By Nathan Cate, Cate Law | 222 2nd Avenue North, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 37201 | (615) 664-8083
Charged with a crime in Davidson County? Read this first.
If you have been arrested in Davidson County, your case is almost certainly headed to the Birch Building at 408 2nd Avenue North — the courthouse that handles every state criminal matter in Metro Nashville from misdemeanor citations to first-degree murder. What happens in those courtrooms over the next few weeks decides whether this becomes a permanent stain or an episode you survive.
I am Nathan Cate, a Nashville criminal defense attorney with Cate Law, located three blocks from the Birch Building. I have been declared a court-qualified criminal defense expert witness by a Tennessee judge — a credential held by very few practicing defense attorneys. My trial record: 49 jury trials taken to verdict, 10 outright Not Guilty acquittals, plus hundreds of pre-trial dismissals.
Every Davidson County case I take, I prepare for trial — even when the goal is negotiation. That readiness is what creates leverage with the District Attorney’s office.
How Davidson County’s criminal court system actually works
Most people charged in Davidson County do not understand the difference between General Sessions and Criminal Court. They think there is just “court.” Knowing the difference matters because the strategy changes completely depending on which courtroom you are standing in.
General Sessions Court (where most cases start)
If you were arrested on a misdemeanor or a citation, your case starts in General Sessions Criminal Court at the Birch Building. Sessions has limited jurisdiction — judges can sentence up to 11 months and 29 days. Most cases either resolve here or get bound over to the grand jury for felony processing.
Sessions moves fast. Dockets call dozens of cases in a morning. If you walk in unprepared, the State has already read the police report, talked to the officer, and decided what offer to make. The window to negotiate a favorable resolution — diversion, dismissal, reduced charge — is measured in minutes, not weeks.
Criminal Court (where felonies live)
Felonies move from General Sessions to the Davidson County Grand Jury for indictment, then land in one of six divisions of Davidson County Criminal Court. Each division has its own judge, its own docket rhythms, and its own unwritten rules about what kinds of pleas the bench will accept.
Criminal Court cases take months — sometimes years. Pre-trial motions, suppression hearings, expert witnesses, plea negotiations, and finally trial all happen here. This is where the work of building a real defense gets done.
Specialty courts and diversion
Davidson County also runs several specialty dockets that can help eligible defendants avoid conviction or reduce sentencing:
- Davidson County Drug Court — intensive treatment-based diversion for non-violent drug offenders
- DUI Court — structured supervision for repeat DUI offenders
- Mental Health Court — for defendants with documented mental illness driving the underlying behavior
- Veterans Treatment Court — diversion for veterans with service-connected issues
Whether you qualify for one of these programs depends on the charge, your history, the prosecutor assigned, and the judge. Knowing which doors are open early can change the whole trajectory of your case.
Practice areas: Davidson County criminal defense
DUI defense
Davidson County prosecutes more DUIs than any county in Middle Tennessee. The bar for proving a DUI here is lower than people think — the State does not need a breath test, and refusing one creates its own legal consequences under Tennessee’s implied consent law. A first-offense DUI carries a mandatory 48-hour minimum jail sentence under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-402.
Most DUI defenses live in the traffic stop itself: was there reasonable suspicion to pull you over? Did the officer follow correct field sobriety test protocols? Was the breath machine certified and properly calibrated? These questions decide cases.
Drug charges
From simple possession of marijuana to trafficking schedule II controlled substances, drug cases in Davidson County range from class B misdemeanors to class A felonies. The strategy on possession cases is often diversion or dismissal through Drug Court. On distribution and trafficking cases, the strategy is usually attacking the search — was the warrant valid? Was the consent freely given? Was the traffic stop pretextual?
Violent crimes
Aggravated assault, robbery, especially aggravated robbery, attempted murder, first-degree murder. These are the cases where decades of someone’s life are at stake. Davidson County prosecutors take violent crime seriously and offers tend to be aggressive. Trial-readiness is not optional — it is the only leverage that produces real reductions.
Domestic violence
Domestic assault charges in Davidson County come with mandatory holds and no-contact orders that can disrupt your housing, your job, and your access to your children before you have ever seen a judge. Most of these cases hinge on whether the alleged victim cooperates with prosecution, whether there is independent corroboration (911 audio, photos, witness statements), and how clean the State’s chain of evidence is.
Theft and fraud
Theft cases under $1,000 are misdemeanors in General Sessions. Theft over $1,000 is a felony, with the grade increasing by value. Fraud cases — identity theft, forgery, money laundering — often involve federal cooperation but are charged in state court. Diversion is common for first-offense theft when restitution is available.
Sex offenses
Few criminal charges carry the lifelong consequences of a sex offense. Tennessee’s Sex Offender Registry, residency restrictions, and reporting requirements continue long after any sentence is served. These cases require careful, deliberate defense from the day of arrest forward — never speak to investigators, never consent to a search, never agree to take a polygraph without counsel present.
Probation violations
If your probation officer files a violation in Davidson County, you face an immediate hearing where the State only has to prove a violation by a preponderance of the evidence — a much lower standard than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Common triggers: failed drug screens, missed meetings, new arrests, or fee non-payment. The defense strategy depends on whether the violation is technical (paperwork) or substantive (new conduct).
Petitions to suspend remaining sentence
Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-306(c), a person serving a split-confinement sentence can petition the court to suspend the balance of their sentence after certain milestones. Davidson County judges have specific tendencies on what evidence they want to see — completion of programming, employment, clean drug screens, family support letters. A well-prepared § 306(c) petition can shave years off a sentence.
Expungement
If your case was dismissed, retired, you completed diversion, or it is eligible under Tennessee’s expungement statute, you can clear your record. Davidson County’s process is straightforward but paperwork-heavy. Once granted, the conviction is removed from your public criminal record — TBI, FBI, and most employer background checks.
What to do if you are arrested in Davidson County
- Do not talk to police. Polite, brief, then silent. “I would like to speak with my attorney before answering questions.” Repeat as needed. Anything you say will be in a police report by the next morning.
- Do not consent to searches. If they had probable cause, they would already be searching. The fact that they are asking means they do not.
- Bond out fast. Davidson County uses commercial bondsmen and property bonds. The longer you sit, the worse your negotiating position.
- Get the discovery. The arresting officer’s report, body camera footage, and 911 audio are all available — but only if your attorney requests them on the right schedule.
- Show up to every court date. Failure to appear creates a separate charge and ruins any goodwill the court might extend.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Davidson County criminal case take?
Misdemeanors in General Sessions can resolve in one or two appearances over a few weeks. Felonies in Criminal Court often take 6–18 months between indictment and resolution. Trials add time. Cases involving lab evidence (drug testing, DNA) move slower because of TBI backlogs.
Where is the Davidson County jail?
The main facility is the Downtown Detention Center at 448 2nd Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37201, two blocks from my office. Pre-trial inmates are typically held there or at the Hill Detention Facility. Sentenced inmates serving more than a year go to TDOC.
Will my case be expunged automatically if it is dismissed?
No. Dismissals do not auto-expunge. You have to file a separate petition. Most dismissed cases qualify and the filing fee is modest, but you have to do the paperwork.
Can I get my charges reduced before going to court?
Sometimes. Pre-indictment negotiations — between arrest and grand jury — are often the best window for major reductions, especially in cases with weak probable cause or credible defenses. This is why hiring counsel early matters.
Do I have to testify at my own trial?
No. The Fifth Amendment is absolute. Whether to testify is a decision your attorney should make with you based on the specific case posture.
Free consultation, 24/7
Call or text (615) 664-8083 any time. I personally handle every case from arrest through trial or appeal — no associates, no handoffs.
Cate Law is located in downtown Nashville at 222 2nd Avenue North, Suite 220 — three blocks from the Birch Building, two blocks from the Downtown Detention Center. If you have been arrested in Davidson County, you are already in my neighborhood.
Office hours Monday–Friday until 5:30 PM. Phones answered around the clock.