The requesting party will be required to provide information such as the names of divorcees, the date and place of the divorce and the case file number of the court record(if known). Requests may be made at/to:
Sullivan County Justice Center
140 Blountville Bypass
P.O. Box 585
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 279-2752
Fax: (423) 323-3741
Where and How to Get Marriage Records
Requests for marriage records maintained in Sullivan county are processed by the office of the Sullivan County Clerk. The office issues marriage licenses and retains records of marriages licensed by its office. To obtain a copy of a marriage record, interested persons may make in-person requests to the office at:
3258 Highway 126, Suite 101
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 323-6428
Fax: (423) 279-2725
The requesting party will be required to provide information such as the names of the spouses, as well as the date and place the marriage occurred and when the license was issued. Search and copy fees may also apply, depending on the request made.
Where and How to Get Birth and Death Records
Requests for Sullivan County birth and death records may be directed to the vital records office of the Tennessee Department of Health. The office only provides these records to persons who have been deemed eligible to access the record - this includes; the registrant, their parents and legal guardians, their descendants and immediate family member as well as any legally authorized persons as provided by Tennessee State law.
Requests for birth or death records can be made by visiting the office or by sending a written request via mail.
Mail-in requests must include a completed and notarized application for Certified Copy of a Birth or Death record a copy of any of the ID requirements and a cheque or money order payment of the appropriate fee. Requests may be made at/submitted to:
Tennessee Vital Records
1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
