Weakley County Circuit Court Clerk Resigns After Improper Expungements

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has found that the Weakley County Circuit Court Clerk Courtney McMinn (R-Martin) improperly processed expungements for an individual who did not meet the eligibility requirements under Tennessee law. The investigation began after officials in the 24th Judicial District raised concerns about improper expungement activity.

Investigators found that the clerk signed the name of an individual, who had criminal convictions in four separate counties, on multiple expungement petitions, even though the person did not meet the eligibility requirements under Tennessee law. The clerk later emailed other county clerks and shared misleading information with one of them about the individual’s eligibility, prompting that clerk to move forward with the expungements.

The expungement orders were ultimately signed by judges in two counties and submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The clerk failed to serve the petition on the District Attorney’s Office in Weakley County as required by law, and the judges involved were unaware that the individual had been convicted in multiple counties. The expungements were later reversed.

The clerk submitted her resignation on December 2, 2025, with an effective date of December 31, 2025.

“This case underscores the importance of following the law when processing court records,” said Comptroller Mumpower. “Clerks must act with honesty and transparency, especially when handling legal documents that carry serious consequences.”

In June or July 2023, the clerk prepared four petitions for an individual who was convicted of crimes in Weakley, Obion, Henry, and Carroll counties. Court records also revealed that the individual committed the offenses of forgery over the period of approximately 45 days in the above counties. The clerk admitted to investigators that she signed the individual’s name on each of the petitions. Investigators confirmed with officials from the DA’s Office for the 27th Judicial District that the clerk was told that the individual did not qualify for expungement due to the multi-county convictions. On July 20, 2023, the clerk emailed the petitions to the Obion, Henry, and Carroll County Circuit Court clerks (court clerks) and inquired about the clerks’ fees to process the conviction expungements. One of the court clerks questioned the eligibility of the individual due to the convictions in multiple counties. After the court clerk’s inquiry, the clerk subsequently contacted a supervisor with TBI via email and asked about the individual’s eligibility

The clerk then informed the court clerk who questioned the individual’s eligibility that the TBI supervisor stated the individual’s convictions were considered a single criminal episode, and that if the judges agree, the individual would be eligible for expungement. After the judge signed the order, it was sent to the TBI, and the expungement was completed. Investigators confirmed that in Weakley County, the order was signed by the judge on June 9, 2023, and was completed by the TBI on June 13, 2023. Investigators discovered that the petition was not served on the DA in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-32-101(g)(3), and the order was not signed by the DA or ADA. In her email, the clerk also told the court clerk that if the judges agree that the offenses were a single criminal episode, the individual should be eligible. Investigators confirmed with the respective judges that they were not aware that the individual had convictions in multiple counties. Investigators confirmed that the Obion County expungement was signed by the ADA and the judge; however, it was never sent to the TBI. After the improper expungements were discovered, an Agreed Order was filed on October 6, 2023, in Henry County to stop the expungement from being processed. In September and October 2023, motions to set aside petitions to expunge were filed in the two counties where the improper expungements were completed, and investigators confirmed these expungements were reversed. The petition states that the “petitioner has no other conviction in this or any other jurisdiction other than the one(s) to be expunged.” The petition also states, “petitioner further understands that statements made in the petition…are made under penalty of perjury in connection with an official proceeding.” When the clerk signed the individual’s name on the petitions, she affirmed that the individual had no other convictions. However, investigators determined that the clerk was aware that the individual had convictions in multiple counties when she prepared and signed the petitions.