If you have been charged,
do not face it alone.
Call me first.
I have defended thousands of clients in Tennessee criminal courts since 2006 — from DUI and drug charges to assault, theft, burglary, and murder. I have saved clients from life sentences and obtained dismissals of serious felony charges.
The first 48 hours matter.
If you or someone you love has been arrested, what you do in the first 48 hours can change the outcome of the case. Do not talk to police without a lawyer. Do not consent to searches. Do not post about it on social media. Call an attorney.
I am an aggressive criminal defense attorney with success defending felony and misdemeanor charges of all kinds in the criminal courts of Hamilton County and across Tennessee. I know the prosecutors. I know the judges. I know how the cases move through the system — and what it takes to fight back.
Charges I defend.
DUI & DWI
First-offense DUIs, multiple offenses, aggravated DUI, implied-consent violations, license issues.
Drug charges
Simple possession, possession with intent, manufacturing, schedule I–VII controlled substances.
Assault
Simple assault, aggravated assault, domestic assault, assault on a law enforcement officer.
Theft & burglary
Theft of property, shoplifting, burglary, aggravated burglary, robbery.
Probation violations
Violation of probation hearings, revocation defense, reinstatement, sentencing alternatives.
Murder & major felonies
First and second degree murder, attempted murder, vehicular homicide, voluntary manslaughter.
Sex offenses
Defense in serious cases involving registry and life-changing collateral consequences.
Failure to appear
Capias warrants, bond reinstatement, getting your case back on the docket without making things worse.
Resisting & evading
Resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest or search; evading arrest; obstruction.
DUI in Tennessee.
Tennessee DUI law is unforgiving. A first conviction carries mandatory jail time, license revocation, alcohol education, ignition interlock requirements, court costs, and fines. Subsequent offenses escalate quickly. Aggravated DUI — if a child was in the car, if someone was injured, if there was a high BAC — raises the stakes further.
But a DUI charge is not a conviction. Police make mistakes. Field-sobriety tests are not always administered properly. Breath and blood tests are subject to challenge. The stop itself must have been lawful. I look at every step of the case for weaknesses.
Read the penalty structure — first offense
1st Time DUI Offender — .08 BAC
- 48 hours up to 11 months, 29 days in jail
- .15 BAC or greater: minimum jail time 7 consecutive days
- License revocation for 1 year (restricted license available)
- You will be ordered to participate in an alcohol and drug treatment program
- Pay restitution to any person suffering physical injury or personal loss
- If two (2) convictions of DUI in 5 years, ignition interlock device required for 6 months after reinstatement at your expense
- Drug and alcohol treatment may be required at the judge's discretion
Source: Tennessee Department of Safety DUI outline. Penalties for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and subsequent offenses escalate substantially. Call to discuss your specific case.
Drug possession & trafficking.
Tennessee classifies controlled substances on a schedule (I through VII), and penalties depend on the schedule, the quantity, and whether the prosecutor charges simple possession or possession with intent to distribute or manufacture. A small amount of a Schedule II substance is treated very differently from possession of marijuana. Whether the search that produced the evidence was lawful is often the heart of the case.
Read the statute — simple possession
(a) It is an offense for a person to knowingly possess or casually exchange a controlled substance, unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of professional practice.
(b) It is an offense for a person to distribute a small amount of marijuana not in excess of one-half (1/2) ounce (14.175 grams).
(c)(1) Except as provided in subsections (d) and (e), a violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(c)(2)(A) A violation of subsection (a) with respect to any amount of methamphetamine shall be punished by confinement for not less than thirty (30) days, and the person shall serve at least one hundred percent (100%) of the thirty (30) day minimum.
Possession with intent to distribute or manufacture is charged under T.C.A. § 39-17-417 and carries felony penalties that scale with schedule and quantity. Call to discuss the specific charges in your case.
Assault.
Under T.C.A. 39-13-101, a person commits assault if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another — or causes another to reasonably fear imminent bodily injury — or causes physical contact that a reasonable person would regard as extremely offensive. Simple assault is typically a Class A misdemeanor. Aggravated assault — involving serious injury, a weapon, strangulation, or certain victims — is a felony.
Read the statute — simple & aggravated assault
(a) A person commits assault who:
- Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another;
- Intentionally or knowingly causes another to reasonably fear imminent bodily injury; or
- Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another and a reasonable person would regard the contact as extremely offensive or provocative.
(b)(1)(A) Assault is a Class A misdemeanor unless the offense is committed under subdivision (a)(3), in which event assault is a Class B misdemeanor; provided, that if the offense is committed against a law enforcement officer or a health care provider acting in the discharge of the provider's duty, then the maximum fine shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-102 — Aggravated assault(a)(1) A person commits aggravated assault who:
(A) Intentionally or knowingly commits an assault as defined in § 39-13-101, and the assault:
- Results in serious bodily injury to another;
- Results in the death of another;
- Involved the use or display of a deadly weapon; or
- Involved strangulation or attempted strangulation; or
(B) Recklessly commits an assault as defined in § 39-13-101(a)(1), and the assault:
- Results in serious bodily injury to another;
- Results in the death of another; or
- Involved the use or display of a deadly weapon.
Theft.
Tennessee grades theft by the value of what was taken. The line between misdemeanor and felony theft, and between different felony classes, is drawn at specific dollar amounts. The charge can also be elevated if the property is a firearm, a motor vehicle, or certain other items. I review every theft case carefully to make sure the value is right and the elements are actually there.
Read the statute — theft of property
(a) A person commits theft of property if, with intent to deprive the owner of property, the person knowingly obtains or exercises control over the property without the owner's effective consent.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-105 — Grading of theftTheft is graded by the value of the property or services obtained, with the line between misdemeanor and felony theft — and between different felony classes — drawn at specific statutory dollar amounts. Penalties can also be elevated when the property is a firearm, a motor vehicle, or certain other categories of property.
Probation violations.
A probation violation hearing has a lower standard of proof than a trial, but it can result in serving the full original sentence in custody. Whether it is a technical violation or a new charge, you need representation. I have gotten clients reinstated on probation, transferred to alternative sentencing programs, and had violations dismissed.
What we will do together.
- Move fast. Bond hearings, preliminary hearings, evidence preservation — the early stages of a case can shape everything that follows.
- Investigate. Police reports, body-cam footage, witness statements, lab results. I get the discovery and read every page.
- Find the weaknesses in the State's case. Improper stops, bad searches, unreliable witnesses, problems with the evidence.
- File the right motions. Motions to suppress, motions to dismiss, motions in limine. The best result often comes from winning a pretrial motion.
- Negotiate from strength — or try the case. If a fair plea offer is on the table, we consider it. If not, we go to trial.
Ready when you are.
Call to talk through your situation. No pressure, no obligation, no charge for the first conversation.