Nashville Criminal Defense Lawyer | Criminal Citations and Citation Booking
Nashville Criminal Defense Lawyer & Former Prosecutor Kevin Kennedy. 615-205-7311. Call or text for a free consultation.
A Criminal Citation Is Still a Criminal Case
Being cited instead of taken to jail can feel like the incident is minor or finished. It is not. A Tennessee criminal citation is a method of requiring a person to answer a criminal charge without an immediate custodial arrest in circumstances where citation procedure is legally available.
The citation normally creates obligations that follow after the encounter, including citation booking and a court appearance. Ignoring those obligations can turn a noncustodial encounter into a warrant problem.
Why Would Police Cite Someone Instead of Arresting Them?
Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.5 governs criminal citations. Tennessee law permits citation in lieu of continued custody for qualifying misdemeanor situations, subject to exceptions and statutory requirements.
Whether citation is available depends on the offense and circumstances. Receiving a citation does not mean the officer or prosecutor has decided the person is innocent. It means the case is proceeding without the person remaining under custodial arrest at that moment.
What Is Citation Booking in Davidson County?
Davidson County uses a citation-booking process for people who receive qualifying misdemeanor citations. Citation holders are given a booking date and must complete that process before the criminal case proceeds to the assigned court date.
Booking can involve the identifying information normally associated with a criminal booking process. After the required citation booking is completed, the defendant must still appear for the criminal court date.
What Happens If I Miss Citation Booking?
Do not ignore it. Davidson County publishes procedures for people who fail to complete citation booking. Missing the booking requirement can create additional procedural problems and may require obtaining an extension or new booking date through the appropriate Davidson County offices.
Handle the issue promptly rather than waiting until the scheduled court date or an encounter with law enforcement.
What Happens If I Miss the Court Date?
A citation does not excuse the defendant from court. Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 5 states that a defendant who fails to appear for a scheduled preliminary hearing can lose the right to that hearing unless the rule's strict relief provision is satisfied.
More generally, failure to appear for a required Davidson County criminal court setting can lead to a warrant and bond consequences. The fact that the case began with a citation rather than a trip to jail does not make the court date optional.
What Types of Charges Can Begin With a Citation?
Citation procedure is commonly associated with qualifying misdemeanor allegations. The exact offense and facts determine whether citation was legally available.
Examples of Nashville cases that may involve misdemeanor citations can include certain theft, drug, alcohol, driving, public-order, or other misdemeanor allegations. The charge listed on the citation should be reviewed rather than assuming the offense based on what the officer said informally.
Can I Hire a Lawyer Before the First Court Date?
Yes. You do not need to wait until the first court appearance to retain counsel. Early representation can allow an attorney to identify the exact charge, review court information, preserve evidence, and explain what the first setting is likely to involve.
For incidents downtown, relevant surveillance footage can be held by bars, hotels, parking facilities, businesses, or other private entities. Acting early may matter if that footage could help the defense.
Does a Citation Mean I Will Have a Criminal Record?
A citation itself is not the same thing as a conviction. The criminal case still must be resolved. The ultimate record consequences depend on what happens to the charge, including whether it is dismissed, retired, diverted, resolved by plea, or results in a conviction.
Because record consequences can affect employment, licensing, education, housing, and other areas, the goal should be to evaluate the case before assuming a citation is harmless.
What If I Was Visiting Nashville?
Tourists are frequently cited and then return home before the court date. Before leaving the issue unattended, confirm the booking requirement, court date, and whether your personal appearance will be required.
Living in another state does not cause a Davidson County citation to disappear. A missed obligation can create a warrant that is much more difficult to deal with later.
What Evidence Should I Preserve?
Keep the citation and all paperwork. Save photographs, videos, receipts, rideshare records, text messages, witness contact information, and any other material connected to the incident.
Do not post an explanation of the case on social media. What feels like an attempt to tell your side can become evidence.
Talk With a Nashville Criminal Defense Lawyer
Kevin Kennedy is a former Davidson County prosecutor who now represents people charged with crimes in Nashville and throughout Middle Tennessee. If you were cited instead of taken to jail, Kevin Kennedy Law Firm can review the charge, explain the citation-booking and court process, and begin evaluating possible defenses or resolutions.
Learn more about defending these cases on the Nashville criminal citation lawyer page.
Call Kevin Kennedy Law Firm at (615) 205-7311 to discuss your case.