The Robertson County, Tennessee General Sessions court process is unique. I wanted to give the basics of what the court process is for criminal cases in Robertson County, TN. General Sessions Court. The general sessions court is located in Springfield, Tennessee. Here is a link to the address.
1. Arraignment. Your first court date is an arraignment. It requires you to show up in court and plead not guilty. The court will ask you if you have a lawyer or do you want the court to appoint you a lawyer if you cannot afford to hire a lawyer. The court will give you a new court date and tell you to be back with your lawyer. It is a simple step. Note. If you hire a criminal defense attorney, the attorney can contact the clerk and waive your appearance. If you live out of state, it may be best to hire a lawyer immediately. Since I-24 runs through Robertson County, the Tennessee Highway patrol arrests a lot of people on I-24.
2. The Plea Date. The second date is a plea date or discussion date. Usually, no witnesses are subpoenaed to appear in court. it is an opportunity to try to work out some type of plea agreement if that is what you want. Your attorney will meet with the assistant district attorney to try to settle your case. In domestic violence cases, the assistant district attorney will have the complaining witness present at that court date.
3. The Preliminary Hearing. if no settlement can be reached, the case will be reset for a preliminary hearing or a bench trial. Here is a link on what to expect at a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing is one of the most important parts of the criminal court process. At the preliminary hearing, the witnesses will testify on what they know about the case. If the court finds sufficient probable cause that a crime was committed the court will transfer the case to the grand jury for further proceedings. You can opt for a bench trial on misdemeanor cases. The government must agree to the bench trial.
Pro tip. The court will require a bail bond if you have a hearing based upon a criminal citation.
I hope you find this information helpful. If you have been charged with a crime in Springfield, TN, Greenbrier, TN. the Robertson County Sheriff's Office, or the White House Police department, please feel free to contact us. Our office handles cases in that county on a regular basis.