Criminal Defense in Tennessee

Defend your rights. We've helped 95 clients find attorneys today.

There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

There are several programs operated by the Tennessee Bar Association that offers legal help to anyone seeking it. If you're in need of a lawyer for criminal defense in Tennessee but don't have the financial resources to afford one, then Legal Aid may be of interest to you. Legal Aid offers free legal representation throughout the state, although the number of lawyers willing to do pro bono work through Legal Aid isn't always the same. Tennessee has eight different Legal Aid offices in the state.

Proving Your Financial Need

If you simply can't afford an attorney and Legal Aid is unable to help (they may not always have an attorney who specializes in your crime willing to take on a case for free), then you may petition the court for assistance. If you can show that you are not able to afford a lawyer, you may be assigned one for free. These court appointed attorneys are paid by public funds and are trained to represent individuals in criminal defense in Tennessee. While these attorneys are free, but you aren't given any choice in who represents you. Sometimes, the attorney you are appointed simply isn't the best at criminal defense, and when it's your life on the line, you want the best.

Partial Payment

In order to be assigned a court appointed attorney, you must turn over various financial documents to the court showing that you can't afford a lawyer on your own. However, if these records show you make a certain amount of money, you may be required to pay part of your legal fees. It all depends on how much your lawyer costs and how much money you make.

Self Defense

In any case, you do have the right to defense yourself. However, while this may be cheaper in the short run, it's often disastrous in the end. This is because criminal defense in Tennessee is a very complex field, and very few average citizens know enough of the ins and outs of the law to defense themselves as effectively as a trained lawyer could. This is the reason criminal defense is one of the areas that includes public defenders and free legal advise for those who qualify. If you aren't able to pay for an attorney, it's strongly recommended that you accept the assistance of a court appointed lawyer and allow them to plan your legal defense.

DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS
Talk to a Defense attorney
We've helped 95 clients find attorneys today.
There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you