The preliminary hearing is the first real fight in a Tennessee felony case. Most defendants walk in not knowing what it is. Here’s what actually happens, what your lawyer should be doing, and why waiving it is almost never the right move.
Author Archives: catelawoffice
Tennessee Implied Consent Law: What Refusing the Breath Test Costs You
Refusing the breath test in Tennessee is its own offense — a separate civil violation under the implied consent statute. Here’s what it actually costs you, and why the answer changes depending on whether it’s your first DUI or your fifth.
Hurt at a Tennessee Bar? Why the First 30 Days Decide Your Case
Tennessee gives you one year to file a bar injury lawsuit. The evidence that wins those cases starts disappearing in 30 days. Here is what actually happens in the weeks after a bar injury — and why early calls beat late ones every time.
Domestic Violence Charges in Tennessee: Why They Don’t “Just Go Away”
The alleged victim wants to drop the charges. The State doesn’t. Here’s why Tennessee domestic violence cases proceed even when the complaining witness no longer wants them to — and what that means for your defense.
Negligent Security in Tennessee: When a Bar Is Legally Responsible for What Its Bouncer Did
A bouncer hits a patron at a Nashville bar — and the bar is on the hook. Why? Because Tennessee law doesn’t just punish the bouncer. It punishes the venue that hired him, trained him (or didn’t), and ignored the warning signs. Here is how negligent security claims work in Tennessee.
Aggravated Assault in Tennessee: What Counts and How Defenses Work
Tennessee’s aggravated assault statute is one of the most over-charged offenses in Middle Tennessee. Here’s what the State actually has to prove, what defenses work, and where these cases fall apart.
Hurt by a Bouncer in Tennessee? What the Law Says About Bar Security Force
Bouncers are not police. They have no qualified immunity. And the bar that hired them is generally on the hook for what they did. Here is what Tennessee law actually allows — and where it cuts against bar security.
State v. Hollingsworth — Revocation Reversed Because the Underlying Sentence Had Expired
Revocation affirmed on one count; reversed on a count where sentence had already expired
State v. Ferguson — Sovereign Immunity Bars Money Sanctions Against the State
Trial court’s monetary discovery sanction against the State vacated
State v. Walls — New Trial Reversed Because Trial Court Skipped Grounds in the Motion
Reversed and remanded — trial court must address every ground in the motion for new trial