DUI Defense
Challenging the traffic stop, the field sobriety tests, and the reliability of the breath or blood test.
Learn moreCriminal Defense Attorney in Rhea County, Tennessee
When your freedom, your record, and your future are on the line, you need someone in your corner who knows the local courts. Bateman Law Firm defends clients throughout East Tennessee.
A criminal charge is frightening — but it is not a conviction. From the moment you call, we work to protect your rights, challenge the State's evidence, and pursue the best possible outcome for your case.
Criminal defense is one of the two areas this firm focuses on. That means when you call, you're talking to a lawyer who is in these courthouses regularly — who knows how the local dockets run, how cases in these districts actually get resolved, and what a realistic outcome looks like in your county rather than in the abstract.
How We Defend Your Case
Every case is different, but the approach is consistent: understand the facts, hold the State to its burden of proof, and fight for the outcome that best protects your future.
1. Immediate protection of your rights
The earlier we're involved, the more we can do. We advise you on what to say — and not say — and get to work preserving evidence and identifying weaknesses in the State's case while it's still possible to do so.
2. Thorough case review
We examine the police reports, the stop or arrest, the handling of evidence, and whether your constitutional rights were respected at every step. Suppression issues are frequently the pivot point of an entire case.
3. Negotiation and trial
Where a favorable resolution is possible, we negotiate hard. Where it isn't, we're prepared to take your case to trial and make the State prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charges We Defend
Criminal Charges
Select a charge type below for detail on how these cases work in Tennessee and how they're defended.
Drug Charges
Possession, paraphernalia, and sale or intent charges — plus diversion, recovery court, and school zone resentencing.
Learn moreAssault & Domestic Assault
Simple, aggravated, and domestic assault — including no-contact orders and firearm consequences.
Learn moreTheft & Property Crimes
Shoplifting, theft, burglary, and vandalism — where contesting value can mean the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor.
Learn moreWe also defend probation violations, expungement petitions, driving offenses, reckless endangerment, weapons charges, and violations of orders of protection. If your charge isn't listed here, call (865) 935-9558 — chances are we handle it.
Step by Step
What Happens After an Arrest in Tennessee
Most people have never been through this before. Here is the path a Tennessee criminal case actually takes.
1. Arrest and booking
You're processed at the county jail — fingerprints, photograph, records check. Some misdemeanors are handled by citation instead, meaning you're released and report later.
2. Bond
A magistrate or judicial commissioner sets bond. That may be release on your own recognizance, a cash bond, or a surety through a bondsman. Bond can be reviewed and, in the right circumstances, reduced.
3. Initial appearance
Tennessee requires that you be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. On a felony, you must be told the charge, your right to counsel, your right to remain silent, and your right to a preliminary hearing.
4. General Sessions arraignment
Your first real court date. The charge is formally stated and counsel is retained or appointed. Misdemeanors can be fully resolved in General Sessions — by plea, dismissal, diversion, or a bench trial. Felonies cannot; General Sessions has no felony trial jurisdiction.
5. Preliminary hearing
On a felony, this is a probable cause hearing before the General Sessions judge. The bar is far lower than beyond a reasonable doubt — but because Tennessee requires live witness testimony rather than hearsay, it is a real opportunity to cross-examine the State's witnesses early and lock in their testimony under oath. The case may be dismissed, reduced to a misdemeanor and resolved that day, or bound over to the grand jury.
Timing is set by rule: generally within 14 days if you remain in custody, or 30 days if you've been released. In practice these are often continued by agreement, frequently to allow negotiation.
6. Grand jury
A grand jury reviews the case and decides whether to return an indictment — a "true bill" — or a "no true bill." You are not present and have no right to attend or present evidence. It is a one-sided proceeding. Grand juries in our rural counties typically convene on a monthly or term schedule, so this stage often adds time.
7. Circuit or Criminal Court arraignment
Once indicted, the case moves up. In Rhea and Bledsoe Counties that means Circuit Court; in McMinn, Monroe, Roane, and Meigs Counties, Criminal Court. The indictment is read, a not-guilty plea is entered, and bond is revisited.
8. Discovery and motions
This is where most of the real work happens, and it's usually the longest phase. We request discovery, pursue the State's constitutional obligation to disclose exculpatory evidence, and litigate pretrial motions — most importantly motions to suppress evidence or statements obtained unlawfully. A successful suppression motion can end a case outright.
9. Plea or trial
Most cases resolve by negotiated plea, and diversion may be available to qualifying first-time offenders. If your case doesn't resolve, it's set for trial. The State must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt; you need not testify or present any proof at all.
Already on Probation?
Probation Violations
A violation warrant is not the same as going back to prison. Tennessee law limits what can happen to you — and most people don't know it.
If a violation warrant has been issued, the most important thing to understand is that you have a hearing, and you have rights at it. You are entitled to be present, to be represented by counsel, and to put on testimony of your own. The State's burden is only a preponderance of the evidence rather than beyond a reasonable doubt — which is exactly why having someone contest the allegation matters.
A single technical violation cannot revoke felony probation
Tennessee draws a hard line between a technical violation — failing a drug screen, missing a meeting with your officer, falling behind on fees — and a new offense. On felony probation, the court may not revoke and send you to serve your sentence based on a single technical violation. That protection is real and it is frequently overlooked.
Two important limits: it applies to felony probation, not misdemeanor probation, and it does not cover absconding or contacting the victim.
Even repeat technical violations are capped
For a second or subsequent technical violation on felony probation, Tennessee caps how long you can be held: 15 days on a first revocation, 30 days on a second, 90 days on a third. Only on a fourth revocation can the court order the remainder of the sentence. The court may also resentence you to probation with a community-based alternative instead.
The Tennessee legislature considered eliminating these protections in 2026 — allowing revocation on a single technical violation and raising the caps sharply. Those bills died in subcommittee, so the current limits remain in force.
New charges are treated differently
A new felony, a new Class A misdemeanor, absconding, or contacting the victim can result in the full sentence being executed. If you have picked up a new charge while on probation, you are facing two matters at once and they affect each other — call before either court date.
What we do
We contest whether the violation occurred at all, whether it is properly characterized as technical, and what sanction is appropriate. Where the underlying issue is addiction or a missed payment rather than new criminal conduct, that context matters and courts can respond to it. You also keep credit for time you successfully served on probation, and you have the right to appeal a revocation.
Where We Practice
Courts We Appear In
We defend cases across six East Tennessee counties in three judicial districts. Knowing how each courthouse runs matters.
Rhea County
Dayton
Rhea County Justice Center, 7824 Rhea County Highway, Dayton
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and felony preliminary hearings; felony cases are tried in Circuit Court.
McMinn County
Athens
McMinn County Justice Center, 1317 South White Street, Athens
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings; felony cases are heard in Criminal Court. Note that criminal matters are heard at the Justice Center, not the historic courthouse on East Madison.
Bledsoe County
Pikeville
Bledsoe County Courthouse, 3150 Main Street, Pikeville
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings; felony cases are tried in Circuit Court.
Roane County
Kingston
Roane County Courthouse, 200 East Race Street, Kingston
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings; felony cases are heard in Criminal Court.
Meigs County
Decatur
Meigs County Courthouse, 17214 State Highway 58 North, Decatur
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings; felony cases are heard in Criminal Court.
Monroe County
Madisonville
Monroe County Justice Center, 4500 New Highway 68, Madisonville
General Sessions Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings; felony cases are heard in Criminal Court.
Court locations and divisions are provided for general reference and can change. Confirm your court date, time, and location on the paperwork you were given or with the court clerk.
Common Questions
Criminal Defense FAQ
What should I do if I've been arrested?
Politely decline to answer questions beyond identifying yourself, and ask to speak with a lawyer. You cannot talk your way out of an arrest, but you can very easily talk your way into a conviction. Then call Bateman Law Firm at (865) 935-9558 as soon as possible.
Do you handle both misdemeanors and felonies?
Yes. We represent clients across the full range of criminal matters, from traffic and misdemeanor charges in General Sessions Court through serious felony cases in the Circuit and Criminal Courts of East Tennessee.
What happens at my first court date?
Your first appearance is usually an arraignment in the General Sessions Court of the county where you were charged. The charge is stated, you retain or are appointed counsel, and the case is set for a future date. Most cases are not resolved at the first appearance — but decisions made there can affect everything that follows.
What is a preliminary hearing, and should I waive it?
On a felony charge, the preliminary hearing is where the State must show a judge there is probable cause to send your case to the grand jury. Unlike federal court, Tennessee requires live witness testimony — which makes it a genuine opportunity to cross-examine the State's witnesses and lock in their account under oath. Whether to waive it is a strategic decision that should be made with a lawyer, not by default.
How long does a criminal case take in Tennessee?
It varies widely. A misdemeanor resolved in General Sessions may take a few court dates over a couple of months. A contested felony that goes through grand jury, discovery, motions, and trial commonly takes a year or more. Rural counties in our districts hold court on a limited schedule, which affects timing.
Can charges be reduced or dismissed?
Sometimes. Outcomes depend on the facts, the evidence, and the law. We evaluate every angle — suppressing evidence obtained unlawfully, challenging how the State's proof was gathered, and negotiating with the prosecution — to pursue the best available result.
Can I get my record expunged?
Often, yes — and it is worth asking even if you were told no in the past, because Tennessee restructured its expungement law in 2025 and broadened it. A few things worth knowing. Dismissed charges, no true bills, nolle prosequi, acquittals, and successfully completed diversions can be expunged, and for dismissals the statute says it is done at no cost to you. Certain convictions can also be expunged, generally after five years from completing your sentence for a misdemeanor or Class E felony, or ten years for a Class C or D felony. Conviction expungements carry a court clerk's fee, capped by statute at $100 — and some counties charge less. Two catches: eligibility for conviction expungement works from a specific list of qualifying offenses rather than covering everything, so whether you qualify depends on the exact charge; and expungement is almost never automatic — with the narrow exception of an acquittal at trial, where the judge must ask whether you want the records destroyed, you have to file a petition. Records do not clear themselves with time. Bring us the charge and the disposition and we can tell you where you stand.
How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost?
Fees depend on the charge and the complexity of the case. We discuss fees openly at your consultation so there are no surprises. Call (865) 935-9558 to talk it through.
Don't Face Charges Alone
The sooner you call, the more we can do to protect you. Reach an attorney today.