Mascot, Tennessee Public Records

The bond and bail process in Tennessee allows for the release of inmates under certain conditions, and information on recently arrested individuals can be obtained through the sheriff's office or the jail's online resources.

The Knox County Circuit Court, phone (865) 215-2360, hears civil cases over $25,000, appeals from lower courts, and certain equity matters. The Knox County Chancery Court, phone (865) 215-2370, handles divorces, child custody and support, probate and estate matters, adoptions, name changes, and land disputes. The Knox County Juvenile Court, phone (865) 215-2806, addresses delinquency, unruly behavior, dependency and neglect cases, and juvenile offenses for individuals under 18. Tennessee provides online access to court records through the Tennessee Court Information System (TnCIS) at tncis.tncourts.gov, allowing the public to search case records by party name, case number, or attorney name for Knox County courts. Basic case information is available free, but detailed documents may require fees. The Knox County Circuit Court Clerk, located at 400 Main Street, Room 225, phone (865) 215-2335, provides certified copies of court records for $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Marriage licenses are also obtained through the Circuit Court Clerk. Filing fees vary: civil complaints in Circuit Court cost approximately $225, General Sessions civil filing is approximately $151, and small claims filing is approximately $46.

The office provides a free online property search tool at www.knoxcounty.org/apps/assessor_search where residents can search by property address, owner name, parcel ID, or map and lot number to find assessed values, property characteristics, tax amounts, sale history, and property sketches. The online system displays current and historical ownership, land and building values, exemptions, and tax district information. Official land records including deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, right-of-way agreements, and other instruments affecting real property title are recorded with the Knox County Register of Deeds, located at 400 Main Street, Suite 123, Knoxville, TN 37902, phone (865) 215-2380, website www.knoxcounty.org/register. The Register's office provides free online access to recorded documents dating back to the 1790s through the online search portal at www.knoxcounty.org/register/search. Users can search by grantor name, grantee name, book and page, instrument number, or parcel ID. Scanned images of recorded documents are viewable and downloadable at no charge. The Knox County Geographic Information System (GIS) provides an interactive mapping application at www.knoxgis.org allowing users to view parcel boundaries, ownership information, zoning, flood zones, and aerial imagery for properties in Mascot. Certified copies of recorded documents can be obtained for $2.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.

Major employers for Mascot residents are largely located in nearby Knoxville and include the University of Tennessee (the county's largest employer with over 11,000 employees), Covenant Health hospital system, Tennessee Valley Authority, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (in adjacent Anderson County), and various manufacturing and distribution facilities along the Interstate 40 and Interstate 75 corridors. Within the immediate Mascot area, Knox County Schools is a significant employer, operating Mascot Elementary School at 9039 Midway Road, which serves local students. The community benefits from its proximity to major transportation routes including Interstate 40, which provides access to Knoxville's employment centers within 20 minutes. Retail and service businesses along Strawberry Plains Pike and Asheville Highway serve local residents, though most shopping and commercial activity occurs in nearby Knoxville suburbs. According to U.S. Census data for the broader ZIP code area encompassing Mascot (37806), median household income is approximately $55,000 to $65,000, somewhat below Knox County's overall median of approximately $58,000. Recent residential development has brought new subdivisions to the Mascot area, with single-family homes attracting families seeking affordable housing and larger lots while maintaining reasonable commuting distance to Knoxville. The community's economy is essentially integrated with the greater Knoxville metropolitan area, with most residents commuting to jobs in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, or other nearby employment centers while valuing Mascot's lower housing costs and rural atmosphere.

Mascot, Tennessee is an unincorporated community and does not have its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Mascot residents are provided exclusively by the Knox County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 400 Main Street, Suite 400, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (865) 215-2243, and their website is www.knoxsheriff.org. The Sheriff's Office handles patrol, criminal investigations, warrants, civil process, and all other law enforcement functions in unincorporated Knox County areas including Mascot. Residents can request copies of incident reports, accident reports, and offense reports by visiting the Records Division at the Sheriff's Office headquarters or by submitting a written request. There is typically a fee for copies of reports, and requests must include case numbers or sufficient details to locate the records. The Knox County Sheriff's Office also operates the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility, located at 5001 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Arrest and booking records for individuals detained in Knox County, including those arrested in the Mascot area, can be searched online through the jail's inmate roster at www.knoxsheriff.org/inmate-search. The online system displays current inmates with information including name, booking date, charges, bond amount, and booking photographs. Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, codified at Tennessee Code Annotated § 10-7-503 and § 10-7-504, citizens have the right to inspect and receive copies of public records, including arrest logs, incident reports, and booking records, unless specifically exempted by law. Requests must be made in writing, and agencies may charge reasonable fees for copying and staff time. The Knox County Sheriff's Office requires requestors to complete a public records request form and provide identification.

Processing time for mail requests is typically 4-6 weeks, while in-person requests at the Nashville office can be fulfilled the same day. Online ordering is available through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com with additional service fees, offering expedited processing and shipping options. Tennessee law restricts access to birth certificates to the registrant (if 18 or older), parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians, legal representatives, and certain family members with proper identification and documentation of relationship. Death certificates are similarly restricted but may be obtained by immediate family members, legal representatives, and those with a direct and tangible interest. Marriage licenses for Mascot residents are issued by the Knox County Clerk's Office, located at 400 Main Street, Room 123, Knoxville, TN 37902, phone (865) 215-2385, website www.knoxcounty.org/clerk. Marriage licenses cost $96.75, or $36.75 if both parties complete a premarital preparation course. There is no waiting period, and licenses are valid for 30 days. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo identification and social security numbers. Marriage records dating back to the 1790s are maintained by the County Clerk. Divorce records are filed with the Knox County Circuit Court Clerk or Chancery Court Clerk depending on the case type, with certified copies available for $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 per additional page.

The Knox County Clerk's Office, 400 Main Street, Room 123, Knoxville, TN 37902, phone (865) 215-2385, handles assumed name (DBA - doing business as) registrations for businesses operating under a name other than the owner's legal name. The filing fee for a DBA is $20.00, and registrations must be renewed every five years. Copies of DBA certificates can be obtained for a small fee. All corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other formal business entities operating in Tennessee, including those in Mascot, must register with the Tennessee Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The Tennessee Secretary of State maintains a free online searchable database at https://tnbear.tn.gov/ECommerce/FilingSearch.aspx where anyone can search business entity records by name, filing number, or registered agent. The database displays entity status (active, inactive, dissolved), formation date, principal office address, registered agent name and address, and officers or managers. New business formations and amendments can be filed online through the same portal. Annual reports are required for most entities with fees ranging from $20 to $300 depending on entity type. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statements, which create security interests in personal property and business assets, are also filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State and searchable online at the same portal. Property tax records for commercial properties in Mascot can be searched through the Knox County Property Assessor at www.knoxcounty.org/assessor, showing assessed values, property classifications, and tax amounts for business real estate.

Mascot voters are served by the Knox County Election Commission, located at 300 West Church Avenue, Suite 101, Knoxville, TN 37902, phone (865) 215-2480, website www.knoxcounty.org/election. The Election Commission handles all voter registration, polling place assignments, early voting, absentee voting, and election administration for Mascot and all of Knox County. Tennessee residents can register to vote online at https://ovr.govote.tn.gov, by mail using a voter registration form available from the Election Commission or Secretary of State, or in person at the Election Commission office. Voters must be U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents, and at least 18 years old by the date of the election. The registration deadline is 30 days before any election. Tennessee requires photo identification to vote; acceptable IDs include Tennessee driver's license, photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety, U.S. passport, military ID, or Tennessee handgun carry permit. Since Mascot is an unincorporated community, there are no municipal elections for mayor or city council. Mascot residents vote in Knox County elections for County Mayor, County Commission, County Sheriff, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Criminal Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, Trustee, Property Assessor, County Law Director, and School Board members. These county offices are typically elected in even-numbered years with four-year terms. Mascot voters find their assigned polling place by using the polling location lookup tool at www.knoxcounty.org/election or by calling the Election Commission at (865) 215-2480. Early voting is available at multiple locations in Knox County, typically beginning 20 days before Election Day and ending five days before. Under Tennessee law, voter registration lists are public records available for inspection and copying, though social security numbers and full dates of birth are redacted. Campaign finance disclosures for candidates and political action committees are filed with the Knox County Election Commission for local races and with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance for state races, accessible at https://apps.tn.gov/tncamp-app. In the November 2024 presidential election, Knox County recorded approximately 231,000 registered voters with turnout of approximately 68%, or about 157,000 ballots cast, with strong Republican performance typical for the county. On November 3, 2026, Mascot and Knox County voters will participate in Tennessee's gubernatorial election, as Governor Bill Lee's second term expires (if he does not seek a third term, depending on term limits and candidacy). Tennessee voters will also elect all 99 State House seats and roughly half of the 33 State Senate seats, including local districts covering Mascot. Knox County offices including Sheriff, County Clerk, Register of Deeds, and others will also be on the ballot. Tennessee does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026; the next Senate race is in 2026 for the seat currently held by Marsha Blackburn, whose term expires in 2027 (correction: Bill Hagerty's seat is up in 2026, term expires January 2027). Absentee voting by mail is available for Tennessee voters who meet specific criteria: voters 60 years or older, hospitalized or ill, caretakers of hospitalized or ill persons, full-time students outside the county, election day workers, persons in jail awaiting trial, or residents absent from the county during early voting and Election Day. Absentee ballot applications are available at www.knoxcounty.org/election and must be received by the Election Commission no later than seven days before the election.