The Lowdown from the High Court: A Workshop on Tennessee Supreme Court Records Available at the State Library and Archives

Among the vast amount of information available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA), Tennessee Supreme Court records make up by far the largest single collection. With individual case files that sometimes include hundreds of pages and stretch over several generations, the entire collection takes up most of an entire floor of TSLA's building.

These records are packed full of valuable information for genealogists and other researchers. And during the next session of TSLA's free workshop series, State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill will provide tips on navigating through those files.

The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. August 23 in TSLA's building, which is located at 403 Seventh Avenue North, directly west of the State Capitol building in downtown Nashville.

"Every county in the state has sent cases to the Supreme Court on appeal," Mr. Sherrill said. "In some cases, the local records have been lost or destroyed. That means the Supreme Court records are sometimes the only ones still available. The cases cover every aspect of life in old Tennessee, ranging from land disputes to horse stealing, and from moonshining to murder."

Mr. Sherrill has 30 years of experience as a librarian, archivist and genealogist, and has written more than 20 books on various historical topics. He has served as state librarian and archivist since 2010.

Although the workshop is free, reservations are required due to limited seating in TSLA's auditorium. To make a reservation, call (615) 741-2764 or e-mail workshop.tsla@tn.gov Free parking is available in front, beside and behind the TSLA building.

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.