How to Get a Certified Copy of a Judgment in Tennessee General Sessions

When You Need a Certified Copy

A certified copy of a judgment is an official court-stamped document confirming your judgment exists, what it's for, and how much it's worth. It is different from the original judgment order that the judge signed — a certified copy is produced by the General Sessions Clerk for use outside the court.

You will need a certified copy in three situations:

1. Recording a real property lien. To place a judgment lien on the debtor's real estate under T.C.A. § 25-5-101(b), you must file a certified copy of the judgment with the County Register of Deeds. The lien attaches to every parcel the debtor owns in that county and lasts 10 years.

2. Transferring the judgment to another county. If the debtor moved or has assets in a different Tennessee county, you need a certified abstract or transcript of the judgment to register it with the new county's General Sessions Clerk. Once registered, you can issue garnishment and execution writs through that county.

3. Domesticating the judgment in another state. If the debtor left Tennessee, enforcing your judgment in their new state requires an authenticated or exemplified copy filed under that state's law. Tennessee's Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (T.C.A. § 26-6-101 et seq.) covers enforcement in Tennessee of judgments from other states.

How to Request One

Go to the General Sessions Clerk's office in the county where your judgment was entered. Ask for a certified copy (or certified abstract) of the judgment. You will need:

• Your case number
• The names of both parties
• The date the judgment was entered

The clerk pulls the judgment from the docket, makes a copy, and stamps it with the court seal and a certification statement confirming it is a true and accurate copy of the official record. Call the clerk's office to confirm the current certification fee and payment method.

Some counties with digital case management systems (Davidson County, Shelby County) may also offer certified copies by mail. Call the clerk's office first to confirm their process and payment method.

Certified Copy vs. Abstract of Judgment

The terms overlap, but they serve slightly different functions:

• Certified copy — An exact reproduction of the judgment order as entered by the court, with the clerk's certification stamp. Used for lien recording and interstate domestication.

• Abstract of judgment — A summary document listing the parties, court, case number, judgment date, and amount owed. Some counties issue abstracts as a standardized form rather than photocopying the original order. For a real property lien, the research identifies a certified copy of the judgment as the filing document; check with the Register of Deeds before filing an abstract in its place.

For cross-county transfer, a certified abstract or transcript may be used. Ask the issuing clerk which certified document it can provide for your intended filing.

What the Certified Copy Must Include

For a real property lien to be properly perfected under T.C.A. § 25-5-101(b), the document filed with the Register of Deeds must contain:

• The judgment debtor's full legal name
• The debtor's last known address
• The court and case number
• The date of judgment entry
• The exact monetary award (principal, attorney fees, costs)
• The clerk's certification and court seal

If any of these details are missing from the certified copy, the Register of Deeds may reject the filing or the lien may be challenged as defective.

After Recording: What Happens

Once you file the certified copy with the Register of Deeds, the office indexes it in the county's encumbrance records. The lien then appears in any title search run against the debtor's property in that county. The debtor cannot sell or refinance without dealing with your lien first.

The lien lasts 10 years from the date of final judgment — not from the recording date. If the judgment is renewed before the 10 years expire, you must record a certified copy of the renewal order to keep the lien active.

The Tennessee judgment collection guide covers the full lien recording process — from obtaining the certified copy through recording with the Register of Deeds to filing a release once the judgment is satisfied.

See more Tennessee guides →