Facing a criminal charge in Tennessee

Bond and pretrial release in Tennessee

Article I Section 15 of the Tennessee Constitution provides that all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties except for capital offenses when proof is evident or presumption great. Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 40-11-101 through 40-11-152 govern bail. T.C.A. Sec. 40-11-115 directs the court to set conditions that will reasonably assure appearance and community safety. Forms include release on recognizance, unsecured bond, cash bond, surety bond, and property bond. T.C.A. Sec. 40-11-118 lists statutory factors including nature of offense, weight of evidence, and defendant background. T.C.A. Sec. 40-11-144 governs review and modification of conditions. Many Tennessee counties publish a standardized bond schedule used by magistrates and judicial commissioners for misdemeanors.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Tennessee

Our directory is still building in Tennessee. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Tennessee

Tennessee expungement is governed by T.C.A. 40-32-101. The statute provides a petition-based pathway for non-conviction records and certain eligible misdemeanors and felonies after a waiting period from completion of sentence. The statute provides immediate eligibility for many non-conviction records and a five-year waiting period after completion of sentence for eligible misdemeanors and Class E felonies; sex offenses, violent offenses, DUI, and offenses against vulnerable persons are excluded. The petition is filed in the court of conviction.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Tennessee

Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.