Posted on October 03, 2025 in Criminal Defense

While all 50 states recognize some form of the Castle Doctrine, the specifics of the law vary significantly from one state to another. The Castle Doctrine is a principle that allows the lawful occupant of a home to use deadly force with no duty to retreat from an intruder (although some states do have caveats regarding the duty to retreat).

The differences between states center around whether the specific conditions under which deadly force is permitted, and where the Castle Doctrine applies (i.e., only the home or also in the workplace or one’s vehicle). The Castle Doctrine can serve as a legal defense against criminal charges if you are involved in a situation where you used deadly force against an intruder.

If you find yourself in the position of facing criminal charges for the use of deadly force, the specifics of the Tennessee Castle Doctrine can mean the difference between a felony conviction and your freedom. An experienced Clinton, TN criminal defense lawyer can build a comprehensive defense on your behalf after listening to your story and reviewing the evidence.

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 Posted on September 30, 2025 in Civil Rights

In a world where the rules seem to change almost daily, the creation of the "Memphis Safe Task Force," involving the National Guard and federal agencies, has resulted in alarm among civil rights groups and many citizens. The Memphis Safe Task Force is a multi-agency, federal initiative launched in September 2025 by the current administration and supported by the Tennessee governor.

The U.S. Marshals Service chairs the task force, which includes participants from the FBI, DEA, ATF, DHS, ICE, Tennessee National Guard troops, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The stated goal of the task force is to enforce "quality of life" violations, such as vandalism and graffiti, dismantle gang networks, and target violent street crime. The inclusion of ICE in the task force has local Latino citizens expressing fear of arrest based only on their appearance.

While the ACLU has demanded that the task force adhere to the Kendrick Consent Decree, which prevents police from illegally surveilling citizens, it is unknown whether that demand will be honored. If you or a loved one is illegally arrested while this task force is in place, and you believe your civil rights have been violated, it can be extremely beneficial to speak to a Rutledge, TN civil rights lawyer.

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 Posted on September 16, 2025 in Criminal Defense

A young man was recently charged with first-degree murder caused by aggravated child abuse after the death of his three-month-old son. The child, who sustained multiple severe injuries, passed away at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The father was alone with the child at the time; however, the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.

Few criminal charges carry as much weight or the stigma as first-degree murder resulting from aggravated child abuse. In cases like this, the prosecutor will argue that the abuse was so severe that it either directly caused the death of the child or created circumstances that led to the death. Unlike "typical" murder cases, charges like this combine elements of child protection laws with the harshest penalties in the state, usually reserved for intentional or reckless acts.

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 Posted on September 04, 2025 in Guns & Weapons Charges

Homemade, untraceable firearms built from 3D printers or kits are on the rise across the United States. These guns are known as "ghost guns," and while they are federally regulated, laws from state to state vary widely. Currently, only 15 states have laws prohibiting the possession of ghost guns, and Tennessee is not one of them. Ghost guns are typically built to avoid background checks or other state or federal laws that would prohibit gun ownership.

The number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement rose 39 percent between 2016 and 2020, with nearly 24,000 ghost guns recovered during those five years.  It is essential to understand how Tennessee law interacts with federal regulations, which can lead to unexpected criminal charges. The federal government proposed a rule in May 2021 that designated ghost guns as firearms, requiring that they be sold with serial numbers and background checks.

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 Posted on August 30, 2025 in Assault

When we think of kidnapping, most of us think of a violent abduction by strangers. Across the nation and in Tennessee, kidnapping charges (Section 39-13-303 – Kidnapping) can arise in much more personal settings. Custody disputes between parents can result in scenarios that can quickly cross the line into criminal behavior. Parents who are in the middle of sticky family situations need to understand how kidnapping statutes could apply.

The legal definition of kidnapping in Tennessee involves the unlawful removal or confinement of another person. When a court has issued orders regarding the custody of a child and one parent disregards those orders, kidnapping charges are a possibility. Perhaps you are a parent facing kidnapping charges.

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 Posted on August 15, 2025 in Civil Rights

On March 14, 2024, an officer pulled a gun on a suspect and released his K-9, because the suspect was "resisting arrest." The K-9’s bites caused the suspect to undergo several surgeries, racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

In the bodycam footage, the suspect seems confused when the officer asks her about thefts in the area. She tells the officer she needed to babysit for a friend and turns toward her car. The officer struggled to handcuff the woman and then released the K-9 remotely. The dog clamped down on the woman’s leg for almost a minute and a half, even when the officer called the K-9 off.

Today, law enforcement uses K-9s to detect drugs and bombs, track suspects, and apprehend suspects. In some cases, the use of K-9s can cross the line into the use of excessive force. The use of a police dog must comply with constitutional protections against excessive force as stated under the Fourth Amendment.

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 Posted on August 06, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Although panhandling (asking the public for money or other assistance) is usually associated with homelessness, most people are surprised to find that national estimates conclude that less than 20 percent of the homeless population engage in panhandling. Panhandling typically yields between $20 and $60 per day. Most panhandlers face barriers to "traditional" work in the form of physical disability, lack of skills, or mental illness, and many struggle with substance abuse.

While panhandling is not typically illegal in Tennessee, when coupled with certain types of aggressive behaviors, it can become a criminal offense. Unfortunately, in some cases, these behaviors may be exaggerated or misconstrued by the person reporting the crime. While there are certainly more serious criminal offenses in Tennessee, if you have been charged with aggressive panhandling, consulting a knowledgeable Blaine, TN criminal defense lawyer can be important to help keep the offense off your criminal record and minimize penalties.  

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 Posted on July 29, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Recently, multiple criminal warrants were issued against an inmate in the Davidson County jail for allegedly sending threatening letters to four Nashville judges. The man has been in jail since last October on charges related to probation violations of felony assault and burglary convictions. The man allegedly made threats against the judges for decisions made when he was a defendant appearing before them.

The charge of making harassing threats in the 17 letters sent to the judges is a Class A misdemeanor, although in some cases it can be charged as a felony. Some of the letters not only threatened harm to the judges and their family members, but also to the President. In Tennessee, under Tennessee Code Section 39-17-308, sending a threatening letter may be classified as harassment, especially if the letter contains a threat of unlawful action and the sender intends to annoy or alarm the recipient.

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 Posted on July 15, 2025 in Criminal Defense

In 2025, the state of Tennessee introduced more aggressive enhanced hate crime laws. These laws are linked to the Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism (PEACE) Act. The goal of the updates is to close any current gaps in Tennessee criminal laws by targeting vandalism, intimidation, and harassment – crimes that traditionally escape prosecution under the felony-only hate crime standards.

The updates make these crimes prosecutable as misdemeanors and are intended to send a message: intolerance and misconduct resulting from bias, even when no bodily harm is caused, will no longer be tolerated. Tennessee previously limited hate crime enhancements to felonies, leaving misdemeanors unaddressed, thus creating a void for bias and hate-motivated vandalism, harassment, threats, and property damage.

The PEACE Act (HB 55/SB 30) further adds misdemeanors for "hate littering," which includes banner hanging, intimidating flyers, and box-truck transportation of hate group members. The goal is to curb increasingly brazen acts by extremists, including neo-Nazis. If you are facing a misdemeanor hate crime enhancement, it is important that you consult with an experienced Farragut, TN criminal defense attorney.

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 Posted on July 07, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Although evidence is the foundation of any criminal prosecution, not all evidence is admissible in court. There are rules that exist in Tennessee – and in every state – to ensure that evidence is gathered by law enforcement in a legal, fair manner. When those rules are violated, a criminal defense attorney can challenge the evidence, potentially having it excluded from the case entirely.

This is known as suppression of evidence and can often make or break a criminal charge. If you are facing criminal charges in Tennessee, it is crucial that you have a strong legal advocate on your side. An experienced Dandridge, TN criminal defense lawyer can expose any evidence that has flaws, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies while ensuring you are treated fairly and your rights are protected throughout the legal process.  

The Basics of Evidence Suppression in Tennessee

"Throwing out evidence" means that a judge has ruled that specific evidence presented in a criminal court case cannot be considered by the judge or jury during the trial. This can happen for many different reasons, but when the court deems evidence inadmissible, it cannot be introduced in court.

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