Domestic Violence Charges in Tennessee

Domestic violence is charged as domestic assault: an assault against a domestic abuse victim (current or former spouses, people who live or lived together, dating or sexual partners, relatives by blood, adoption or marriage, and their children). A first conviction is punished the same as assault. A second conviction (bodily-injury assault) carries a fine of $350 to $3,500 and confinement of not less than 30 consecutive days nor more than 11 months 29 days; a third or subsequent conviction is a Class E felony with mandatory confinement of at least 90 consecutive days and a fine of $1,100 to $5,000. The enhanced penalties do not apply if ten or more years passed since the previous qualifying violation. On conviction the judge must order the defendant to give up physical possession of all firearms within 48 hours. Choking or attempted strangulation during an assault is aggravated assault, a felony. Since January 1, 2026, a court may also order a person with a second conviction for an offense against a domestic abuse victim onto a public Tennessee Bureau of Investigation registry (Savanna's Law), with a $150 registration fee.

Tennessee's rule on court-appointed lawyers: In felony cases, when the accused has no lawyer and the court finds the accused indigent, the court must appoint the public defender (if the county has one) or another competent licensed attorney. A person who says he or she cannot afford a lawyer must complete the uniform affidavit of indigency, and statements are made under oath. In deciding indigency the court considers the nature of the services, usual attorney charges in the community, the accused's income from any source, federal poverty guidelines, ownership or equity in property, the amount of the bond and whether the person was able to make bond, and any other relevant circumstances. A defendant given court-appointed counsel is assessed a nonrefundable administrative fee of $50 at the time of appointment; the court must waive or reduce it if the defendant lacks the resources to pay, may raise it to no more than $200 if the defendant has sufficient resources, and the fee is collected even if the charges are dismissed. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-14-202(a)-(c), (i)(1); 40-14-103(b)

How release before trial works in Tennessee: A magistrate deciding pretrial release for a bailable offense may release the defendant on personal recognizance, on an unsecured appearance bond, or on conditions that may include a bail deposit. The magistrate 'shall give first consideration to ensuring the safety of the community' and, if releasing the defendant, must impose the least restrictive conditions that will reasonably assure appearance and community safety. The magistrate must consider any available results of a validated pretrial risk assessment and the defendant's financial resources, and may also consider the defendant's length of residence in the community; employment status; prior criminal record, including prior releases on recognizance or bail; whether the defendant was on release for another offense when charged; the nature of the offense, the apparent probability of conviction, and the likely sentence; substance use or mental health issues better addressed in community-based treatment; and other ties to the community or factors related to the risk of willful failure to appear. Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-11-115(a), (b) What happens after an arrest.

Each state sets its own rules for sealing or expunging records. See Tennessee expungement and record sealing rules.